The League of California Homeowners

By Ken Willis

As the price of energy climbs higher, more homeowners are looking for ways to cut the cost for their own utility use. Conserving on home utility bills is not a "liberal vs. conservative" debate, it is a matter of good sense and financial survival. After all, it is not by coincidence that the words "conservative" and "conservation" share the same derivative "c-o-n-s-e-r-v-e." Point is, energy conservation is not a "liberal idea" in the political sense. Indeed, it is about saving money, making your home more comfortable and finally, just being practical.

But these days, people want to see the beef! What really cuts the cost of energy in your home? Not knowing where to start often causes many homeowners to avoid this question. The answer is not to be found in only one type of effort, but it rather a more eclectic approach that is required.

Most homeowners are not aware of "home energy audits." Energy audits are designed to help you make better decisions about how to improve your home's energy performance. An energy audit gives you the ability to know where to start with a rational approach to energy reduction. For example, here is a list of things you can consider that I am going to prioritize according to cost, starting with the least expensive options first. These alternatives should be based upon an energy audit that includes two things: (1) a "blower door" tests, and (2) "air ducts" test. But, first things first:

Air Leakage: Here is the less expensive alternative - The blower door test may indicate that you have some serious air leakage in your home. This test will do two things: (1) provide you with a starting point in terms of "air volume" flowing through your home, and (2) actually identify those areas within your home where air is actually leaking in. This can be around windows and doors, electrical sockets in the walls, cracks around a fireplace, kitchen exhaust fans, air vents in rooms, or simply cracks in the wall or ceiling. Locating and caulking these various cracks and leaks is not expensive and the blower door test makes it possible to accurately locate the problem areas. Estimated costs: A home energy audit should run between $150 and $250. Want to learn more? On the Internet you should visit www.homeenergy101.com.

Insulation: Next up in the cost factor is insulation: Insulating walls and ceilings is still the most important activity any homeowner can consider if they are interested in home energy reduction. Having at least R-30 insulation the attic, plus your walls properly insulated is far more important than even dual pane windows. Not only will your home be able to contain warm or cool air more efficiently (depending upon the season), but it will actually become quieter. Estimated costs: $1,600 to $3,500 on standard homes.

Air Duct Testing & Sealing: Air duct testing and sealing: According to the U.S. Dept of Energy, the average U.S. home with forced air heating and cooling looses 45% of its treated air to leaks found in the air duct system either up in the attic or below the floors. The average homeowner is spending twice as much money for electricity and gas (or heating oil) as is needed to keep their homes comfortable. By performing air duct testing you can discover the effectiveness or lack of effectiveness your home's forced air system provides. The standard for effectiveness is measured at no more than a 15% loss in treated air. The sealing operation that normally follows can require two people working together to invest up to four hours in sealing all of your air ducts and various connections. I had this work performed on my home and it has really paid off. Estimated cost: Anywhere from $600 to $2,000, depending on the size of the home and degree of needed work.

Dual Pane Windows: After insulation and air duct testing and sealing, consider dual pane windows. Dual pane window replacement is important, but it is not the first thing you need to do. If your home leaks air and has no insulation, then the benefits of dual pane windows will not be realized. Avoid disappointment, prior to dual pane windows be sure to do the insulation and leak detection. If you follow this course of action, then you will get a lot more enjoyment out of those dual pane windows! Because there are over 200 manufacturers of dual pane windows supplying the West Coast of the U.S., prices can easily vary from company to company. This is an area where price comparison between contractors becomes very important. Never rely upon one bid! Always get that competitive bid when considering dual pane window replacement. Estimated costs: $6,500 to $12,000 on a standard home.

Forced Air Systems: In most western states, forced air heating is popular. If you live in a climate where air conditioning is important, then you most likely have a forced air system. If this is the case, consider high efficiency SEER-12 or higher air conditioning systems, and a 90% efficient rating for your heating system. There are several good manufacturers for forced air equipment, so you can shop around and compare prices. An energy efficient system may run anywhere from $5,000 to $9,000 depending upon several factors. Note: A good time to consider replacement of an old worn-out forced air system is at the time you have your air ducts tested and sealed.

Renewable Solar Energy: There was a time when the only form of solar application available was for heating up water for the pool or for domestic use. Today the whole solar energy field has taken huge steps forward by the introduction of electric solar cell systems. This type of solar actually allows you to produce electricity on the roof of your home. Admittedly, it takes several solar cells to cover the needs of an entire home, but that is not necessarily the goal. The goal is to produce about 50% of the need or enough to bring your electric bill down.

Sunlight to Electricity: Solar cells are usually made from silicon, a very abundant mineral. Solar cells convert the energy in visible light into electricity. The electricity produced by the cells is direct current (DC), and must be converted into alternating current (AC) before it can be used in a home. The cost of a solar cell system can run from $10,000 (with rebates) up to $30,000. There are a number of rebate programs that are being sponsored by various government entities, so you should shop around before making a final decision on this application.

If you are in need of financing so as to perform several projects at one time, there are alternatives. To begin with, the Energy Efficient Mortgage (EEM) is a product approved by Fannie Mae and is available to anyone at the time they acquire a first mortgage, or refinance their home. You can learn more about the EEM by visiting http://www.ase.org/consumer/eemguide.htm.

Another method of financing is the Home Energy Upgrade Finance (HEUF) program. This is an unsecured Fannie Mae backed loan that is available through some local utility companies. To learn more you can visit http://www.energyloans.org/

Residential energy conservation need not require that you rebuild your home in adobe mud bricks or invest in straw bail housing, but it does require some attention to detail. The average tract home can be vastly improved in its energy consumption if you are willing to invest both some time and resources. There are several techniques for energy protection that are not in this article, but they are more for building a new home than for improving your "energy package" in your current home. Don't be afraid to study and do some research if you are serious about energy conservation. What you should not do is throw up your hands and leave it to someone you hardly know to make all the decisions for you. There are some real expenses involved here, and if you hope to see a return on your investment, you need to be practical.