Every week, the detail-oriented folks at Green Scene Home Inspections will give Daltxrealestate.com readers an education in inspection. Want to see what they see? Tune in for “Upon Closer Inspection.”
Sometimes we get on autopilot with things around the house and fail to notice when something is malfunctioning or operating wastefully. Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22, and we thought we’d show you a few ways that lots of people are wasting energy and water at home:
1. Sprinkler System
As part of your spring home maintenance, it’s a good idea to have your sprinkler system checked (especially after this year’s crazy winter weather). Make sure you don’t have any broken lines, broken heads, leaks, etc.
Then go to your city’s website to check for watering guidelines and set your system accordingly. Turn off the sprinklers during and after rainfall — newer “smart” sprinkler systems make this easy. Also, make sure you know where all your sprinkler heads are located, so you don’t do something as boneheaded as this:
2. Energy Efficient Windows
The difference between older single-pane windows and more energy-efficient double-pane windows is significant, but not if the thermal seal has broken. These windows are great, but they don’t last forever. You can have an energy audit to see if your windows are leaking air. In this video, you can see what a broken thermal seal looks like.
You can see the difference in this thermal image:
Energy efficient windows keep your conditioned air inside where it belongs. Leaky windows make your HVAC work harder costing you money and wasting energy.
3. Have Your HVAC Serviced
As we move into air conditioning season, it’s a good idea to have your AC serviced – especially if you haven’t done it in awhile. Your system may be “working” but maybe you haven’t paid attention as it gets less and less efficient and your bills go up over time. In this video, you can see gray ductwork that has disintegrated, leaving the ducts exposed in an unconditioned space. Gray ductwork is no longer in use for exactly this reason. A little home maintenance would have prevented this.
As temperatures rise, make sure your attic is properly insulated, upgrade older appliances, and keep a close eye on your energy costs. You can make a big impact on your home’s efficiency by maintaining and replacing older systems.
There are many, many simple ways to reduce waste at home. You can calculate your personal carbon footprint and find excellent tips for reducing it at earthday.org.
