It’s time once again to open up your utility bill and find out how much energy your house used over the past month or quarter. You gently tear open the envelope and pull out your utility bill — only to find out that somehow your bill is even higher than last year!
This is a scenario that hits home for many people living in the DC area. It seems as though no matter how many appliances you unplug or how many LED light bulbs you install, energy costs just get higher and higher. But did you know there are more effective ways to save energy and lower your utility bills?
The Problem: High Energy Bills Year After Year
We talk to many homeowners in Northern Virginia, DC, and Maryland who battle unusually high energy bills year after year. Heating costs skyrocket no matter how mild the winter is, and air conditioning costs are just as high, if not higher.
If you’re seeing high energy bills year-round, it’s probably a sign that the existing inefficiencies in your home are wasting valuable energy — and that it’s time for an energy efficiency upgrade.
The Solution: Save Energy with Energy Efficiency Upgrades
Making the right energy efficiency upgrades to your home will reduce the amount of energy your home consumes on a daily basis, so you can breathe easier every time that utility bill comes in the mail. Some of the most effective upgrades we implement in Northern VA, DC, and MD homes include:
Insulation
Insulation doesn’t just keep your home warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. By stabilizing indoor temperatures, it also reduces your need to run energy-consuming heating and cooling equipment in the first place. We most frequently recommend upgrading the insulation in attics and exterior walls.
Air Sealing
Air sealing is the process of closing up tiny holes and gaps throughout the home using airtight spray foam. When your house is properly air sealed, valuable conditioned air doesn’t seep out, and unwanted outside air doesn’t seep in — also reducing the need to run HVAC equipment.
Duct Sealing
Did you know that in many homes, 20% to 30% of conditioned air is lost to leaky and poorly connected ductwork, driving up heating and cooling costs? Duct sealing keeps all of that valuable conditioned air inside your ductwork so your heating and cooling equipment doesn’t have to work overtime.
Crawlspace Encapsulation
Poorly sealed crawlspaces often allow outside air, excess humidity, and harmful contaminants to spread throughout the home. Crawlspace encapsulation, which involves installing a thick vapor barrier along the crawlspace floor and walls, addresses these issues and can help make the entire home more efficient.
The Results: Lower Energy Bills & Increased Comfort
Energy efficiency upgrades have the potential to significantly reduce your energy bills and increase indoor comfort. Here are some of the most common benefits our customers notice after having us complete energy efficiency upgrades on their homes:
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Average of 15% lower heating & cooling costs
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Average of 11% lower overall energy costs
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Less need to run HVAC equipment
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Enhanced overall indoor comfort
Start Saving Energy with Diagnostic Testing for Your Home
Before completing any energy efficiency upgrades on your DC area home, it’s important to pinpoint where exactly your home is wasting energy. A Fifth Fuel energy audit will show you just that. This in-depth audit includes blower door testing as well as infrared thermal imaging to reveal where air leaks and under-insulated areas are in your home. If you want to find out how your ductwork is performing, our team can also conduct duct blaster testing to reveal air leaks.
Once we’ve diagnosed your home, our ENERGY STAR certified experts will design a custom, energy saving retrofit solution especially for your home!
