Q: I am planning to remodel my home. With the cost of energy soaring, I want keep my energy bills to a minimum. Unfortunately, my budget is tight. In what ways can I make my home more energy efficient without spending any money?
A: So, you want to save money on energy without spending a dime? That sounds a lot like having your cake and eating it too. But you’re in luck – you can have your energy-efficient cake and eat it too. Here are a few little ways you can save a lot of energy. Better yet, you can do these things without additional expense.
• Orient your addition to take advantage of the winter sun while minimizing summer sun. The sunny side of the house is the south-facing side. However, in winter the sun is much lower in the sky than it is in the summer. By using longer eaves and placing windows carefully, you can increase the amount of winter sun you get while decreasing the summer sun – saving on both heating and cooling costs.
• Make sure your house is well sealed against air leaks. By paying close attention to the tightness of the construction, you can seal the gaps at windows, doors, pipes and other openings. Small gaps account for most heat loss. Heat has a way of finding the weakest point and exploiting it. Seal the gaps and save a bundle in heating costs.
• Plant deciduous trees on the south side of the house. Deciduous trees lose their leaves in the winter, so they can shade the house in the summer months and, as the season changes, allow the warmth of the sun during winter. Department of Energy research concludes that a typical household can save $100 to $250 a year on heating and cooling by planting three trees at select locations around a home.
Of course, if you are willing to reinvest a little of that money you’ll be saving on energy bills, you could further increase energy savings.
Forrest Linebarger is the CEO and chief designer at VOX Design Group Inc. He lives in Los Altos and has been designing and building sustainable homes for more than a decade. You can reach him at [email protected] or 694-6200.
