Ask The Professionals - Part 1 - Interior Energy Efficiency
The up -front costs of some energy efficient building methods are higher than the standard. However, the long term savings, financially as well as environmentally, are exponential. The following is a list of the most effective ways to save money and decrease your environmental footprint.
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Use Spray Foam Insulation, such as Icynene everywhere, including the attic to condition that space for the mechanicals.
A superior ventilation system is also important in regards to interior energy efficiency and health.
- Fantech for all the bathroom fans and a separate Fantech w/lint trap for the clothes dryer.
- Proper ventilation is vital for healthy indoor air.Fresh Air Exchangers provide a constant source of fresh, filtered air to flow through your home.
- Remote blower system in the attic for the kitchen hood system that would provide at least 1100 cfm.
LED Light Bulbs (light-emitting diodes) are an easy way to save money and create high interior energy efficiency.
- You can now replace 75-100 watt incandescent bulbs with equivalent light output and only consume 3-13 watts.
- The most notable advantages of LED light bulbs over conventional light bulbs are Led light bulbs last upwards of 50,000 hours, so if you buy a LED light bulb today and leave it on for 8 hours a day you will not have to change it for over 10 years.
- A 7 watt LED home light bulb (60 watt direct replacement) will cost $2.00 a year to run left on for 8 hours a day vs. an incandescent which will cost $20.00 and you will have to change it 2-3 times every year.
- LED light bulbs are shatterproof, run cool to the touch, and contain no mercury or hazardous substances like CFL’s so the applications are endless and more importantly safer for your home or business.
A high efficiency boiler will increase the interior energy efficiency of your home.
- ENERGY STAR qualified boilershave annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) ratings of 85% or greater. AFUE is the measure of heating equipment efficiency. They achieve greater efficiency with features, including :
- electronic ignition, which eliminates the need to have the pilot light burning all the time.
- new combustion technologies that extract more heat from the same amount of fuel.
- sealed combustion that uses outside air to fuel the burner, reducing drafts and improving safety.
- Making sure you have the right size boiler is essential when you’re buying a new model. If it's too small it might not meet your needs; too big and it will be over-costly, inefficient, more expensive to run, and be even more damaging to the environment.
An on-demand tankless water heater will save you money while providing a continuous source of hot water. As well, choosing the highest SEER air conditioning system available, and purchasing Energy Star Rated Appliances is a no-brainer when you consider the cost savings as well as the overall value they add to your home.