Adding energy efficient features to a house can bring costs down, decrease environmental impact
By Amy Richards
Many homeowners today are focused on environmental sustainability and energy efficient or “green” homes. Creating an energy efficient home is not only beneficial to the environment, but also can save homeowners money.
Whether you are building a new home or thinking about making changes to your existing home, there are various options you can incorporate.
Window Films
Rachel Schabroni, manager/lead installer for Solar Solutions Inc. in Mentor, explains that “one simple way to make a home more energy efficient is to install carbon-based window films to reduce the amount of light transmitted through windows.”
The efficiency is based on a Variable Light Transmittance rating that shows how much light transfers through the glass, she says. For example, a 90% VLT would allow 90% of light through and block 10%, whereas a 45% VLT would allow 45% of light through and block 55%.
“This is especially important since so many homes are now built with walls of windows, which are beautiful but really heat up a home,” she says. “With window films, less light goes in, so rooms stay cooler in the warm months. That helps tremendously with summer air conditioning costs. In the winter, the films help keep heat in, improving heating costs as well.”
Installation is relatively easy. Films are installed on windows with soap and water, and are typically easy to remove, Schabroni says. She emphasizes it is important to have them installed by professionals, however, “to ensure that the correct film is installed on each particular window so as not to void window warranties.”
Although energy savings and cost of installation depend on the size and structure of a home, a 70% or better VLT would save about 50% in energy costs, and installation is typically $9 to $20 a square foot, according to Schabroni. As far as making windows dark, Schabroni explains that “The VLT rating determines the darkness of the film, but with many of them, you realize energy savings without even noticing that film is on the glass.”
And, as added bonuses, window films can provide privacy for bathrooms and slow down furniture fading.
Efficient HVAC Systems and Tankless Water Heaters
Steve Smylie, president of Smylie One Heating, Cooling & Plumbing in Bedford Heights, emphasizes the importance of energy efficiency in today’s world.
“Utility prices are going up, and America’s systems are overburdened,” he says. “If we don’t take control of the amount of gas and electric waste, rates will continue to increase and we will continue to see outages. If we are good stewards to the world and watch how we use electricity and gas, we will have it at good rates going forward.”
If your HVAC system is older than 10 years and you are planning to stay in your home for more than five years, Smylie says “upgrading to more efficient systems can save 20 to 30% of operating/utility costs.”
With furnaces, “efficiency” means how much heat goes into a home for every dollar spent. For a 70% efficient system, 70 cents of each dollar goes into the home and 30 cents go out the window, he explains.
“New systems are 90 to 98% efficient, and variable speed systems make you more comfortable while not running at the highest speeds,” Smylie says.
If a new furnace or air conditioner is out of your budget, there are less expensive solutions to make your HVAC system more energy efficient.
“First, and most importantly, have your furnace and air conditioner serviced yearly,” Smylie says. “A clean, well-maintained system is less expensive to run. Second, change your thermostat to a Wi-Fi capable or programmable one that allows you to set it back when you are not awake or home.
“Third, seal your ducts. This is a very cost-effective way to get the heat or cooling where you want it – in rooms you use instead of in attics and basements. Lastly, upgrade filters and use a humidifier which will allow you to turn your thermostat down and still stay comfortable.”
Homeowners can also save energy and money by replacing traditional hot water tanks with tankless water heaters, Smylie adds.
“They are 98% efficient and only use fuel when you use hot water,” he says. “They use coils to heat water instantaneously instead of holding it.”
Solar Panels
Tristan Rader, Ohio program director of Solar United Neighbors, explains the importance of harnessing solar power at home.
“It is extremely important to reduce energy consumption,” he says. “Our country needs to get off of fossil fuels because of our increasing demand for energy. In order to meet future energy needs, it is important that each of us do our part with energy conservation whenever possible. We need to make sure that every watt or unit of energy we use is used in the best way possible so that we have a stable grid in the future.”
Solar panels, which can convert 20% to 30% of the sun’s energy to direct current energy, can help shoulder the burden by reducing the need for electricity from an aging grid, Rader says. By installing solar panels on a home’s roof, sunlight is collected and converted into energy that is then used to power homes while the sun is out.
“This greatly reduces energy bills. Homes will still be connected to the electric company’s grid and will use that electricity during dark hours,” he says.
Although the cost of installing solar panels depends on the size and structure of a home, typical installation is somewhere between $7,000 to $20,000, Rader says.
“Solar United Neighbors works with Solar Switch, which is a group-buying program that uses a reverse auction to get homeowners the best solar panel prices possible,” he adds.
And, the federal government offers a 30% tax credit for anything related to solar installation, including solar batteries, which have become popular ways to make certain a home has power in a blackout, he says.
For more information on the tax credit, visit bit.ly/3ZzrPVn.