First, one of the easiest ways to dramatically reduce your home heating costs is by sealing your windows. There are many different kinds of window kits available that will completely seal off any gaps or drafts. Summertime is a great time to purchase these kits since they will typically be marked down by 50% or more. This means instead of spending $5 or more per window, you can do it for about $2.50 a window. If you’ve got a lot of windows in your home, this can really add up.

Summer is also a good time to start thinking about your insulation and the shape it may be in. If your home is fairly new, you should not have to worry about this. However, if you have noticed that no matter what you do your house still feels pretty cold, poor insulation may be the culprit. Look at the R rating on your current insulation and double check to make sure that it is meant for your area. If it is, it may have degraded, or you may need a little more to make your house feel cozy.

If you have a forced air heating system, it’s time to get those filters out and replaced. Having a clean filter in your furnace can reduce your heating costs significantly. Once again, you can take advantage of summer discounts and stock up on filters for the entire year. You should be replacing them at least every month, or more if you live in a particularly dusty area.

For those with wood or pellet stoves stocking up on fuel now can make a big difference in how much you spend. If you’re trying to scramble to find pellets or wood during the peak periods, you’re definitely going to be paying more money. If you’ve got the space, start stocking up now. If you have a propane furnace, you can do almost the same thing.

Many gas companies are now offering propane contracts for the winter. What this means is that you agree to purchase a set amount of propane over the winter, usually around 1000 gallons, and they will offer you a lower price. You’ll also get the benefit of locking that price in, so that no matter how high it goes through the winter, you’ll still be paying that initial price. As gas prices continue to go up, this is a great way to save money.

Last but not least, start checking your pipes for leaks. If you live in an area that gets very cold, you may want to consider adding pipe insulation to avoid having to deal with frozen pipes in the future.

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Originally posted 2008-09-08 05:42:16. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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The first area to tackle is the doors of a room. These can actually be a big part of sound problems and simply replacing one door may solve the entire issue. We highly recommend doing this first, before advancing to the next steps. In many cases, you may be able to get the noise level down to the point where no further soundproofing is necessary.

A soundproof door is a little more expensive, but it is much more durable than the typical hollow core doors that are used for interiors. Many soundproof doors will also come with rubber gaskets that create a seal when closed. However, these should only be used if a room already has proper ventilation. Simply getting a well made door that does not have a hollow core can greatly reduce the amount of noise pollution in any room.

If that still doesn’t work, there are a few more options that you can try. The first, and least permanent, is to purchase soundproofing panels. These are panels that can be attached to any wall and will hang much like large pictures. This is a great solution if you don’t want to completely redo your walls and you plan on moving at a later date. They can easily be removed, but still provide a significant reduction in noise.

These panels can be purchased at any hardware store, or you can also find online stores that stock them. They are easy to hang and most will come with brackets that make installation a breeze. You may even be able to paint them to match a room, but most will come in a solid white color.

For a more permanent solution to noise reduction, blow in insulation can be used. Basically, you are adding more insulation inside your walls, where the framing is. Be advised that this can be very expensive and you may get stuck with unsightly holes. However, if you are desperate for soundproofing, this may be the best solution. For older homes, it may be necessary to completely re-insulate exterior walls to cut down on outside noise levels.

For rooms that have issues with sound coming from above, there are special ceiling tiles that can be installed. This is a great solution that does not require a lot of effort. Most tiles are two feet by two feet, so you will not need to purchase that many, unless you have a very large room. Other quick solutions to reduce noise include hanging pictures, adding carpeting and fabric wall hangings that can absorb more sound.

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Originally posted 2008-09-24 05:21:10. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Picking the Insulation –

You’ll need to find out what the insulation rating is for your home and what is recommended for your area. Basically, you really can’t have insulation that is too strong, so go a little higher than normal if necessary. For most attics, we recommend the batting type of insulation, simply because if you ever plan on renovating your attic in the future, it will be a lot easier than having to deal with blown in insulation. However, if your attic space is very small and not conducive to fixing up, blow in insulation will be the easiest.

It is important to select an insulation that comes with a vapor barrier. Humidity gets into insulation and ruins it, so you want to do all that you can to prevent it. Even the driest climates still have some moisture in the air, so it is best to err on the side of caution and get the insulation with the vapor barrier. It is a bit more expensive, but you won’t need to replace it as often since it will hold up better.

Installing the Insulation –

Once you’ve picked out the insulation you’re going to use, you’ll need to prep the attic. If it doesn’t have a finished floor and most don’t, we recommend carting plywood sheets up there to lay across the beams. It is simply too difficult and dangerous to try to straddle and balance on those beams while you’re working. If you can’t find plywood that can withstand your weight, go with a nice thick board that can be easily moved around.

