Article

Make your house energy efficient

Publication Date: January 17, 2007
Source: SPEC

Making your home more energy efficient can save your money, make your home more comfortable and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Especially, home heating is responsible for residential greenhouse gas emission by 19 percent. So changing toward energy efficient home is on important factor for taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emission.

As you can see in the next picture, parts of the house are leaking heat and causing an increase in energy use. As a general rule, for every 1 degree Celsius you reduce the temperature in your house over 24 hours, you save 8 percent on your heating energy and greenhouse gas emissions.

For example, duct leaks can raise a home's heating and cooling costs by as much as 20-30 per cent. Owners of older homes with serious leakage problems can save as much as 40 percent on their energy costs after sealing air leaks. So the savings potential is huge, especially for older un-renovated homes.

And if you install one of today's energy efficient furnace, you can save up to 25 percent of home heating costs each year, reduce your GHGs and, depending on the efficiency of your old furnace, pay back its higher initial cost in about seven years.

To accomplish our part in making our home energy efficient, SPEC sugests taking action in home heating, home cooling and outdoor maintenance.

To calculate energy costs of your heating, cooling and comfort, visit the web site of Office of Energy Efficiency.

To see a sample of a home to be improved as an energy-efficient house: Homeperformance.com.



Home heating



Lower your thermostat



A reduction of 3°C(5°F) at night and when you are away during the day provides optimal savings

For example, For every one degree Celsius you reduce the temperature in your house for the full 24 hours per day, you save 8 percent on your heating energy consumption and greenhouse gas emission.

Also, for every 1 degree Celsius you reduce the temperature in your home at night only, you save 2 percent on your heating energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Install a ceiling fan



Change the direction of the fan to push warm air down in the winter. This especially benefits houses with electric baseboards or high cathedral ceilings. If you need a fan with lights, choose one with compact fluorescent lights to further reduce electricity use and heat buildup in summer.

Install storm windows



If your current windows are single-glazed, storm windows will add an extra layer of protection. Windows can account for up to 25 percent of total house heat loss.

Replace exterior doors



Replace exterior doors in poor repair with insulated core doors or add storm doors.

Seal and insulate your place



Aluminum duct tape can easily seal leaks and reduce duct air leakage by up to 25 percent. Insulation can also reduce heat loss from unheated areas, such as the basement or crawl space.

Caulking and weather-stripping can seal air leaks too.

Get a professional to help you reduce your home heating needs by up to 20 percent by getting rid of drafts and leaks around windows, doors, baseboards and attic hatches. At the same time, seal electrical outlets and switches on outside walls with foam gaskets; on inside walls, use childproof plugs or combination cover plates.

Just upgrade your insulation in walls, the basement and attic. Insulation your basement walls and attic can reduce your energy bill by as much as 30 percent.


Air movement and leakage areas in a typical home (Source: the web site of the Office of Energy Efficiency)


Keep window curtains open during the day in winter



Keep window curtains open during the day in winter. This allows passive solar energy into your home and can save you up to 5 percent on home heating. Close the curtains in the evening.

Install energy efficient furnaces



ENERGY STARŽ qualified furnaces have an annual fuel utilization efficiency(AFUE) rating of 90 percent and higher. That means they use about 35 percent less energy than older models and at least 12 percent less energy than conventional gas furnace. At today's fuel prices, you'll make your initial investment back and more on the cost of most ENERGY STARŽ qualified models.



Keep your furnace well maintained



Keep your furnace well maintained and change or clean furnace filters every couple of months. Dirty air filters block airflow and can damage the heat exchanger.

Visit www.cmhc.ca for more information about the furnace.

Remove window air conditioners for the winter or seal them



Remove window air conditioners for the winter. If they are fixed in place, seal them with caulking or tape and cover them with an airtight insulated jacket to avoid heat loss.


Home Cooling



Set your air conditioner at 24°C(75°F) during summer



Set your air conditioner at 24°(75°F) and raise it when you go out, or set your programmable thermostat to do this. For each degree set below 24°(75°F), you use 3 percent to 5 percent more energy. This recommended setting will give you the most comfort at the least cost.

