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Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill

Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill

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How to Save Money on Utilities this Summer

You may be enjoying the great outdoors this summer, but your home still needs to be a cool escape from the summer heat. While blasting the A/C inside keeps your home cool, it can also be expensive. Read on for a few easy, affordable ways you can lower your energy bill this summer while ensuring your home remains comfortable.

Seal windows and doors 

Windows and doors are the entryways to your home, so they’re the first point where cool air can escape and hot air can enter. To help reduce your energy bill, check the seals on windows and doors to ensure they’re in good shape, and re-caulk or seal any areas that may have degraded over time. 

Use blackout shades or heavy curtains on windows

In addition to sealing windows and doors, another way to lower your energy bill is by limiting the amount of heat that enters the home. Because sunlight streaming in through a window can heat up a room, make sure that you use blackout shades or heavy curtains to limit the amount of sunlight that comes in through the windows. 

Use ceiling fans

Ceiling fans can help you make the most of the cool air that your HVAC is delivering. You can create a downdraft of cool air by programming ceiling fans to turn counterclockwise. If you use your ceiling fan wisely, you can decrease the intensity of your A/C output. 

Upgrade your thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat is a great way to lower your energy bills. You can choose a specific temperature that you’d like to keep your home at, and set the A/C to run less while you’re not at home. Many newer thermostat systems allow you to adjust temperatures remotely via an app, so you can program the A/C to start cooling your home just before your return from work!

Rethink your lighting

Upgrading your light bulbs and turning off unnecessary lighting can reduce your energy costs. Be sure to turn off all lights before leaving a room, going to bed at night, or leaving the house. It may also be a good idea to power down electronics that aren’t being used at nighttime. You can also consider installing new LED bulbs, which can be 80% more efficient than traditional light bulbs. 

HVAC maintenance

A well-maintained HVAC system will run more efficiently and cost you less money. To ensure your HVAC system is in good condition, be sure to replace air filters regularly so that cold air can get pushed through your home without obstructions. 

Lower water heater temperature

Lowering your water heater temperature is a lesser known way to lower your energy bill, but when used along with the methods mentioned above, you may be able to see the difference in your monthly energy usage. Most water heaters are programmed to 140℉, but you won’t feel the difference if you lower it to 120℉. According to the EPA, lowering your water temperature may amount to as much as $400 in savings over the course of a year. 

Looking for more summer home maintenance tips? Call South Sound Inspections for professional advice today!

High Humidity in the Home

High Humidity in the Home

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Why Humidity is a Problem and What to do About It

Living in a damp climate like the Pacific Northwest can lead to issues around the home, specifically regarding humidity. Humid air inside the home can feel heavy and uncomfortable; in some cases, it can also be unhealthy. While there may be a variety of causes for humidity in the home, there are also accessible solutions that can help, too. Read on for information about what to do when your home is feeling too humid.

What are common causes of humidity in the home?

During hot, muggy summer weather, humidity can enter your home if it’s not properly sealed and if your HVAC system isn’t working properly.

 Air leaks caused by open gaps or seams can draw humidity inside. And an HVAC system that is outdated or incorrectly sized can also lead to a humid-feeling home. A good choice for high-humidity is an air-source heat pump, which transfers heat from inside your home to the outside.

Another common cause of humidity in the home can be using appliances for cooking, drying clothes, washing dishes, or taking showers. These activities add more moisture to the air and can make it uncomfortable inside, especially when it’s humid outside, too. Make sure your dryer’s discharge pump is connected properly to the back of the dryer and that it’s depositing air outside. 

Plumbing leaks, moisture from soil under your home, and poor insulation can also cause humidity in the home.

Why is humidity in the home a problem?

Excess humidity in the home may lead to electrical issues, mold and mildew growth, and musty odors.

If the humidity in your home gets to 50% or higher, it may cause corroded wires and condensation – two things you do not want interfering with your electrical system.

High humidity over 60% may damage wallpaper, furniture, brickwork, and floors. It can also encourage mold and mildew growth, which may exacerbate allergies or other respiratory issues.

How can I decrease humidity in the home?

Many homeowners will respond to humidity in the home by purchasing a dehumidifier (or several, depending on the size of the home). But this is only a temporary fix.

You may want to consider either upgrading your HVAC system, or getting it correctly sized to your home. When a large A/C works to cool a small space, it tends to short-cycle (only running for a few minutes), before it shuts down, so it can’t keep up with the humidity building up outside. Homes usually need longer run-times – not extra-large air conditioning units – to keep living spaces cool and dry.

