Quick Homemade Energy Saving Tips

Begin your hunt for good yet inexpensive ways to start your energy audit with some hidden energy drains. Insulating, weatherstripping and caulking are easy jobs that you can do to begin your journey forward towards energy conservation. Here is some background facts about energy loss:

25% of air will leak where the wood frame meets the foundation.

20% of air can escape from electric outlets outside of the house.

13% of air can escape through your window.

10% of air can leave your home through vents.

7% of air can travel outside through lights, outlets and hatches.

6% of air can wander through the cracks of doors.

Please note that an unsealed and unused fire place can also be a drain of energy. If the damper is open, warm air can be sucked out of your home. Seal it when you aren't using it. To be the best detective and uncover where you lose the most air, try the incense trick. This is not performing a ritual like a witch.

Just take two sticks of incense on a windy day. Light them so you can see the smoke. If there is a strong leak, it will blow the smoke away from you. If it draws the smoke in, the leak is smaller. There are some quick jobs you can do to stop air leakage.

- Cover your electrical outlets with weatherstripping material.

- Be sure your doors are fitted just right. Weatherstripping can be bought to skirt the door frame.

- Trees and some landscaping can help cool your home.

Trees that are trimmed high allow breezes to pass under and surround the house. They also block the house from the sun. In your basement you should also want to look for leaks in the wood frame where it meets the foundation. Just caulking the joints can help solve some problems.

On the main floor, you should caulk your windows, fireplaces, doors, and vents to be sure potential leaks are avoided. Look to caulk around electrical outlets, ceiling light fixtures, and baseboards. Cracks in the walls or ceilings can allow leaks.

Also, check behind the bathtubs and under sinks. Finally, there is the weatherstripping. This is a job that you can do on your own. Weatherstrip outlets. You can also remove the trip around doors and windows and fill these gaps with some insulation. You can replace the trip and caulk it. All of these are simple, efficient ways you can minimize your air leakage and make the most of your home.

Article Source: http://articles.directorygold.com

Learn how to get paid to use electricity and how you can create your own homemade power plant. More tips to be found at home made power plant, helping others while saving the planet.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Home Improvement Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Home And Family | Home Improvement

How To Make Improvements To Your Home - By : Aydan Corkern
10 Steps To Install Glueless Laminate Flooring! - By : Ingrid Preube
Things To Keep In Mind When Choosing A Garage Door - By : Kenny Doucette
Power Washing - Things To Keep In Mind - By : Ken Darrohn
What Kind of Bathroom Vanity Countertop Will You Get? - By : Wyatt Frisk
Steps to Winterize Your Home - By : Amy Nutt
Door Closers: No Need To Worry About Forgetting To Close Your Door - By : Matthew Stanton
Giving Your Home Regular Maintenace - By : Jim Brown
Remodeling Your Home for Resale - By : Andrew Stratton
Getting the Most Out of Your Bathroom Design Project - By : Andrew Stratton

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Top Authors
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds

New Stuff
About Us
Site Blog
Forum
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
DirectoryGold Home
Free Image Hosting
MySpace Tweaks

Subscribe in a reader