Easy Home Weatherization Projects

Home weatherization projects that can reduce your power bill.These projects qualify your home to be more energy efficient, safe, secure, and comfy.

1. Dodge the Draft(s)

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old Great Depression fixture — the draft snake, which you can easily make yourself. Just place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door, or make a more attractive DIY draft snake with googly eyes, felt tongues and the like. You can use any scraps of fabric — even neckties — and fill with sand or kitty litter for heft.

Make sure drafts aren’t giving your thermostat a false reading too, and read on for more advanced solutions.

2. Install Storm Doors and Windows

The simple act of installing a storm door can increase energy efficiency by 45%, by sealing drafts and reducing air flow. Storm doors also offer greater flexibility for letting light and ventilation enter your home. Look for Energy Star-certified models.

Similarly, storm windows can make a huge difference when the cold wind starts blowing. It may be a pain, but it is well worth it to get them out of the shed or attic and install them for the season. (Make sure each is securely shut — they don’t do much good if you leave them in the up position by mistake!)

Efficient doors, windows and skylights qualify for a federal tax credit covering 30% of the cost, up to $1,500. (Note: 2011 tax credits are less generous.)

3. Give Your Heating System a Tune-Up

You probably already know that cars need periodic tune-ups in order to run their best. Well the same is true for heating equipment. Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted will reduce energy use, saving up to 5% of heating costs.

The good news is many utilities offer free annual checkups by qualified technicians — but you often have to call early, as HVAC crews get backed up once heating season starts. Some furnace manufacturers and dealers also offer free or discounted inspections.

If your entire furnace is in need of replacement, it will cost a lot more — but replacing an inefficient burner for a modern machine will save you every month through the heating season. Be sure to take advantage of federal tax credits for new furnaces, which can cover 30% of the cost, up to $1,500

4. Mind That Thermostat

It’s easy to forget to turn down the heat when you leave the building, but doing so is one of the surest ways to save money. Most households shell out 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling, so why pay for what no one uses?

For every degree you lower the thermostat during heating season, you’ll save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. Make it easier with a programmable thermostat; they are widely available for as little as $50, and the average family will save $180 a year with one.

Go a step further and ask your local utility if it’s making smart meters available in your area, as part of recent federal smart grid investments.

5. Put Up Some Plastic

For just a few dollars, pick up a window insulation kit at your local hardware or discount store. Don’t worry — properly installed, window plastic is essentially invisible. Adding a buffer against drafts and extra still air space can give a nice boost to your home’s ability to hold heat.

Save even more by hiring a pro to install a high-tech “low-e” film directly to the window glass.

If your windows are old, consider investing in a set of efficient windows — which qualify for a federal tax credit covering 30% of the cost, up to $1,500. (Note: 2011 tax credits are less generous.)

6. Use an Energy Monitor

Measure your way to savings with an energy monitor (pictured is the TED, The Energy Detective, which starts at $139). Such a device indicates household electrical usage in real time and projects your monthly bill. Research has found that such info leads consumers to reduce their electricity consumption significantly.

In fact, according to the company you’ll save 15%-20% on each bill, which would amount to hundreds of dollars a year. By seeing exactly how much each appliance or activity costs, you’ll start seeing easy ways to cut waste.

Go a step further and ask your local utility if it’s making smart meters available in your area, as part of recent federal smart grid investments.

7. Use Caulking and Weatherstripping

Simple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5% to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That means it pays to seal up gaps with caulking and weatherstripping.

Take a close look at places where two different building materials meet, such as corners, around chimneys, where pipes or wires exit and along the foundation. Use the incense test: carefully (avoiding drapes and other flammables) move a lit stick along walls; where the smoke wavers, you have air sneaking in. And heating or cooling sneaking out.

In another method, have someone on the outside blow a hair dryer around each window while you hold a lighted candle inside. If the candle flickers or goes out, you need to caulk or weather strip around the frame.

Low-income households can qualify for an average of $6,500 worth of weatherization improvements to their homes through government programs administered by each state. Find out about your state’s program by contacting local energy agencies.

8. Boost Insulation

It may not seem sexy, but insulation is one of the best ways to save energy and money at home. It can make a big difference to add more insulation between walls, and make sure your attic floor and basement ceiling are well covered.

The federal government will reimburse you for 30% of the cost, up to $1,500 for highly efficient insulation. (Note: 2011 tax credits are less generous.) Additionally, low-income households can qualify for an average of $6,500 worth of weatherization improvements to their homes through government programs administered by each state. Find out about your state’s program by contacting local energy agencies.

9. Seal Those Ducts

Moving even deeper into your home’s infrastructure … one encounters ductwork. Studies show 10% to 30% of heated (or cooled) air in an average system escapes from ducts.

Therefore, it could pay to hire a professional technician to come out and test your duct system, and fix any problems. Properly sealing ducts can save the average home up to $140 annually, according to the American Solar Energy Society. Plus, you’ll have better protection against mold and dust.

Many utilities offer incentive programs for duct improvement. Be wary of “duct cleaning” services, however; absent an air quality problem, most homes don’t need their ducts cleaned.

Additionally, low-income households can qualify for an average of $6,500 worth of weatherization improvements to their homes through government programs administered by each state. Find out about your state’s program by contacting local energy agencies.

10. Get Creative and Go Alternative

Various local, state and federal incentives exist to encourage the use of alternative energy technologies, like solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, biomass stoves, small wind turbines and even fuel cells — all of which require a front-end investment that typically pays itself off in energy savings over a number of years.

Whereas most incentives for energy efficiency improvements are capped at $1,500 — incentives for most household alternative energies cover fully 30% of the cost of, with no cap. (Learn more about geothermal heating and cooling from Climate Master, one of The Daily Green’s sponsors.)

Or, you can get creative. Tired of paying to chill food when it’s cold outside? Take advantage of natural cool air by rigging up an ambient air refrigerator on the side of your dwelling. The process is more simple than you might think. You just need some wood, insulation and a couple of computer fans.

Home weatherization is the main source to the security of home energy conservation.