Resnet is a great website to learn about energy efficiency. This is a fun tool available on their website to learn about the HERS score of your home. Once you choose the HERS score of your home it will explain to you the energy efficient benefits of your home or areas where you can improve. 50 is the average HERS score that a Charis Homes scores with just an ICF foundation (not sure what an ICF is? Read our last post). The last few full ICF homes Charis has built have scored between a 38 and 40 HERS score!! Very impressive! Charis just keeps improving their energy efficiency, helping new home owners save even more on their utilities.

Not thinking of building and your home isn't very energy efficient? Don't get discouraged! There are many small changes that you can make in your home that will help your HERS score and best of all save you money!!!

Existing Home Energy Efficient Tip #1 - Seal your heating and cooling ducts

Ducts that move air to-and-from a forced air furnace, central air conditioner, or heat pump are often big energy wasters. Sealing and insulating ducts can improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent — and sometimes much more.

Focus first on sealing ducts that run through the attic, crawlspace, unheated basement, or garage. Use duct sealant (mastic) or metal-backed (foil) tape to seal the seams and connections of ducts. After sealing the ducts in those spaces, wrap them in insulation to keep them from getting hot in the summer or cold in the winter. Next, look to seal any other ducts that you can access in the heated or cooled part of the house. Click here for a Duct Sealing Brochure from the Energy Star website.

Sources of Information: http://www.resnet.us/ and www.energystar.gov

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