Go Green - Energy Efficiency in Your Home

Cooling a home during the summer with an air conditioning unit can account for nearly 50 percent of an average homeowner’s utility bill. And in the hottest regions of the country, cooling off with central air can generate up to 70 percent of your home’s utility bill.

But not to fear: There are several ways to curb your electricity use this summer. One simple way is to crank up the thermostat by one degree during warm weather. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that you can save up to 3 percent on your summer energy bill for every degree you raise your thermostat for 24 hours. Set your thermostat between 72°F and 78°F. Each degree setting below 78°F will increase your electricity use by as much as 4 percent—and that’s sure to add up to several hundred dollars over many hot summer days.

Other ways to reduce your home’s cooling costs include making sure your air conditioning unit is running at peak performance, replacing the HVAC filter at least every three months or as needed, turning on ceiling fans and making sure they are blowing down not up, opening windows during cooler evening hours, closing curtains and blinds where sunlight radiates heat into the home, and sealing all air leaks that let cool air escape outside.

If you like do-it-yourself home improvement projects, installing a radiant barrier in your attic is one of the most effective energy-saving projects that’s sure to help you save precious dollars on your A/C bill. What’s more, you can receive a 10 percent tax credit—up to $500—from the government.

A radiant barrier or radiant insulation works in your home similar to the way a reflective foil car shade works in your car. Just as a car shade keeps the interior of an auto cooler when it's parked in the sun, radiant barriers keep your home's interior cooler when installed in your attic where the sun's radiant energy is absorbed.

New do-it-yourself energy-saving home improvement products like Energy Star-certified Enerflex Radiant Barrier (class A fire rated metalized film) are easy for homeowners to install themselves, and quickly realize reduced monthly electric bills. Enerflex Radiant Barrier is unique in that one person can install it, without the need for tools, as it flexes into place between the rafters on the underside of a roof.

An attic radiant barrier is a safe, proven building material for reducing the strain on a home’s air conditioner. And that leads to significant energy savings. When you can spend a few hours over a weekend and complete a project that saves money month after month, it’s hard to ignore the benefits.

Professionals in the construction, roofing, heating and cooling, and energy industries have long known the benefits of installing a radiant barrier, says Rick Jordan of EcoRite Products, a major radiant barrier manufacturer. Only recently have products been manufactured specifically for the DIY installer market.

Radiant barriers reduce the radiant heat gain that permeates a home when the sun beats down on it. Studies on installed radiant barrier products show attic temperatures are typically reduced up to 30 percent during the summer months, which can translate to a 30-degree heat reduction on hot summer days. In fact, a radiant barrier is most effective in the summer months as it dramatically reduces the workload on your air conditioning unit. In general, installing a radiant barrier can help homeowners reduce air conditioner use and save as much as 20 percent on electrical bills.

“Based on my 30 years of experience in teaching energy efficiency, I believe that if you live in the South and your ductwork is in the attic, you will greatly benefit from installing Enerflex Radiant Barrier,“ said Doug Rye, a licensed architect and the foremost expert on home energy efficiency.
 
“We installed Enerflex Radiant Barrier in an Alabama home last summer, and determined that the attic temperature was nearly 30 degrees cooler than before. When the attic temperature and the ductwork are 30 degrees cooler, one should have better comfort and lower utility bills,” said Rye.

Easily installed Enerflex Radiant Barrier makes spending less on air conditioning a breeze—something to think about as gas prices and other expenses zoom in on your pocketbook.

View the Enerflex Radiant Barrier installation video.