Whether the weather is too hot or too cold, we all want our indoor spaces kept just right. Indoor climate control costs hundreds or even thousands per year, so it pays to look for ways to be more energy efficient.
According to the US Department of Energy, windows are responsible for 25%-30% of heat and cooling costs. Walls and roofs can have thick layers of insulation, but letting in light means that windows let in and out some heat as well.
Ducts (or in some systems, pipes) also move heat and air throughout your home. However, if ducts leak or aren't well insulated, you can end up wasting energy heating crawl spaces instead of getting the heating or air conditioning where it needs to go.
And speaking of insulation--insulation helps reduce how much heat 'leaks' out of your home, particularly in places that are directly exposed to temperature extremes. A couple of degrees cooler in the summer or warmer in the winter might not seem like much but it can mean major savings on your heating and cooling bills.
Today's materials are significantly more efficient than those made a century ago. For example, historically, most window frames and sashes were made of wood, but wood tends to rot over time, which allows heat to pass through more easily. In addition, older windows often only have one pane of glass, which doesn't act as a very efficient heat barrier.
Today, fiberglass window frames and sashes are much more energy efficient than wood (and don't have to be repainted). Many windows are also not only made up of two (or more) panes of glass but also have a layer of gas inside them that acts as an invisible layer of insulation. Some windows even have special coatings that help reflect heat while allowing light through.
Insulation has improved significantly too over time. While older homes often used fiberglass or cellulose insulation, since the 1980s, various kinds of spray foam have also come into common use, which can expand into even small areas where it would be difficult to apply other kinds of insulation.
Even if you live in an older home, there are still things you can do to help improve your energy efficiency. For example, you can repair existing window leaks, install caulk and weatherstrip, or install better blinds. You can also add insulation to an existing home, particularly in areas that are relatively easy to access, such as attics or crawl spaces.
Note: Older homes may include asbestos in their insulation, which should not be disturbed and should only be removed by a qualified professional.
For a more significant improvement, replacing the windows in your home can often save you hundreds of dollars per year on your energy bills, ultimately paying for the cost of the project. You can find a list of window installers here.
You can make major improvements to an existing home, but most new homes today are built to be extremely energy efficient. We talked to Brandon Vagt with XRG Concepts (which helps test and rate new homes for efficiency) on the subject.
Vagt explained that even a home built to today's minimum code standards is still "a really energy-efficient home in Minnesota". However, many new homes also get an energy rating that helps consumers understand how efficient the home really is.
The most common tool for measuring home energy efficiency is the HERS rating, a system that assesses how efficient energy efficient a home is. The lower the HERS rating, the more efficient the home. In the Rochester area, Vagt shared that the new homes he's seeing in our area tend to get HERS ratings around 40-50. In comparison, a home built to meet minimum 2006 International Energy Conservation Code standards would get a HERS rating of 100 so new homes today are far more efficient!
Consumers often worry if they can really afford to build an energy efficient home, but in addition to the energy savings, there are multiple rebates or tax credits available to builders who meet certain energy-efficiency standards, which can reduce your cost to build green.
Interested in learning more about building green and saving green? Check out our list of builders here!
