Get Cozy at Home: A Winterizing Checklist
By Tim Zaun

With advancing interest in eco-friendly actions, winterizing your home embodies new meaning and features. Plugging leaks and refining your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system remain procedural staples; however, taking a few more measures helps conserve energy as well as saves you money. “Energy efficiency is important when weatherizing your home, but it also is about comfort,” says Melanie Kintner Knowles of Greater Cleveland Green Building Coalition (www.ClevelandGBC.org). “And,” she notes, “it is not always the most expensive thing that will make your home more energy efficient. Purchasing $100 worth of sealing supplies may be as effective as installing new windows.” Each autumn, keep an eye out for innovative, functional approaches to add to your home-winterization plan.

Ceiling Fans
If you have ceiling fans, move the switch to “Low/Reverse” to make the blades move counterclockwise. Because heat rises, this redirects warmth down into your living space.

Clean Windows
Cleaning windows and removing outside screens allows more sun to enter and warm the room naturally during sunny days.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
As traditional incandescent bulbs in your house burn out, replace them with fluorescent bulbs. By replacing five of your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with fluorescents, you can save $100 per year on your electric bills. Two important notes: 1) For use in lights with dimmers, look for fluorescent bulbs made specifically for this purpose. 2) Do not put burned-out fluorescent bulbs out with the trash because they contain mercury. Often, cities will have specific days for hazardous-waste collection, or you can take your fluorescent bulbs to a facility that will accept them. To find a location, visit www.Earth911.org.

Ducts
Poorly performing forced-air ducts can reduce heating and cooling-system efficiency by as much as 20 percent. Fumes from household and garden chemicals, insulation particles and dust can enter your duct system and get into the air, potentially aggravating respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergy problems. During normal operation, gas appliances such as water heaters, clothes dryers and furnaces release combustion gases (such as carbon monoxide) through their ventilation systems. Leaky ductwork in your HVAC system may allow these gases to re-enter the living space instead of being expelled to the outdoors. Sealing leaks helps minimize this “back drafting” and can improve indoor air quality.

In addition, home energy typically originates at fossil fuel-burning power plants, which contribute to smog, acid rain and global warming. Sealing your ducts and cutting home-energy usage reduces the amount of energy you demand from these air polluters. Note: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends using a professional contractor for duct improvements.

Energy Audit
This free or low-cost procedure often can even benefit new-home construction. A professional-energy audit, performed by a trained inspector, can be as simple as a walk-through of your home. Sometimes repairs can be done immediately. Contact your local power company for details about an energy audit.

Energy Star
The government awards the “Energy Star” to products, companies and organizations, as well as homes and services, that meet specifications established by the EPA and Department of Energy. When replacing nearly anything electric – appliances, heating/cooling systems, office equipment, lighting and more – look for the “Energy Star” label. For more information, visit www.EnergyStar.gov.

Exterior
Check your home's veneer, remembering your windows and doors, for cracks where heat can escape. Caulk as needed. Also examine drainpipes, gutters and roofing for damage and remove any debris that is present. Remove window fans and air conditioners, as most store-bought covers are inadequate in preventing cold penetration. Cover permanent external air-conditioning units to prevent a draft from entering your home. Also keep in mind that trees planted on your landscape can provide wind protection.

Fireplace
Clear your chimney of any debris and remove any creosote, the built-up black, tar-like substance responsible for unwanted fires. Have your chimney professionally cleaned every year before use.

Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC)
Heating and cooling your home accounts for as much as 50 percent of your household energy bill. The primary causes of HVAC-system failure are dirt and neglect, so prevent future troubles and unwanted costs with proper maintenance. Clean or replace the air filter monthly and have your contractor perform annual pre-season checkups. (Visit www.EnergyStar.gov to download the “Choosing the Right Contractor Checklist.”)
Furnaces are the most commonly used residential heating systems in the United States, and most run primarily on gas. Some operate on fuel or electricity, delivering heat through a duct system. One in four furnaces in U.S. homes today is more than 20 years old. If you fit this statistic, consider replacing your furnace with an advanced technology model available today. You will immediately experience increased energy efficiency and lower energy bills.

Insulation
Due to heat rising, attics are prime candidates for heat loss. Similar to how a hat on your head helps warm your body, properly insulating your attic helps warm your house. A variety of eco-friendly insulation products are available at home-improvement stores and online, including ones made of soybeans, recycled blue jeans and newspapers.

Also be sure to protect your pipes by placing pre-cut foam lengths over them in crawl spaces, the attic and the basement overheads. For cold-water pipes, this will help prevent freezing. Covering hot-water pipes allows them to retain heat as water travels to sink and shower destinations.

Leaks
A drafty home (air leaks) is more noticeable during wintertime. These “drafts” easily can be felt by placing the back of your hand (because it is more temperature sensitive) over door and window edges. Use quality caulking or weather stripping materials to plug these cracks. Seal spaces behind your light switches and outlet plates with foam gaskets to prevent air leaks. Install door sweeps on all outside entrances to prevent under-the-door drafts.

The most significant air leaks occur in the attic and basement, increasing energy costs and making your house uncomfortable. Depending upon their size, use caulking or spray foam to seal basement gaps. Sealing basement air leaks adds to attic insulation and prevents the “chimney effect” in which furnace-generated heat rises up through the house into the attic through leaks. When this happens, cold air from the outside is drawn in through basement leaks to replace the hot air going out. The result is a drafty home and higher energy bills. Attic and basement sealing stops this occurrence.

Paint
Insulating additives are available now for ordinary interior and exterior paint. The nontoxic ceramic particles reflect home heat during the summertime and retain it during colder months. Insulated paint enhances your home's Insulation Value, commonly known as its “R-Value.” You also can earn IRS tax credits by making this home improvement.

Programmable Thermostats
Programmable thermostats can be purchased at your local hardware store and then installed in less than 30 minutes. Set the device at energy-saving temperatures for long periods of time, such as during the day when no one is home or during the night when everyone is in bed. It takes less energy to heat up a cold home than to maintain it at a warm temperature. Properly utilized thermostats can save an estimated $100 to $150 a year in energy costs.

A Step Further:
Consider initiating a neighborhood workshop on home-energy conservation. Approach your community center or local library to request a presentation on this timely topic. It will be a win-win proposal because area businesses that participate will gain exposure while attending residents will learn energy-saving tips. If your library plans programming many months in advance, request that a demonstration be scheduled for next year.
Utilize the above residential-weatherization practices for your specific needs. Then, as the cold wind blows and the snow flies, you can enjoy the season; savor hearth and home, knowing that your dwelling is energy-efficient inside out. In addition to a cozy home, you may find additional warmth by thinking of the money you have saved.

Tim Zaun is a Cleveland, Ohio-based freelance journalist and contributing writer for Cleveland Business Connects and Cool Cleveland. He leads business-book discussions at Lakewood Library and at the Key Entrepreneur Development Center, a division of Cuyahoga Community College. He invites you to visit, read and comment on his business, entrepreneurial and eco-friendly musings at www.timzaun.com.