As the weather is getting cooler and energy bills across the country are on a rise (in the state of TN they have raised in the past year) homeowners (and renters for that matter) may find their energy bills are getting more and more frightful.
Sure you could just suck it up and pay more or just complain about it. However, I suggest a more proactive approach, take matters into your own hands and get a good gun and shoot down the energy costs yourself. A good gun is one of the best purchases you will ever make in lowering your energy bills; a good caulking gun that is.
In a home air leaks are perhaps the biggest cause of energy loss (read more about air leaks and how to do a DYI Home Energy Audit here).
With just a simple caulk gun (about $5) and several tubes of caulk (polyurethane is often recommended) you are loaded and ready to seal up air leaks. Leaks and cracks can be found in many places and below is a good list of places to start:
- Around windows
- Around Doors
- Electrical outlet entrances
- Phone lines
- Cable and satellite lines
- Outdoor water faucets and nozzles
- Around dryer vents
- Around HVAC systems
- Around Fans and vents
- Brick, siding, foundation
- At corners of home (especially anywhere two different types of materials are found)
In the State of TN you can expect to save up to $270 in yearly energy bills simply by caulking and adding insulation. Be sure to check back soon for additional information about insulating your home.
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Small and simple steps all add up. Just turning off lights and unplugging unused chargers can help quite a bit. Not to mention limiting big screen TV viewing. Those things are vampires on energy.