You can also try increasing ventilation in high-humidity areas like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms. Install an exhaust fan in these areas and open up windows when possible to circulate some fresh air. 

Should I get a dehumidifier?

Getting a dehumidifier is often a first impulse of many homeowners who are struggling with humidity in the home. A dehumidifier can remove excess moisture from the air, and the amount of time you run it depends on the size of your home. However, portable dehumidifiers are only a temporary solution, and you will have to dump out the water it collects and clean it to prevent mold and mildew growth inside the appliance.

The best long-term solution is to get your insulation inspected to ensure it’s working optimally, and to check your doors and windows to see that they’re properly sealed.

If you’re wondering whether or not your home is prepared for a hot and humid summer, contact South Sound Inspections for more information.

How to Keep Your Home Cool in Summer

How to Keep Your Home Cool in Summer

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Once summer arrives, you and the family are most likely excited about soaking up the sun and enjoying the great outdoors. But it’s a good idea to make sure that your indoor areas can be a welcome escape from the heat. From maintaining your A/C unit, to outfitting your windows and doors for the season, here are some key tips for keeping your home cool in the summer.

Check Your Doors and Windows

Making sure that cool air doesn’t escape your home is key to maintaining comfortable indoor temperatures. It’s a good idea to seal gaps around doors and windows, and add a draught guard to the bottom of doors so cool air doesn’t seep out from the bottom.

For windows, clean the window track and sill to ensure that windows fully close. If you see cracks around the window, seal them with caulk or weatherstripping.

Make Use of Curtains

Keeping your blinds closed (if you have them) or shutting your curtains can help to block heat from the sun’s rays outside to keep you cool indoors. Heavier and thicker than typical drapes or blinds, blackout curtains provide a barrier between you and the heat outside. Some blackout curtains also feature a reflective side that helps to redirect heat and sun away from the inside.

Maintain Your A/C Unit

Your A/C unit works best when it’s clean and well-maintained, so get in the habit of installing new air filters every few months. Clogged, dirty filters can limit the flow of cool air, and if air flow is obstructed, it can bypass the filter and leave dirt on the evaporator coil, which decreases the coil’s heat-absorbing abilities.

If your A/C unit is outside, clear debris like tall grass, weeds, and leaves that may have gathered around it. You can also remove the fan cage to clean out debris from the inside.

Use Your Ceiling Fan Wisely

The direction that your ceiling fan spins can have an impact on how cool your home feels during the summer. To encourage a downdraft of cool air, program your ceiling fan to turn counterclockwise. This can enhance the cooling effects of the A/C when it’s running.

Seal the Fireplace

A fireplace is great for cozy, winter nights, but during the summer you’ll want to ensure that cold air doesn’t make its way up and out of the home, and that warm air doesn’t come into the home. Close and seal the damper to prevent air flow, and adding a chimney cap damper can help to seal off the fireplace from the top.

Check Your Attic Insulation

A well-insulated attic can help keep your home cool during the summer. Inspect your attic to see if the insulation is dirty or compressed – if so, you may need to replace it with newer materials that can more effectively block heat transfer. Seal and weatherstrip around the windows in your attic to ensure hot air doesn’t move from your attic to the rest of the home.

If you’re wondering how your HVAC system will keep up with hot temperatures this summer, contact South Sound Inspections for an evaluation of your heating and cooling systems.

How to Adjust HVAC Dampers

How to Adjust HVAC Dampers

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Using HVAC Dampers to Improve Air Flow in Your Home

Unless you live in a perfect Mediterranean environment where the temperature remains at a comfortable level all year long, you most likely have to adjust your HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) system with seasonal changes. In the winter, you want hot air to circulate throughout your home, and in the summer, cool air should fill all your rooms. Aside from switching your thermostat from “heat” to “cool,” a great way to regulate temperature and air flow is by adjusting your HVAC dampers. Similar to how a dam controls water flow, dampers control air flow. By opening or closing them, you can promote or prevent airflow to certain parts of your home. Read on for more info about how and when to use HVAC dampers. 

DAMPER LOCATION AND HOW IT WORKS

Not every home has HVAC dampers, but if yours does, they are found inside the ducts of your HVAC system. They look and function like flaps or shutters. If you have a two or three story home, the main air duct that runs from the mechanical room likely branches off into two or three different ducts to move air into each floor. On the sides of each of these ducts, you can see a screw and a wingnut that can be turned perpendicular or parallel to the direction of the duct. These wingnuts control the direction of the dampers, or flaps, inside. Some homes have automatic dampers that can be adjusted via a digital display within the thermostat.  

