3 Surprising Tools You Can Use to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

3 Surprising Tools You Can Use to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

When you think of tools, you most likely think of items like a hammer and screwdriver. But a tool is anything you can use to accomplish a particular task.

We’ve already covered some online tools you can use to help reduce your energy bills. This time we’re taking a look at a few of the physical tools that can help you accomplish the same task.

Candle

Although a candle can be a source of indoor air pollution in your home, it can also serve an important function in making your home more energy efficient. (Or you can use an incense stick, if you have it.) How? By helping you find air leaks around doors and windows.

Here’s the process:

• Turn off your home heating and air conditioning system (and fan.)
• Close all your doors and windows
• Turn on your bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans
• Light the candle and move it to where you suspect a leak (around doors windows, baseboards, electrical outlets, etc.)
• Notice if the flame flickers slightly

Your exhaust fans will be pulling air out of your home, which will cause air to flow into your home through air leaks. The air blowing over the candle will cause the flame to flicker or dance.

Caulk and a caulk gun

This is one of the least expensive and most effective methods of making your home more energy efficient. Make sure you seal around exterior light fixtures, electric boxes, plumbing and windows.

Also, you should use an exterior-grade caulk. Acrylic latex caulk can last up to 15 years so it is a good one to use. However, it’s not recommended for areas that will be subjected to a lot of moisture.

For the wetter areas around your home, use vinyl latex caulk, which lasts about 5 years.

Mastic sealant

We’ve talked before about how leaking air ducts are wasting your money. One easy way to improve your home’s energy efficiency is by sealing these leaky ducts with mastic sealant (NOT duct tape.)

You can purchase the mastic sealant at any home improvement store and apply it to leaky ducts you have access to.

Of course, not all your ducts are easily accessible.

Use the tools at your disposal

All three of these tools are easily available and very inexpensive. Yet they can offer huge rewards in terms of increased energy efficiency and lower heating and air conditioning bills.

Have a question about home energy efficiency for our experts? Give us a call today.

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