Being a homeowner is a lot of work. Not only do you need to keep up with bills and renovations, you also need to make sure your home is promoting good health.
That can mean investing in a home efficient energy audit or just improving your indoor air quality by swapping out your HVAC. Whatever you need to do? Summer is a great time to give your home a little spitshine so you can proceed through the rest of the year with confidence. Your home can be a wonderful addition to your health and it can be a detriment, depending on the state of your carpet and heating and cooling systems, and the list below will summarize all you need to do to get your house back up to par. With a little effort you can reduce your energy bills and breathe cleaner air in one go.
Here are five things you should know about lower utility bills and indoor air pollution.
Repair Your HVAC
Your heating and cooling systems are going to have a lot of work cut out for them this year. Whether your system is newly installed or starting to reach the end of its lifespan, hiring a professional to look it over will save you some time and money. Some HVAC experts have stated in a recent survey up to 75% of no-heat calls in the winter are due to a lack of maintenance. Your HVAC system can be a wonderful addition to your home when it’s in working order. It can also promote more indoor air pollution and use up your energy bill if it’s in need of a repair job.
Replace Your HVAC
Sometimes swapping out your HVAC‘s filters with the aid of a professional is all you need to do to reap the most benefits from your system. Other times you might need to use an energy audit alongside a new installation to save money. The U.S. Department Of Energy found anywhere from 25% to 40% of the energy used for heating or cooling a home is wasted due to a build-up of contaminants in the HVAC system. An HVAC system that is over a decade old might also be too inefficient to give you the support you need to get through the hot season.
Clean Your Carpet
What are other ways you can promote good indoor air quality alongside a repaired HVAC system? Clean out your carpet. The function of a carpet isn’t just to keep your feet comfortable, but also to trap contaminants in the air. Air pollutants include dander, dust, smoke, dirt, harmful chemicals and pollen can swarm in your home and reduce your indoor air quality to dangerously low levels, affecting your mental and physical health before you know it. Studies have shown indoor air quality can be as much as three times worse than outdoor air quality.
Prevent Water Damage
While there won’t be much rain to deal with in the summer, preparing your home for the worst of water damage is a good idea. As much as 90% of water damage can be easily prevented with a few tweaks to your home, such as installing a better whole house cooling system or adding some necessary changes to your basement. It’s well worth the money spent, as a single flood can set you back for months. The average cost of a home water damage insurance claim is just shy of $7,000 and studies have shown over 95% of all homes with basements will experience some type of flood.
Install New Windows
What are other things you can do to make sure your energy audit is up to snuff? Consider checking your windows. Many American homes today are dealing with single-paned models that are notoriously bad at conserving energy, leaking out your heating or cooling and keeping your energy bill way too high. Attic insulation can also be done alongside a new series of double-paned windows to keep your bills low, creating an energy audit that will leave nothing but positive results throughout the year.
Give your energy audit the best possible chance at success. Spruce up your home just in time for summer.
