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Is Your Home Leaking Money?
Audit Insulation to Lower Utility Bills
Every household faces the same big headache every month. This is when the mail arrives with bills from various utility companies. Utility bills are no joke. They add up to a hefty amount of money and it can consume a big bulk of your monthly budget. Learning strategies to lower utility bills is an important consideration.
Many ways to lower your monthly utility bells have been identified.
All that is needed is time to inspect the entire house and see what options you have. Audit your household on a regular basis and pay particular attention to the insulation. Know what changes that can be made to make energy use more efficient. This can be of big significance to your family in the future.
Audit Insulation
Auditing your insulation will require proper evaluation of the different factors in your household that contribute to energy use. This type of audit focuses on areas where use of insulation isn't that urgent. Knowing what these areas are will help you effectively determine how to maximize their use with the least amount of energy needed. This means being more efficient in your energy consumption so that money won't be wasted. Thus, never underestimate the task of auditing your insulation system.
Windows and Doors
The windows and doors are areas that need to be double checked for leaks. Your heating or cooling system will use more energy if these areas are a problem . Be sure that your doors and windows are energy efficient. This can be checked by feeling the temperature in the areas outside the doors and windows. You can also hire a contractor to conduct tests for other possible areas of leaks. Areas such as the basement and crawlspaces must also be taken into consideration.
Attics
The attic is the one single factor that can make a significant difference in your heating and cooling bills. Attics need vents to maintain good air circulation. You shouldn't need to add insulation there if the circulation is good enough. Be sure that there are no holes in the ceiling where air can escape from the attic. Sealing those holes reduce your energy consumption significantly.
By adding an additional layer of insulation, you can greatly increase the R factor in the home. Should you use fiberglass or foam? Either may be a good investment for your home, but these are questions best left to the professional.
Fireplaces
The fireplace is common in many houses. However, they can pose heat loss problems, especially when not in use. The fireplace can continue to direct out the heat, and if it does, then your heating system will require more energy in order to sustain the requirements of the household. A fireplace can also contribute to loss of air conditioning. To help lower the utility bill, just take the proper measures. Be sure that your flue is properly closed when not in use. When this is left open, the heat and air conditioning in your house will leak out.
Audit Insulation Needs
It is to your advantage to get a proper audit of the insulation system in your household. This is your key to saving money by lowering your monthly utility bills. This will assure that you won't waste the heating or cooling system that you've installed in your house. This is also very crucial in maintaining the comfort level of everyone in the family.
One option that you have is to purchase insulation products. This is one thing that you can do to make sure that critical areas in your house won't be subject to heat or air loss. These products can be readily purchased and used to seal areas where the air or heat is likely to escape.
You also have the option of calling a professional insulation contractor to check your home. These professionals can help solve any problems that might threaten your house. They can also give advice on how much insulation you would need to lower your energy bills.
Don't delay an audit of the insulation in your household. Make this task a priority if you want to save energy and money. The audit may discover problems you did not know about and you may discover that you need to do more. Securing the proper insulation of the areas in the house is just one more effective way to lower your utility bills and save more for your family.
About the Author Beverly Saltonstall is an environmental writer. Visit http://sustainable-development-forecast.com for news, podcasts, articles and guides on issues such as energy efficiency, recycling, sustainability, and more. For an in-depth look at Sustainable Development, read "Our Planet is in Danger".
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