Be sure to check dsireusa.org to
see if you qualify for rebates on
energy efficiency upgrades
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consider a high-efficiency ground-source heat
pump (see page 22).
Sealing up the house itself may be an easy
do-it-yourself job using a caulk gun to stop leaks
around window and door frames, soffits and sid-
ing. Major heat leaks through the roof, walls and
floors are expensive. Even minor heat leaks around
electrical switches in outside walls can add up.
Most utility companies will help you pay for a pro-
fessional whole-house audit to zero-in on heat-loss
problems (find a phone number or website address
on your utility bill). This can involve a blower door
test to quickly identify even minor air leaks. A good
source for information on audits is the U.S. Depart-
ment of Energy’s website on energy efficiency:
eere.energy.gov/consumer.
An audit may lead to replacing leaky old windows
and doors with modern full-insulated models. The
auditor may recommend additional insulation in
the attic or floors. These upgrades can be costly but
in the long run will be a good investment. With the
price of heating oil and natural gas going through
the roof, you probably don’t want expensively
heated air going there too. The DoE website in-
cludes some interactive worksheets to help you fig-
ure out how much more insulation you may need
(depending on your zip code’s climate), how much
it may cost and, depending on what you’re pay-
ing for heat energy today, how long the payback
period may be. r
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