Reducing the Energy Bill On My Next Home

Reducing the Energy Bill On My Next Home - 

Reducing the Energy Bill on My Next Home includes several key factors.  But where to start?  The first thing to do besides a home and termite inspection is to get an Energy Audit.  An Energy Audit gives me an energy efficient picture of the systems and components of the home as it is prior to any changes.  It will show me where the deficiencies exist for energy efficiency.  The report also shows each item to improve along with the ROI for each. 

When I first started shopping for a home, I wasn't necessarily looking for the prettiest home.  I was looking for new windows as that is the highest cost and worst ROI for energy efficiency.  I also wanted a new roof and anything else was a bonus.  I'd rather remodel it myself and improve other features than live with someone else's flip and lipstick on a pig! 

During the home inspection I could already tell some of the items I was going to change plus the energy efficient measures.  

Every home has a baseline of energy efficiency.  That baseline is the existing building envelope that includes windows, doors, method of construction, and roof.  Having an Energy Audit performed will tell you how leaky that envelope is and what measures need to be done to improve energy efficiency.  

The findings from the Energy Audit show the following:

The home was built in 1979 and consists of block construction with no insulation in the walls; there are leaky ducts in the attic; the HVAC is 21 years old and performing as a 5 SEER; the insulation in the attic is blown in cellulose and not deep enough; and there are hotspots that I noticed in the family room.

Reducing the Energy Bill On My Next Home will include the following high points:

 I'll definitely be sealing the ducts to improve air flow in each room;

The HVAC will be swapped out for a 16 SEER unit;

I'll be adding spray foam insulation to the roof deck (underside of the roof) versus adding anything to the floor of the attic as the attice becomes conditioned space when spray foam is applied; 

I will wait to determine if I need to add insulation to the walls as I live in the home and experience the improved air flow and insulation. The home is already north/south orientation, eliminating a lot of hot windows, which is passive solar.  

I'll be installing Energy Star appliances, thereby reducing the energy used;

I'll install new overhead LED light bulbs in newer fixtures in the kitchen and as bulbs burn out they'll be replaced by LED's;

Installing Water Sense toilets in both bathrooms will improve water efficiency;

And I'll be adding sunscreens to 2 west facing bedroom windows, one of which will be my office. 

I'll be removing the entire kitchen and recycling the contents.  Eliminating waste is a high priority for this project as I'm mirroring some of the checkpoints from the LEED rating system due to my time volunteering with USGBC, Residential Green Building Committee. 

Stay tuned as the demo starts next week and I'll be writing a play by play of what is taking place in Reducing the Energy bill On My Next Home!