Written by: Jack Howard, DFPC Building Inspector III
The cost of supplying energy to a residential home in the US is over $2,000 each year, per the Energy Star website, breakdown of the typical energy bill. Energy Star breaks up energy use by six categories: heating, cooling, water heating, appliances, lighting, and electronics. Regardless if the home was built in 1940 or in 2000, there are improvements that can be made that will help the environment by reducing energy use, greenhouse emissions, and ultimately save you money on energy costs.
In Colorado, there are four (4) climate zones:
- 4B (Mixed Dry)
- 5B (Cool Dry)
- 6B (Cold Dry)
- 7 (Very Cold)
Knowing what climate zone you live in will help on figuring out how to upgrade and/or design the home building envelope, mechanical, and electrical systems.
In residential occupancies, following the locally adopted energy code will help save on energy costs by reducing the required energy needed to heat and power the home. Updating the building envelope by replacing single pane windows with the correct U-Factor, adding insulation to attics, foundations, and walls to achieve a higher R-Value, and sealing any gaps in your home with either caulk or weather stripping will help keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
For the mechanical systems in the home, sealing and insulating ducts will help keep the conditioned air the correct temperature, preventing the hot or cool air from being lost and allow the furnace and air conditioner to work less. Installing a smart thermostat that will adjust the heating and cooling, especially when the home is unoccupied, is a great way to save on energy use. Changing the air filters regularly will help the equipment last longer and not overwork the equipment, which could cause damage and possibly require early replacement. When heating and air conditioning equipment require replacement, installing energy efficient equipment will save on energy use.
Electrical power consumption in the home can be reduced by installing energy efficient appliances, changing the lighting to LED, completely turning off all electronics with a switch or smart power strip when not in use, and adding lighting controls such as occupancy sensors, so that lights turn off when a room is not occupied.
Many of the utility companies in Colorado offer home energy audits. A home energy audit is when a person comes to your home and will complete tests to see where energy is being lost with a thermal image camera and complete a blower door test to determine how much air is entering or escaping the home. They may also check your mechanical and electrical systems to confirm they are working optimally. The company will then provide a report on upgrades that can be completed to help the home become more energy efficient. The best part is, many of the utility companies offer rebates to help offset the cost of these upgrades. You can also complete a do-it-yourself home energy assessment by visiting the U.S. Department of Energy website, do-it-yourself energy assessment.
Making energy efficient updates to the home small or large will not only help your home to become more energy efficient and reduce Co2 emissions, it will save you money. With many utility companies currently offering rebates and assistance with upgrading your home to be more energy efficient, now is a great time to get started.