Keeping home energy costs low is something all homeowners desire, especially during these difficult times. If you have an older home and would like to improve its energy efficiency what are some ways you can do it? Sealing and insulating is one way to do this and it’s something the majority of homeowners can tackle themselves which can save even more money. Let’s look at some areas in an older property that may need attention.


The attic space is a good place to begin the job of sealing and insulating as this is where air leaks are most likely to be felt. You will want to start by plugging up the larger holes which are commonly found where the attic meets the floor, behind and under attic knee walls, and dropped ceiling areas. The smaller holes can be sealed. A good way to spot smaller air leaks is by looking for areas in the attics insulation that have darkened. Another area that will benefit from foam board insulation or weatherstripping is the attics access panel.


While we have highlighted areas in the attic space that should be sealed, what other areas in the home may need attention? Here are a few of them, window frames, doors, baseboards, electrical outlets or receptacles, window or wall mounted air conditioners, and piping.


Yes, when a home is tightly sealed it will not only help reduce the cost of your monthly heating and cooling bills, but it can also help to improve indoor air quality and comfort.
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​Light in a home is very important, it can also make the difference between a space that is inviting to live in and an uninviting one. To get it right, however, takes an element of skill.  When you think about lighting up a dark space or room of your home, you perhaps think about electrical forms of lighting. But, have you considered daylighting? This is another way you can brighten up a space and, at the same time, be more energy efficient. Here are some of the ways that daylighting could be incorporated into the home.
 
The term daylighting is used to describe the method of using natural light to brighten up a home’s interior. This can be done using several different methods. One common way is with the use of skylights. If skylights are something you would like to install, be sure they are double-paned and that the flashing is done correctly.
 
Clerestory windows are another effective method of daylighting. These short but wide windows are set high on a wall, allowing the sun to flood into the room in the winter months, adding light and heat, but at the same time protecting against the sun in the summer with the roof overhang.
 
Another method used to evenly distribute daylight is with light tubes. A special lens is used to amplify low-level light and reduce the intensity of light from the sun at midday. A highly reflective material coats the tube itself which then channels sunlight through it. It enters the home's interior space through a diffuser that evenly distributes the light.
 
These are just some of the practices used to incorporate natural light into the home instead of depending solely on electrical lighting to do it for you.