Making your home more energy efficient is an investment that makes your home more affordable and comfortable in the long term. The table below shows improved home efficiencies to reduce air leaks, insulate, reduce heating and cooling costs, and reduce energy use.
Assuming you own your home, performing an energy audit can help you find major issues with your home that you may not be able to detect on your own. However, it is also possible to do the projects you know of and then test for what you missed. An energy auditor can also point out safety problems in your home, e.g., asbestos, potential issues with mold, etc.
If you are in an apartment or condo – kudos to you! You are already using less energy than many people. Pat yourself on the back! This section may help you make your place more comfortable, by reducing drafts, heat and cold. There are also some ideas on how to spend less money on energy.
| Estimate of Total Loss* | Recommended Actions | |
| Find and seal air leaks | 30% (heat) | Caulking windows, sealing doors, filling gaps in protrusions. |
| Add insulation | 45% (heat) 25% (cooling) | Insulating for heat losses through wall, roof and floor; or for cooling losses through roof and walls. |
| Reduce energy use | Winter: 2% per -degree Summer: 3-5% per + degree | Setting thermostat lower/higher 24 hours, or when away or asleep; using fans effectively. |
| Purchase efficient windows | 20% (annual energy) | Purchasing new windows can provide insulation and protect from solar radiation; cheaper recommendations also listed. |
| Seal ducts, insulate heating pipes | 15-20% of air passing through ducts | Sealing ducts with mastic or UL-181b duct tape or aeroseal. Insulating radiator pipes with foam or fiberglass insulation. |
* Source: Jennifer Thorne Amann, Alex Wilson, Katie Ackerly (2012) Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 10th Ed., New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, BC Canada.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY VIDEO
This 24-minute video on You-Tube tells our story of making 2 homes more energy efficient and comfortable, and shows how we saved money relative to our neighbors.
YouTube Video: How to make your home energy efficient