SIX STEPS TO A WARMER WINTER
The Atlanta-based Southface nonprofit works toward making all buildings more energy-efficient. For homeowners, they offer these tips for keeping a house comfortable year-round.
1. Minimize air leakage: Seal holes and gaps that connect to the outside.
2. Seal ductwork: Closing up leaks in joints and ductwork can be a major energy-saving tactic.
3. Have HVAC systems serviced: Smoothly running furnaces and air conditioners last longer and run more efficiently.
4. Insulate: Attics and crawlspaces are two areas where insulation can make a big difference in a home’s comfort level.
5. Purchase Energy Star appliances: Efficient appliances can save on energy bills.
6. Install a programmable thermostat: Save energy by having a timed thermostat that adjusts room temperatures when the house is empty. Also, keep the temperature at 68 degrees in the winter.
The sound of thermostats being switched to “on” was almost audible when metro Atlanta moved from a fabulous fall to a chilly November. The crisp temperatures are a reminder that winter is on its way and that it may be a good time to contemplate how to keep cozy until spring.
When it comes to making houses comfortable, homeowners and buyers can look to several built-in features such as double-pane windows and extra insulation. But there are also options for adding or improving items that can have a big impact on warmth as well as energy bills. At the construction level, those looking for homes designed for maximum comfortable can turn to builders such as Luis Imery and Curtis Peart, who specialize in putting up houses that are sensitive to the environment.
“I think comfort is not so much what goes into the house but rather how things are put together,” said Imery, whose Athens-based Imery Group specializes in building energy-efficient, certified EarthCraft homes. “You need a building envelope that will give you a very airtight, well-insulated house. The less air you’re letting in from the outside, the lower your utility bills will be.”
A tight envelope includes sealing up ducts that leak warm air into unused areas such as attics, basements and crawlspaces.
“You’re wasting heating — and cooling — in spaces where you don’t live in, and those leaks mean money,” Imery said. “We know that 50 percent of energy costs come from HVAC and water heating systems.”
Peart, principal of FrontPorch Custom Homes and Renovations, has been building along EarthCraft’s energy-efficient guidelines since 1999. He’s also applied the same concepts to renovations.
“It’s nice when we can build efficiency into the whole house, but if we put on an addition and can only make half the house tight, that’s 50 percent more than it used to be,” Peart said. “You can still see a benefit from upgrading what you can get to. Every little bit helps.”
Peart suggests that homeowners who want to make their homes warmer and more airtight look at one particular feature first.
“The biggest impact comes from windows, so replacements are what we do the most of,” he said. “About 80 to 90 percent of windows in older homes don’t even work anymore, so when we take on a renovation project, we just don’t do one or two; we replace all of them. And you can do that without throwing out the frames and charm that are part of an older house.”
Peart puts in double-pane, low-E glass windows that deflect intense heat during the summer while keeping warm air indoors during the winter. Homeowners can pick from an array of styles that are energy-efficient and attractive, but the average cost is about $650 per window.
“It can add up,” Peart said, “but it’s worth it to have windows you can actually open when it’s nice out and not have to turn on the heat or air.”
Both Imery and Peart also focus on adding more insulation during the building process. In existing homes, much of that work can be done by professionals in the heating and air industry. At Reliable Heating & Air, the company’s Home Performance division specializes in helping homeowners maximize the heating and cooling capabilities of their existing systems. Co-owner Daniel Jape said the process starts with a free energy audit and assessment that can pinpoint problems in several areas.
“A lot of times, furnaces are older and very inefficient, with as much as 60 percent of heat being wasted because it doesn’t make it into the home,” Jape said. “That means the furnace runs for long periods to keep the house warm, and that creates high utility bills. We also see a lack of insulation and leaky ductwork — ducts with holes or gaps that may lose 20 to 30 percent of the warm air.”
Another way homeowners can increase the efficiency of existing systems is to use a programmable thermostat, Jape added. “That way, when no one is in the home, it keeps the temperature lower, so the system isn’t wasting energy. But it comes on when people come home and want it warmer.”
Warm air may be escaping through other sources in homes as well, Jape pointed out.
“A lot of people don’t think about their fireplaces, but if you have a damper that’s open, it sucks hot air out right through the chimney,” he said. “Warm air can also escape around doors and windows that have poor weatherstripping. Even electrical outlets can let cold air in.”
Those problems have simple fixes that can be addressed easily by the homeowners. As part of a regular regime of maintenance, those small details can make a big difference in a home’s comfort.
“I’ve been in houses with cracks around the windows where air flows in, and it’s easy to notice that the house is drafty and cold,” said Debbie Schrodt, an agent with Keller Williams Chattahoochee North. “I tell my sellers to be sure and seal windows and doors every year to keep energy from escaping. I also suggest they wrap pipes and ventilation ducts in basements, crawlspaces and attics and add some good insulation that you can buy in major hardware stores. You can roll or blow it into the cracks and places where cold air gets in.”
The difference between a chilly house and a cozy one isn’t just a matter of comfort, Schrodt said.
“A lot of times, I’ve taken buyers into a house that’s really cold, and they immediately notice that,” she said. “If owners keep up with the repairs, it can prevent higher costs in the future. And buyers do put a premium on a well-maintained house, so whether it’s a new furnace or more insulation, it really pays in the end to take care of your home.”
