Conserve Energy and Save Money
T
here are many ways to conserve energy in your home. Having a professional install your insulation will be more
Some involve a substantial investment, but with a return, of an investment, but when using cellulose, you will not have
and some are simple do-it-yourself tasks. Before starting to wait long for a return on your money. With oil prices rising,
your energy conservation quest, identify what you are trying and with little or no attic insulation, you could literally be
to accomplish. Do you simply want to save money? Are you draining your hard-earned money through your roof!
trying to add comfort? Are you investing in your home to reap Cellulose is the only "green", high-performance, energy-effi-
the benefits when you sell it? cient insulation available. Benefits of cellulose include superi-
or protection against moisture, mold, vermin, sound, and fire.
Easy energy savings When deciding to invest in insulation, determine what best
suits your needs, return on investment, and budget. With a few
Some ways to make your home more energy efficient are choices out there, you need to educate yourself. The Internet
fairly quick and inexpensive. These simple do-it-yourself tech- can supply the information you will need to educate yourself
niques add comfort and keep your money in your wallet. and make a proper decision.
1) Switch to Energy Star® rated light bulbs. Some bulbs last ten Heating and cooling
times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs and cost
significantly less to use. A geothermal heating and cooling system takes advantage
2) Make sure there is a tight seal around all exterior doors. of the earth's constant temperature, about fifty-five degrees, to
If you can see daylight around your doors, replace the seal heat and cool your home. By tapping this steady flow of heat
around the door slab. from the earth in the winter and displacing heat in the earth
3) Install an attic hatch insulation cover. A tremendous amount in the summer, a geothermal heat pump can save homeown-
of heat is lost through attic hatches. It’s the equivalent of leav- ers 40% to 70% in heating costs and 30% to 50% in cooling
ing a window open in the winter. Make sure that the product costs, compared to conventional systems. With a geothermal
you use has a high R-value. As an alternative, you can also system you get 70% of your heating and cooling from the earth
screw three pieces of two-inch Styrofoam Dow board together and a 30% electrical pull. You would no longer be reliant on
and slide it over the opening before closing the hatch. foreign oil ever again!
4) Foam or caulk all gaps in your attic. Use an expanding foam The drawback of a geothermal system is the cost of instal-
or caulk to seal the openings around plumbing vent pipes and lation. It is more expensive to install than a typical forced-air
electrical wires. Wear gloves and use care not to get foam or heating system and significantly more than a hot-water base-
caulk on your hands or clothes, because it’s nearly impossible board system. Although installing this type of system for a first-
to remove once it dries. Cover the area with insulation once time homebuyer may prove difficult, it is worth it to at least
the foam or caulk dries. explore it as an option. If you can afford the initial cost of
5) Seal all gaps and holes around rim joists. Air can come in installing a geothermal heating system or cellulose insulation,
through gaps and cracks around the rim joist, and cold air will you will save money in the long run. Potential homeowners
run across the floor joists, causing problems such as frozen should explore their options and focus on the most important
pipes. Foam or caulk where the floor joist meets the rim joist, aspects of a home, like the structural integrity and energy ef-
and caulk at the top and the bottom at the sill plate. Once the ficiency, rather than basic amenities.
caulk has dried, stuff that area with fiberglass to minimize air The bottom line is that you have many options that make
infiltration. your home more energy efficient; from small tweaks you can
do yourself to more expensive investments requiring licensed
Insulation issues professionals. The important thing is that you are doing what
you can to conserve energy, which in turn protects your fam-
The next step you could take is to call a professional to ily, your savings account, and the environment.
either retrofit your walls with insulation, or one of the best
options is to blanket your existing attic insulation with rolled
Chad J. Whitcomb is co-owner of The Greensulators, a Nu-
fiberglass batts or cellulose insulation. Fiberglass will be the
Wool® cellulose insulation installer that specializes in energy
least expensive and will definitely help with energy costs and
conservation services. The Greensulators can be reached at
comfort, but cellulose is highly regarded as the best insulation
860-376-5151 or visit www.thegreensulators.com.
and provides significant savings over the years.
24 NaturalNutmeg www.naturalnutmeg.com
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