Why Do We Need to Conserve Energy?
On a daily basis, we waste a lot of energy either by not turning the lights off when not in use if we use old and inefficient appliances that consume large amounts of energy or by not switching off the vehicle engine. This Eco Spray Insulation blog will help you learn how to save energy at home during winter months. Save energy is not only useful to cut costs but also to preserve resources for longer use.
As of today, most of the energy is generated from coal-powered power plants. These plants do generate energy but also can pollute the environment by emitting harmful gases into the atmosphere and releasing toxic gases. These toxic gases are just not only harmful to the environment but also to human and animal health. Every year millions of people lose their lives due to the presence of toxic substances in the air that we breathe. One of the serious environmental issues that we are facing today is air pollution. Resources that we have, should be used economically to conserve them for future use since they are limited and will expire one day. The ugliest part is that we, humans, have been using these resources at such a high rate that we might end up not having all resources. These resources such as coal, oil, and gas are not sustainable. They might not be available for the next coming generation. Therefore, one of our tasks is to conserve and save energy as much as we can to make it available for our kids and protect our environment from further degradation.
How to Save Energy at Home During Winter
While insulating a building, the most important thing is to stop the air leak. But since in a lot of homes, there are a lot of holes that allow the air to come in and go out, this is a problem. So if you compare the air leakage with the fact of leaving the door open, it’s going to be the same thing.
The solution is to seal the “building envelope” and prevent air from leaking in or out. The best product that we use to do this is Spray Foam Insulation.
When we installed the spray foam, we did it all – air sealing, moisture blocking, and insulating all at the same time. Since the installation provides a very high R-Value, it makes possible improvements to energy efficiencies and reduces seasonal energy usage, while substantially lowering winter heating bills and summer cooling bills.
Depending on the project, two options. We applied the “Half-Pound” spray foam product in liquid form, and it expanded dramatically and hardened into a semi-rigid finished application. Is recommended for interior use.
For higher performance, we use the “Two-Pound” spray foam product which has better R-Value performance and is a more efficient air barrier, vapour barrier. It’s ideal for insulating below-grade foundations and exterior foundation concrete.
Spray Foam Insulation is a product that maybe is not affordable for everybody but it is the best of all products that we use. Energy savings (on heating and cooling) will continue for years and years. The structure of the building will be stronger and that’s a big plus.
Below you will find some efficient ways how to save energy at home and you can thank us later:
- Keep internal doors closed. If you will keep the doors in your house closed, you will keep the place warm and this means more comfort. Another thing you can do is use a thick mat to block the heat from escaping through the gap underneath the door.
- Keep consistent. If you have your heating at a consistent low, rather than continuously turning it on and off, can actually save energy. This is because your boiler uses a lot of energy trying to warm to high heat after being cold, then energy is wasted when it gets too hot and needs to be cooled again.
- Drop the pressure. Power showers use a lot of water, sometimes even more than running a bath. This means a lot of money and uses a lot of energy to heat. Try fitting a water-efficient showerhead and you’ll make significant savings.
- Air dry clothes. You won’t believe it but it’s true how quickly clothes dry hanging on an air conditioner in a warm room but please be careful not to dry clothes on radiators themselves, your boiler will be forced to work harder and use more energy.
- Don’t block the heat. Blocking the radiator with items like sofas is not something you wanna do – as it means heat is absorbed by the item in front and the room will ultimately stay much colder.
- Insulate. Insulate your attic, you’ll trap heat inside the home saving a lot of money in a year. Cavity wall insulation would also cut back your heating bills significantly.
- Invest in solar. You can save up to a third on your energy bills by installing solar panels. They’re convenient for the environment and your pocket. You can even get paid for the electricity you generate from the government.
- Block up your chimney. Nifty devices like inflatable chimney balloons help minimize the drafts that come through the chimney when it’s chilly outside.
- Switch to energy-saving LED bulbs. Replacing all your light bulbs with energy-saving LED bulbs it’s really a good investment, but these newer energy-saving bulbs last much longer than non-energy-saving ones.
- Clean Air Ducts. This is one of the simplest energy-saving tips. A clogged air duct won’t let heat in or out.
- Insulate the Attic. If heat will escape from the home that’s a problem. Insulating the attic is one of the best things to do because it will help you pay fewer bills. Although the price of insulating an attic can be high, the investment is very important.
- Remove or Cover Air Conditioners. Remove window air conditioners or tightly cover the front of the units. Leaving them in place or without protection will lead to cold air invasion.
- Insulate Pipes. During the winter the first thing that is going to be broken is the pipes. They will cause a lot of damage to your house and they are so expensive to repair.
- Close the garage door to trap heat. During the winter months, it’s important to keep the garage door tightly closed as often as possible. If you do that, you’ll retain warmer air against the garage-side wall of the house, and it will act as a buffer against the colder outdoor air.
- Turn off the lights. If you’re out on vacation this winter, you can save energy by making sure the lights are turned off.
