What contributes to a Homes Energy Efficiency
With constantly rise energy prices and taxes affecting heating and utilities bills, don’t we all wish our home was more energy efficient? Not to mention the positive environmental effect that can be had from a more energy efficient home. First we need need to understand what energy efficiency means in a home. Homes that maintain their temperature more efficiently need less heating or cooling making this a desirable characteristic. Appliances that use less energy to function can also contribute to your homes energy efficiency, even though they are not technically parts of the home. Solar panels and other renewable sources even allow you to harness energy through your home, but these do not come without potential drawbacks either.
If you’ve ever been to a country in a warmer climate you’ll notice the walls of most homes are much thinner. This is because they do not need to deal with cold, harsh winters like we do in Canada. Homes and other structures without heating/cooling are likely better off without insulation and temperature retention as it may be the best way to achieve a comfortable temperature. The main components of a homes ability to maintain its temperature are the insulation, Windows, doors and other openings, and seal or the envelope of the house. Different insulation has different values and will perform in different ways. Cheaper windows and doors will often allow for more exterior temperature to be transferred than a door with higher quality weather sealing. Gaps or openings in the homes siding, weather barrier, roof, flashing or any other area of the house will give exterior temperature a more direct path to the inside of your home, possibly contributing to a lack of energy efficiency.
Appliances often come with an energy star rating to tell you how efficient they are. Depending on the price of the item and how long you plan to use it for it may be beneficial to calculate the energy savings of one unit vs another to achieve the most cost effective solution. Utilizing your property and home to gain energy can be a positive way to reduce monthly spending and carbon footprint, but the cost and life span of many of these products remains a poor selling point. This may become more appealing in the future but it is not a cost effective solution for many at current prices.
Understanding what makes a home energy efficient is the first step in putting together a plan to optimize your home, after all who doesn’t want to spend less, while protecting the environment.