Q: Recently our utility bills have increased dramatically. We have tried to turn off appliances we don't use all the time and keep some rooms we don't use closed off to save on cooling. The next bill was almost as high as the last one. What else can we do?
A: This has been a warmer than usual summer, and our air conditioners are working overtime and using more energy. The first thing to do is to have the air conditioner serviced by a licensed HVAC (Heating Venting Air Conditioning) technician. Older units may need to have coolant added, fan motors or valves replaced and interior coils cleaned and inspected.
I would not recommend closing off rooms that are not often used. The furnace fan is designed along with the ductwork to provide conditioned air to all the rooms in the home. By closing the registers and doors, the furnace fan is being strained and could fail.
Things you can do yourself to reduce energy use all year-round are:
— Keep the shades or blinds for windows and patio doors closed on the sunny sides of the home in the summer and open in the winter.
— Make sure the gaps under exterior hinged doors are air tight. Most hinged doors have an adjustable threshold (the wood plate at the bottom of the doorframe). The threshold should have screws that can be turned to raise or lower an adjustable threshold. Do not adjust the threshold so tightly that the door cannot be opened or closed easily. If the threshold is not adjustable, try adding a door sweep to keep cold air in or out or place towels against the bottom of the door depending on the season.
— On the exterior, caulk and seal gaps at all window and door frames or anything that penetrates the exterior wall covering. Air leaks allow air to escape or enter through gaps and cracks.
— Check the amount of insulation in the attic. If you know the type of insulation you have and the average thickness (measure with a ruler or yardstick) you can find the R-value or the resistance to heat flow.
Naturally, you want to keep the cooler air in the home in the summer and the warm air inside the home in the winter. You can find a chart of different product R-values at insulationinstitute.org/im-a-homeowner/about-insulation/how-much-do-i-need.
— Check with your local city or county building authority to find the R-value recommended for your area. If the home is over 10 years old, you most likely will need more insulation. Also, while you’re in the attic, look for areas with dropped ceilings, exterior prefabricated fireplaces or around chimneys where the walls of the home may be exposed. Adding insulation by the bag or using an insulation blower is for the more experienced home fixer-upper. If you add insulation, use a product similar to what you already have. Cellulose added to loose fill fiberglass might compact the fiberglass where it could lose some of its R-value. Fiberglass added to loose fill cellulose is acceptable. If the attic access is inside a closet or hall inside the home, the attic cover needs to be insulated with a thick piece of rigid Styrofoam, R-10 or better, and the rim of the hatch opening needs an air seal of peel-and-stick strips of foam.
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C. Dwight Barnett is a certified master inspector with the American Society of Home Inspectors.
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