Clean the air conditioner's filters



Clean the air conditioner's filter every month. A dirty air filter reduces airflow and may damage the unit. Clean filters enable the unit to cool down quickly and use less energy. If you have a central air conditioner, regularly clean a re-usable filter or change the filter at the beginning of the cooling season.
For more information, visit http://www.airfilters.net


Install ENERGY STARŽ-qualified air conditioners



Window air conditioners are now 20 percent more efficient than they were in 1990. So if you want to change your window air conditioner, please check the ENERGY STARŽ-qualified air conditioner label.

Keep blinds, curtains and windows closed



Keep blinds, curtains and windows closed during the day in summer to help keep your home cooler.


Shut off the pilot light



Shut off the pilot light of your natural gas fireplace or wall heater during summer months. If you don't know how to relight the pilot light, ask your heating contractor to show you during your next servicing.


Turn off all sources of heat



Turn off all sources of heat, such as lights, appliances and electrical equipment, when not in use. In summer, if you can, do your baking, washing, drying and ironing early in the morning or in the evening.


Use fans



Use fans as your first line of defence against summer heat. For example, a 60-watt ceiling fan costs between 8˘ and $1.50 to operate monthly, while an air conditioner can cost between $6.75 and $40.50 a month.


Outdoor maintenance



Capture rainwater for your garden



The water you use for your lawn doesn't have to come from a tap.
A cistern or a rain barrel will capture and store rainwater for irrigation. Make sure your barrel is covered with a tight fitting lid or screen to keep disease-carrying mosquitoes from breeding there.

How to get a rain barrel (Vancouver residents)



Rain barrels are subsidized by the City and are available to City of Vancouver residents. Buy your rain barrel for $60(half the cost) plus taxes at:Vancouver South Transfer Station (377 West kent Avenue North). Please bring proof of residency and limit of two rain barrels per household

To see how a rain barrel works, visit the City of Vancouver Compost and Waterwise Demonstration Garden at 2150 Maple Street.

If you want more information about gardening, visit Public Native Plant and Water Conservation Gardens in Vancouver and Regional District.

Limit your use of gas-powered lawn mowers



Limit your use of gas-powered lawn mowers, leaf blowers and snow blowers. Using a manual push mower or an electric mower instead of a gas-powered mower will reduce GHGs. Using a typical gas-powered mower produces 48 kilograms of GHSs in a season and as much air pollution as a car driven 550 kilometres.

If you want more information, visit the website of LAWN mower pollution , and Cut the grass without gas.


Plant trees in your garden properly



A well-placed evergreen on the north side of your home can shelter it against cold winter winds and reduce your home’s demand for heat. Similarly, shade trees on the south side can keep your home cooler in summer and reduce the need for air conditioning by shading your home's windows and walls.

Water your garden or lawn early



Water your garden or lawn early in the morning, after the dew has dried, to reduce losses due to evaporation. More than half of the water applied to lawns and gardens can be lost due to evaporation or run-off because of overwatering. As a rule, most lawns and gardens require little more than two to three centimetres of water per week.


Maintain your pool efficiently



Use pump timers to regulate energy and the length of time your pool is heated. Cover your pool with a thermal blanket to reduce heat loss and water evaporation. And use cost-effective solar panels to heat your pool.

Consider a new energy system for your home



Install a solar energy system or wind enegy system.

Avoid running the tap



Avoid running the tap while shaving, brushing your teeth or doing dishes. Partially fill the sink with water and stop about 80 percent of that clean water from going down the drain-along with your money.


Go for a high-efficiency water heater unit



Go for a high-efficiency water heater unit Some new models heat water only when you need it, rather than storing hot water in a tank.


Install a low-flow showerhead



Install a low-flow showerhead with a shut-off lever. This do-it-yourself project takes only minutes. But it delivers big savings in water consumption and water heating, because it allows you to interupt water flow. A low-flow showerhead uses 60 percent less water than standard fixtures.