have ended for upgrading insulation,
windows, and heating and cooling
equipment. Just one home in five
built before 1980 started out with
adequate insulation, reports the U.S.
Department of Energy. Adding fresh
insulation to walls, ceilings, attics,
and basements would bring immediate energy savings of 10 to 20 percent,
says Mark Wolfe of the National
Energy Assistance Directors’ Association, which works with state and
federal officials on energy-saving
programs for low-income families.
But your house probably doesn’t
need a complete overhaul. Cheap
and simple tweaks can quickly pay
for themselves. “The best bang for
your buck is to seal up and insulate
your house,” says Ronnie Kweller
of the nonprofit Alliance to Save
Energy. Consider these weekend
projects:
Plug wall openings
Spend: $7
Save: Up to $150 a year
About 15 percent of air leakage in the
average home occurs through wall
openings. Spray insulating foam sealant ($4 a can) around holes for outdoor faucets and wiring, and install
foam gaskets ($3 for a package of 10)
around indoor electric outlets and
light switches.
Weatherize windows
and doors
Spend: $50 to $100
Save: Up to $200 a year
A few $5 tubes of water-based acrylic
caulk can seal tiny leaks around windows and doors. For another $40 to
$70, apply weather stripping to door
frames. And $15 will buy you enough
plastic shrink film to cover 10 older,
single-pane windows.
Update your thermostat
Spend: $80
Save: Up to $200 a year
Do you like your house to stay nippy
at night but feel toasty when you
wake up? A programmable thermostat—one that you set to adjust temperatures automatically—can cut 20
percent from heating and cooling
bills, according to Consumer Reports.
Blanket your water heater
Spend: Less than $30
Save: Up to $200 a year
Your water heater eats about 20
percent of your energy. Insulating
exposed hot-water pipes with foam
or fiberglass sleeves can raise water
temps at the tap 2 to 4 degrees, allow-ing you to lower your water heater’s
thermostat and shave roughly 1 percent off your total energy costs. An
insulating blanket around the heater
Back of the Envelope
Bulb duration assumes lamp is on 8 hours every day; bulb prices
are our estimates; electricity costs are based on national averages.
NICHOLAS EVELEIGH; ILLUSTRATION BY STEVE SANFORD. LIGHTBULB SOURCES: U.S. ENERGY INFORMATION ADMINISTRATION,
E3LIVING.COM, THE HOME DEPOT). OPPOSITE: ILLUSTRATION BY LESLEY Q. PALMER (PHOTO: ISTOCKPHOTO)
CUT COSTS
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