In order to adjust the damper, you can use a pair of pliers to turn the wingnut up or down. If your air duct runs parallel to the floor, keeping the wingnut parallel to the bottom of the duct keeps the damper open. If you switch the wingnut’s position to point down, perpendicular to the bottom of the duct, you close the damper.

USING DAMPERS DURING THE SUMMER

During the hot summer months, you want cool air to circulate into each area of your home. As hot air rises, your top level floor will need increased airflow to feel cool. In this case, adjust the dampers to be fully open in the ducts that push air to the top floors. This will help force more cool air in places that naturally become warmer due to convection. 

USING DAMPERS DURING THE WINTER

During the cooler months, bottom floors should get more heat. Because hot air rises, your home’s top floors will naturally already be warmer. In this case, you’ll want to limit hot air flow to the top floors by closing the dampers to those areas and opening the dampers for the bottom floors. 

ADJUSTING AIR REGISTERS

In addition to adjusting your HVAC damper, you can also adjust the air registers in each room to regulate the flow of hot or cold air. Air registers are usually in the ceiling or on the floor. You can either close them entirely or narrow the air flow to maintain ideal room temperatures. 

If you’re finding that your rooms are still too hot in the summer, or too cold in the winter, contact South Sound Inspections to get a full assessment of your HVAC system and dampers to ensure the best possible climate for your home. 

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

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6 Ways to Maintain Your Home This Summer

With longer days and hot months ahead, it’s a great time to tackle summer home maintenance projects, especially if you missed out on some tasks in the spring. Follow these six summer home maintenance tips to keep your home in great condition and prevent damage from the elements. Taking good care of your home during the summer can help prolong the life of your roof, gutters, landscaping and more.  

Power wash exteriors

Whether concrete, wood or other material, your deck can last longer and look better if it gets power washed. Power washing helps to remove the dirt, mold, mildew or algae that can make your deck a slippery, un-safe surface to walk on. You can also power wash brick and aluminum siding exteriors. Be mindful when operating power washing equipment because it can cause splintering in wood decks. Also, plan to power wash on milder days because extreme sun or heat may dry out the cleaning agents and prevent them from working properly.  After you’re done power washing your deck, it’s a good idea to seal it to prevent it from water and sun damage in the future. 

Check your HVAC System and AC 

Check your AC unit and get your HVAC system cleaned to ensure cool, clean air flow that won’t aggravate your allergies. Start by cleaning the HVAC supply registers and return air registers, and then vacuum clean the air ducts, clean the blower compartment and replace the furnace filter. To ensure your AC unit is working optimally, clean the condenser coils, check the fan, replace the air filter, and ensure that the insulation is intact around the coolant line. 

Inspect gutters and roof

Clean and clear gutters are important for flowing water away off your roof, which helps to prevent water damage and leaks. After cleaning out debris and leaves from the gutters, check the condition of your roof because loose shingles can be a sign of moisture entering your home. 

Paint fences, doors and other exteriors

Take advantage of a stretch of clear, dry sunny days to paint your window frames, doors shutters, and fences. Staining and sealing fences prolongs their lives by preventing damage from heat and sun. Staining tends to have longer-lasting results than painting, but both methods can help protect your exteriors from the elements. 

Repair cracked walkways and driveway

When one part of a walkway sinks, it can become uneven and pose a trip hazard. Repair walkways by adding concrete to even out un-level patches, or seal large concrete cracks with urethane caulk. Sealing your driveway can help protect it from water and heat damage, as well as cracks from melting ice during the winter. 

Prune overgrown vegetation and maintain landscaping

Prune back overgrown vegetation not only for aesthetic purposes, but also for safety: if you live in an area prone to dry, windy weather, overgrown bushes and shrubs can contribute to fire hazards. Be sure to cut down any dead or diseased branches before they damage your home’s exterior in a strong storm, and remove any other branches that lean against your home’s siding to prevent scratches or unsightly marks. 

Following these tips can help to protect your home against a variety of seasonal damage. For more information about how to keep your home in good condition year round, contact South Sound Inspections. 

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

Summer Home Maintenance Tips

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8 Home Projects for the Summer

Now that it’s summer, you might have some more motivation to complete home maintenance tasks, but you’re not sure where to start. Here’s a list of easy-to-complete summer home maintenance tasks that don’t require an expert to complete, and are perfect to do before it gets cold and rainy again! Follow these preventative maintenance tips to ensure your home looks great for the season and is protected from surprise repairs during the colder months. 

