By Nick Gerhardt – Family Handyman
Not Air Leak Testing & Sealing
Follow these surprisingly easy tips and techniques for sealing air leaks in your home and save big money on your heating and cooling bills.
Using Too Much Hot Water
Here’s a tip that could save you big money on utility bills. If you’re washing and rinsing your clothes in hot water, you’re wasting a chunk of change heating all that water. The juice needed to power the machine motor doesn’t cost much—the big expense is heating all that water. Detergents are designed to perform in temps of 65 to 85 degrees F. And cold water is just as effective for rinsing as warm or hot. So dial back those temperature settings! Check the water temperature in the tub right after it fills. You just might find that even the cold setting on the washing cycle is above 65 degrees and no hot water is even needed.
Not Sealing Attic Air Leaks
Small air leaks into uninsulated attic space are a major source of heat loss in many homes. Here’s how to locate the leak spots and plug them without spending a lot of money.
Not Using a High-Tech Thermostat
If you want to save money by setting back your thermostat at night, use a two-stage thermostat on a two-stage furnace.
Not Insulating Crawl Space Ducts
Leaky, uninsulated ducts in crawlspaces and attics waste huge amounts of energy and money. Use duct wrap insulation for a quick fix with a big, immediate payoff.
Not Closing Heat Registers
It seems like a waste to heat unused rooms, but closing heat registers may actually increase heating costs, especially with newer systems.
Not Insulating Walls
Get the most energy efficiency from your insulation by filling all gaps, avoiding compression, sealing holes in framing and other expert tips. Even small gaps can reduce efficiency as much as 25 percent.
Not Using Fuel stabilizer
You know how much the average small-engine repair costs? We don’t either, but it’s a lot! And a huge source of revenue for small-engine repair shops is fixes to engines that were operated with old gas. Modern gas formulations just don’t last as long as earlier ones did. And when gas starts to break down, it not only makes the engine hard to start but also gunks up the whole system with gum and varnish. So if you have a boat, or keep gas on hand to run small engines such as lawn mowers, power washers and chain saws, treat the gas with a stabilizer right after you buy it. That’ll save you big money on repair bills later.
Buying Cleaners
You can help the environment and save a few bucks by making your own household cleaners. For instance, instead of using store-bought glass cleaner, mix 2 cups of water with a 1/2 cup of vinegar to create your own. Another easy formula for all-purpose cleaning is mixing 4 tablespoons of baking soda with 1 quart of warm water.
Not Changing Furnace Filter Regularly
Homeowners should change their furnace filters once a month, according to experts. And changing the filter regularly not only helps extend the life of your furnace, it helps with air quality in your home and keeps energy costs down.
Not Using a Clothesline
A simple clothesline allows you to dry your clothes for free using the power of the sun instead of expensive electricity. Electric clothes dryers can really put a dent in your pocketbook. Especially if you have a large household. While a clothesline does require a bit of manual labor to hang the clothes, you will enjoy a fresh, natural smell in your laundry as well as a reduced utility bill.
Spending Money on Garage Storage Items
Back in the day, it was common for grandfathers to organize their hardware in mason jars. The simple practice entailed fastening the lid to a shelf bottom and simply screwing on the jar. Other useful containers for free storage include laundry soap bottles, shoeboxes and many more. Use your creativity and keep these items out of the landfill.
Not Using a Ductless Mini Split HVAC System
When it is time to replace your HVAC system, consider switching to a ductless mini split. The super-efficient systems require less labor during installation, do not require air ducts and allow you to cool/heat your home in zones instead of the entire house. This can have a profound effect on your energy costs in a good way.
Throwing Out Good Project Material
Salvaging used or leftover building materials is a great way to save a few dollars. Visit a nearby construction site and speak to the project supervisor. Often, they will allow you to dumpster dive for discarded materials. Not only is this good for your wallet, but also the environment by keeping it out of the landfill. In addition, used materials often have a unique patina, which could add extra appeal to your project.
Forgetting to Reglaze Windows
Instead of forking over $5,000-10,000 to replace all of your old windows with brand new ones, consider repairing old windows yourself. With a few hundred dollars in supplies (sand paper, paint, window glaze, etc.), you’ll be prepared to reglaze every window in your house. Though it can be a tad time consuming, you can prioritize the project by room, removing windows one by one to paint, reglaze, and, if necessary, replace any cracked glass.
Buying Rags for Painting, Cleaning and Dusting
Purchasing cotton rags for painting, cleaning or dusting projects can get expensive. Make your own rags for free using old T-shirts and other unused garments. A few minutes with a pair of scissors or utility knife set up like this is all it takes to convert unwanted clothing into useful rags.
Leaving Lights On
Install smarter switches and save up to $100 a year. Motion sensors are the perfect solution for left-on lights. They turn off automatically so you don’t waste electricity.
Leaving Electronics On
Electronics guzzle lots of power even when they’re turned off. Stop wasting electricity: Plug them into a power strip, then turn off the strip.
Seventy-five percent of the electrical use by home electronics occurs when they’re turned off, according to the Department of Energy. So if you’d like to keep that Ben Franklin in your wallet, unplug your electronics or plug them into a power strip, then turn off the strip.
Not Draining the Water Heater
To make your water heater even more efficient, drain the tank and flush out the sediment at the bottom. Otherwise, you could be heating through inches of sediment before heating the water.
If your electric water heater is warm or hot to the touch, it’s losing heat. Wrap it with an insulating blanket (sold at home centers)
Forgetting to Clean Refrigerator Coils
Refrigerator condenser coils are located on the back of the fridge or across the bottom. When coils are clogged with dust, pet hair and cobwebs, they can’t efficiently release heat. The result is your compressor works harder and longer than it was designed to, using more energy and shortening the life of your fridge. Clean the coils with a coil-cleaning brush and vacuum. A coil-cleaning brush, which is bendable to fit in tight areas, does a thorough job. Look for one online or at appliance stores.
Not Covering Air Conditioners
A room air conditioner keeps a section of the house cool. The problem is, it’ll keep the room cool all winter long if it isn’t covered properly. If you have a window unit, the best solution is to remove it so the cold air won’t flow through and around it. If you decide to leave it in or you have a permanently installed wall unit, grab some removable caulk and a window air conditioner cover to keep out the cold.
Place the cover over the outside of the air conditioner, fitting the sewn-in corner straps over the bottom corners. Wrap the middle straps under and up the sides of the unit, then hook them over the top. Inside the house, apply removable caulk around the air conditioner where it meets the wall or window. If the air conditioner is a built-in unit, permanently seal it with latex caulk.
Letting Cold Air in Through the Laundry Room
Is your laundry room cold in the winter? Cold air might be coming through your dryer vent. The vent should have a flap (or flaps) at the end to stop air infiltration. Go outside and make sure there’s a flap and that it’s not stuck open. If the flap works well, check the caulking. If it’s cracking and peeling away, it’s probably allowing cold air to leak in. Cut away the old caulking, make sure the vent is flush against the siding, and apply new latex caulk.
Start by cutting away the caulking around the vent on the siding with a utility knife, remove any screws and unclamp the duct leading to the dryer. Slide the old vent out of the wall, slip in the new one and reattach it to the duct. Caulk around the vent flange.