Once you have that board or plywood in place, you can begin bringing up the insulation. If you’re using batting, start unrolling it and tucking it into place between the beams. Make sure that all of the empty spaces are completely covered. If your attic does not have insulate walls, you’re going to want to take care of those as well. Some prefer to use strips of insulation padding for both floors and walls in attics, but the choice is up to you.

Make sure that you wear the proper safety equipment, such as goggles and gloves while you are installing your insulation. It contains tiny fiberglass fibers that can cut you and hurt your eyes if it gets in there. If you are using blow in insulation, we recommend goggles, a mask and gloves.

To install blow in insulation (see picture), rent a blower, and get a secure spot where you can stand in the attic without being covered in insulation. Start in the far corner and keep blowing it in until the floor is completely covered. You should now find that your heating costs are greatly reduced and your house will feel a lot warmer.

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Originally posted 2008-09-09 05:20:29. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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There are also things you should do to in common practice to conserve fuel. Keep doors to the outside closed and secured. Doors to an attached garage should also be closed as well. If the garage is heated, maintain it at around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The basement should be insulated with cracks in the foundation sealed and doors and windows treated as above. Crawl spaces and ventilating grills should be closed off and sealed when heating is concerned.

When it comes to your thermostat, you need to make sure that the heat is reaching your thermostat; otherwise, your home could overheat. In the areas that you do not use, you should lower the temperature by roughly 10%, and have the doors closed. These will help to save fuel to greater extents. The thermostat should be placed on a inside wall, away from sunlight. Do not allow outside means to affect the thermostat and give a false temperature reading.

Unless you are ventilating your home, you should keep doors and windows closed, and have the fireplace damper closed when not in use. Glass doors can also be used to seal off the fireplace as well. You should make sure that before the heating season starts, you perform maintenance on all of the devices that make up your heating system. Pipes and air ducts should be insulated when exposed to areas that are unheated. Hot water faucets should not drip, and any heat opening should be unblocked. Make sure the heating pipes are clear of debris and lint.

A major source of leakage are the outlets and switches around the home. Preventing air leakage can be done by installing gaskets under the panels. The best gaskets are home made. Buy a roll of 1/8" sill plate gasket, place the covers on the gasket, and trace them out and cut them with a razor. Install the gaskets behind the panel when you install the panels. Safety plug covers also help to block air flow through the outlets.

When it comes to reducing your heating bill and conserving fuel, you should identify sources of heat leakage and seal them off. Devices meant to heat should be in working order, and the thermostat should not be in a place where it can be influenced by anything other than the room's ambient temperature.

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Originally posted 2009-03-12 05:09:35. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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1. Seal all small entry holes under sinks, by baseboards, and outside.

Your house, no matter how well it was built, is bound to have a few holes somewhere along the way. These holes are put to good use by pests and before long, you may be overrun. In order to prevent this, get some hardware mesh and attach it over the holes. This mesh will usually keep out larger bugs and mice, and is very economical to install.

For warped boards under sinks and smaller gaps, consider purchasing insulation in a spray can. This can be sprayed directly onto the hole and will effectively seal it up to keep pests out. You may need to keep checking it, especially if mice decide to give it a nibble.

2. Place traps around your home.

Mouse traps, bug traps and other small critter traps can be very effective at keeping the pest population in your home under control. These traps are usually economical and there are many options now available. For example, you can now find easy close mouse traps that prevent you from have to actually touch the dead mouse, and they are much more effective than the old wooden ones with fake cheese. You may need to bait these traps however, in order to get the most functionality out of them. Peanut butter works very well for mice since they can’t grab it and run.

If the thought of killing the critters doesn’t work for you, you can also purchase live traps, or more human traps that kill with a quick electric shock. Although you may not like the fact that you are killing a small creature, the fact of the matter is they can cause thousands in damage to your home and they are indeed health hazards.

3. Stop the damage before it is done.

If you see one mouse, or one bug, chances are there are plenty more than you haven’t spotted yet. Be on the lookout for droppings, and dead bugs around your home. Try to find their entry point and seal it up. This is an easy way to take care of business before it gets out of hand.

With careful attention and prevention, you can keep your home pest free all year long. If you live in the country, you may need to up your efforts, or consider installing ultrasound devices that will plug into the wall and prevent pests from moving in with sound waves, since these can be very effective.

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Originally posted 2008-11-04 05:21:30. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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