1. Power Washing

If you’re lucky enough to live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, you’re also familiar with its drawbacks: mold and mildew that builds up on exteriors. A great way to combat this negative effect of our natural environment is pressure washing your deck, porch, driveway, siding, or brick exterior. You can rent power washers from your local Home Depot or Lowes. Before you rent, choose amongst four different colored tips standardized for specific angles. Red is for a zero degree angle that shouldn’t be used up close on any surface; yellow is for a 15-degree angle that’s great for washing concrete; green is for a 25-degree spray ideal for blasting away mildew on the deck or siding; white is for a 40-degree spray for windows and siding; and black is for a 60-degree angle more suited for simply wetting a surface. 

One word of caution: avoid power washing any exteriors that were painted prior to 1978. The paint can be fragile and flake off, so it’s best to call a professional in that instance. 

2. Repair or Re-paint Exteriors

After you’ve power washed siding, concrete, or a wooden deck, the next step is repairing or re-painting chipped, cracked or faded paint to protect it from the elements. 

The best way to tackle this task is by first making sure to repair any cracks or holes with caulk and wait for a warm, dry and not-so-windy day to complete the paint job. Apply at least two layers of paint for maximum protection and check every couple of years for signs of moisture or cracking.  

3. Clear Roof and Gutters of Debris

After the spring storms, leaves and debris are likely to clog your gutters and litter your roof. Wait for a few consecutive dry days to tackle the gutters and the roof. To start cleaning the gutters, grab a ladder, some gloves, a bucket, and a trowel. Begin cleaning around the downspout, using your gloved hands and a trowel to remove debris and place it in the bucket. After clearing debris, fit your hose with a spray nozzle and flush the gutters, being careful to avoid getting too much water underneath the roof shingles.  

After taking care of the gutters, check the roof for debris and use a leaf blower or broom to remove branches or leaves. And in a moist Pacific Northwest climate, also check for algae growth and use an algae-resistant spray after you’re done cleaning the roof. 

4. Inspect and Repair Fencing

Fences are another exterior feature constantly exposed to the elements that need proper care and maintenance. If you have wooden fences, clean and pressure wash the wood to remove mildew, moss, or graying, and then coat with a UV-and-water repellant coating. 

For metal fences, remove rust with a wire brush and apply a rust converter to places that already have rust. You can also use a primer on the metal fence or a car wax to protect aluminum fences from additional rust build-up. 

5. Check Your Air Conditioning Unit

Life during the summer is pretty unbearable with A/C, so take care of your indoor or outdoor unit. For an indoor unit, start by cleaning the evaporator coils and replacing the air filters; finally, check for leaks in the refrigerant that can cause your AC to run but not actually cool your home. 

For an external unit, start by removing debris around it and then remove the cage to clean and straighten the fins. You can also gently vacuum the fins to get rid of dust and build-up. Finally, spray the unit with a coil cleanser. Rinse off the cleanser in 15 minutes after it’s adhered to the dirt on the coils. 

6. Clean Ceiling Fans and Windows

Ceiling fans tend to work overtime during the summer, so be sure to brush them free of dust and dirt to ensure indoor air quality.

This simple job can be done with a step-ladder and some moist paper towels. For tougher build-up on fan blades, use a sponge to scrub off dust or dirt.

You can also clean your windows inside and out. Start with some Windex and paper towels on the inside, then a gentle spray of water from the hose for the outside. Follow up the outside windows by scrubbing them with a soft microfiber cloth soaked in a mix of dish soap and vinegar. Dry the windows with a squeegee, wiping it clean after each pass. 

7. Fix or Replace Exterior Doors

Examine wear and tear on exterior doors by looking for sagging, drafts, or leaks. To remedy these issues, you may need to realign the doors, weatherseal them, install new components, or replace the door system. 

To begin caulking and weathersealing your doors, check for old, damaged caulk and remove it with a putty knife. Then, apply a new, silicone-based caulk with a caulk gun around the doorframe to protect against drafts. 

8. Check Windows for Leaks

Similar to doors, windows can be a big culprit when it comes to hot or cold air escaping, and some caulk and a caulk gun are your best friends in this process.

Start by checking around the windows for drafts and apply caulk to areas to be sealed, making sure that caulk sticks to both sides of the window seam. You can also do the same with weatherstripping tape, a high-density rubber foam applied around the window. 

Now that you’ve gotten a head start on easy-to-complete preventative maintenance, be sure to call South Sound Inspections for jobs that require a professional!

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