It’s no secret that homeowners have a lot on their plate in terms of expenses. Unlike renters who do not personal own the property they live in or on and have repairs or maintenance expenses paid for by the property owner, homeowners have to pay for everything out of pocket. And with all the responsibilities homeowners have in maintaining their home, it’s easy to see how all of these things can quickly add up! But for every chore or maintenance task that needs to be done around the house, there are an equal if not greater number of opportunities to save money, cut costs, and make your home become more efficient and therefore environmentally friendly.
There are no shortage of ways in which homeowners can save some serious cash on out of pocket expenses, especially when it comes to home upkeep and maintenance. In addition to creating a workable budget, one of the best ways homeowners can save money is to find ways to reduce their energy needs. The energy your home uses for heating, cooling, and electrical needs represents fairly large portion of the monthly and yearly expense of owning a home — as much as 40% in some cases. Finding ways to reduce this figure can dramatically reduce the cost of owning and maintaining a home.
Heating and cooling costs vary from region to region and depend greatly upon the surrounding climate. Regardless of where a home is located, there are a variety of ways to reduce heating and cooling costs. Air sealing is an extremely effective and easy way homeowners can slash their heating and cooling costs and energy needs. Furthermore, reducing the number of air leaks a home has a number of other benefits aside from cost savings and energy efficiency.
Air leakages happen when air from outside enters your home and combines with air that has already been conditioned by your hardworking HVAC system. This only makes your hardworking HVAC system work even harder in order to maintain your home’s temperature, and this in turn costs more money because it requires more energy. Identifying air leaks and sealing them properly is the best way homeowners can save energy and money. In addition, reducing air leaks by air sealing also allows homeowners to stay and feel more comfortable throughout the year. Everyone hates the feeling of biting, cold drafty during the winter or the hot, muggy feeling of summer! But sealing areas where air can make it’s way in can prevent your household and guests from having to feel this.
Aside from staying comfortable throughout the year, reducing energy consumption, and saving money, air sealing can also help homeowners breathe easy in terms of the integrity of their home. Moisture can be big problem for homeowners, especially in humid areas of the United States. When the humidity rises, so does the likelihood of a space developing a problem with mold and fungus. In damp and moist environments, especially those that are warm, mold and fungus spores thrive and grow large colonies. Aside from being unsightly, mold and fungus spores are also potential health hazards and can even be fatal in extreme cases.
Mold, mildew, and fungus affect the respiratory system and can trigger an allergic reaction in the form of asthma, difficulty breathing, itching, running eyes, sneezing, running nose, and inflammation. Furthermore, it can lead to serious illness and infections in the lungs. Air sealing can significant reduce the chances of this happening by keeping outside moisture outdoors where it belongs. Not only does help to reduce the build up of mold, but it also prevents the moisture from weakening your home’s structural integrity. It may even deter pests such as termites, who love to feed on moist woodwork.
An HVAC system is also likely to last longer if a homeowner takes air sealing seriously. Without having to work as hard to heat or cool a home and maintain that temperature, a HVAC system naturally runs more efficiently. As such, it not only uses less energy but not having to work as hard will extend its lifespan. This means fewer costly repairs and expensive maintenance for homeowners which again, will save homeowners thousands.