Stop Energy Draining Air Leaks and Drafts
This is probably one of the easiest ways to help make your home more environmentally friendly By fixing up drafty windows and other leaky spaces you can reduce your energy bill 5 to 30 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
You can do a general check for window drafts with a candle or incense stick by holding it up to each frame and watch to see if the flame or smoke waver. (Be sure to remove all curtains first to avoid a fire.) Use caulking, or weather-stripping to seal the cracks.
Check around pipe outlets and around the foundation for cracks and seal them. This is also a good way to help keep unwanted pests out of your home.
Check around outlet covers as well. we had one by our back door where you could actually feel the cold air creeping into the house in the winter.
Don't forget to block the draft at the bottom of doors you can buy a fancy "draft snake" or just roll up an old towel and put it at the bottom of your door.
Now if you want a more in depth check of your insulation the check the yellow pages for a company that will conduct an "energy audit". They can give you a written report detailing a home's problem areas and laying out cost-effective solutions with costs around $400. Which may sound expensive but think about that high energy bill and how much you can save each year.
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