Can you use your home renovation to increase the energy efficiency of your house? Homeowners can make a big difference in their comfort and utility costs by taking advantage of this opportunity for targeted changes. Here are a few ways to do this during any remodel.
1. Weatherize the Home. Weatherizing — including sealing doors and windows, preventing leaks, and updating roofing material — is a first step that can be done in any home. These steps help even if you can't make large-scale energy efficiency changes. For added benefit, consider hiring an energy survey to assess your existing weatherization and recommend changes.
2. Add Insulation. How long has your insulation been doing its job? Is it made with the most modern technology? Could the remodel open up additional opportunities to insulate? You protect the house from extreme temperature variations by increasing the blanket of insulation all around it.
3. Update Appliances. Home appliances are some of the biggest energy wasters in many houses. If you're already remodeling rooms with appliances — like the washer and dryer, dishwasher, or water heater — update these to modern, efficient models. Even if your older models still function well enough, they may need to be updated anyway to complement the renovation around them.
4. Adjust the HVAC. Major home renovations change the overall interior structure of the house. However, the HVAC system was designed to heat and cool the old layout. So it may need some adjustment to accommodate the new floor plan. This is particularly true if you are finishing a basement, adding or removing walls, expanding the home, or enclosing outdoor rooms. If left unchanged, your system will work harder than it needs to.
5. Replace Doors and Windows. How old are the doors and windows in the remodeled areas? Weatherization — like adding weather stripping — can help doors or windows with minor air leaks. But if the doors or windows are very old, they probably aren't protecting you as well as new ones would. Upgrade single-pane windows, doors that no longer fit flush in the frame, and nonfunctional windows to better control the environment.
Where to Start
Ready to turn your renovation into an opportunity to improve the entire home's energy efficiency? Start today by consulting with an experienced home interior remodeler in your area. No matter what your budget, time frame, or remodeling goals are, any improvement you make now will pay for many years to come.
Contact a home interior remodeling contractor for more information.
Share28 June 2022
After I started focusing seriously on making my home look and feel brand new, it occurred to me that I needed to do something to make things even better. I started working with a team of remodeling contractors, and although I didn't always understand their decisions, it became apparent pretty quickly that they understood what they were doing. They worked with us each and every day to make things right, and I was really impressed with their level of professionalism. Check out this blog for great information on understanding remodeling decisions each and every time you complete a new project.
