9 Signs of Home Energy Loss
Cupping floors? Drafts? High energy bills? If any of these sound familiar, then your home is losing energy and you’re paying more than you should to heat and cool your home. Don’t worry: a whole-home upgrade isn’t necessary—an insulation replacement is likely all you need to live more comfortably.
UNINSULATED CRAWL SPACES
The foundation of a home plays a key role in its overall energy performance. Uninsulated crawl spaces allow conditioned (heat and AC) air to escape, negatively impacting every other part of your home with drafty and uncomfortable conditions.
HVAC CONSTANTLY RUNNING
Hearing your HVAC continuously at work isn’t a good thing; this indicates that your home can’t maintain your preferred temperature because it has gaps where conditioned air can creep out and outdoor air can sneak in.
DRAFTS
A drafty home is an inefficient home. Indoor air leaks from gaps around windows and doors, as well as from areas with old insulation. As insulation ages it degrades and settles, increasing drafts and decreasing energy conservation. Replacing your insulation and using air sealants around other trouble areas can decrease your drafts and power bills.
CONDENSATION
Inexplicable condensation anywhere in your home is a clear sign of energy performance issues and is caused by moist, humid air entering the home and lingering between your interior and exterior walls, as well as underneath floorboards. When a home is air sealed properly, moisture is kept at bay.
INCONSISTENT TEMPERATURES
Inconsistent temperatures jack up your energy bills because your HVAC is constantly working to maintain a steady temperature. Poor/old insulation, duct issues, and improperly sized HVAC systems are the most common culprits for indoor temperature imbalances.
HIGH-ENERGY BILLS
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: energy bills shouldn’t be sky high. If they are, replacing or adding insulation in your attic and/or crawl space can save you up to 40% on power bills by sealing your building envelope from outdoor temperatures, and keeping the conditioned air you’re paying for inside your home. (here are more tips to reduce your home energy consumption.)
POORLY INSULATED ATTICS
Uninsulated attics and attics with old insulation are equal offenders when it comes to allowing heat loss in the winter and heat gain in the summer, causing your HVAC to run all year long. Bringing your attic insulation up to code will lower your energy bills and extend the life of your HVAC—it’s a win-win!
SWEATING CAN LIGHTS
Energy auditors commonly cite recessed lighting as an area of energy loss in homes. If your can lights are sweating more than you, it’s a clear sign your indoor air is being compromised by the outdoor air leaking in, jacking up your energy use and costs!
CUPPING FLOORS
Warped floors occur when the area beneath your floorboards (the crawl space) has a higher humidity content than the area above your floorboards (your living space). This delta in humidity contents causes condensation to build up under the floorboards, warping them. Address this moisture differentiation by replacing the insulation in your crawl space.
Don’t wait any longer to enjoy energy savings and indoor comfort! Contact the Energy One America team today for a prompt—AND FREE—estimate.
