Insulating Your House
Another way you can really cut down on your cooling and heating bills—and save a lot of energy in the process—is by improving your home’s insulation.
The first place you want to go is up to your attic. That’s number one. Because heat rises, you lose a lot of it through the roof. In the summer, your house is also being heated by the hot sun outside, so insulation will keep it cooler and reduce cooling costs.
I had good R-30 insulation put in the attic when I moved into this house in 1988. That made the home much more energy efficient right away.
Today, experts recommend that you insulate your attic to a level of R-38, which usually means installing 12 to 15 inches of insulation, depending on the type. In especially cold climates, they recommend going as high as R-49.
One way to know if you need more insulation in your attic is to climb up there. The insulation should extend above the level of the attic floor joists—those wooden crosspieces. If you can see the joists, you probably need to add more insulation.
Looking at your insulation will provide other important information, too. If it looks dirty, then you know you have air moving through it—a sure sign of a leak that needs to be sealed before you install new insulation.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSULATION
The type of insulation you choose makes a big difference. We know more now than we did back in 1988. When I had R-30 insulation put in the attic back then, much of it was fiberglass. Then we had an earthquake here in 1994, which led to cracks and fissures in the walls and floors, and fiberglass started to migrate down into the living spaces. My friends and family had colds and allergies a lot around here. There was sneezing and runny noses. It’s just not good for you to breathe that fiberglass, in part because it contains formaldehyde. It can even trigger asthma attacks.
We ultimately decided to take out the fiberglass. We had to hire people in these moon suits to do the removal. In its place we installed recycled cotton—this thick, bulky stuff that’s made from old denim and from the scraps left over when companies manufacture new jeans. Once we’d installed this new insulation, it was not only more energy efficient in here, it was also quieter! And it’s totally nontoxic.
Fiberglass insulation is still very common. So are rigid foam board and spray foam, both of which are essentially forms of plastic. But now you know there’s a more energy-efficient and a more earth-friendly option. You can even install this recycled cotton insulation yourself, and you don’t have to wear any special protective gear. It’s that safe. While the insulation itself costs about twice as much as fiberglass, being able to install it yourself eliminates labor costs. . . .
INSULATING THE WALLS
Once you’ve insulated your attic, it’s time to go to the next level: adding insulation to the walls of your home.
I discovered there was no insulation inside the walls of this house. Sure, they put in insulation when it was built in 1936—but they used crumpled-up newspaper! Sixty years later, there were just a few shreds left. You could read the date on a few pieces, but it was pretty far gone.
I decided to have good cellulose insulation blown into the walls to make them more energy efficient. Cellulose insulation is another popular choice for attics, too. (You also can use recycled-denim insulation inside your walls, but it must be installed when the walls are open. Denim can’t be blown in after the fact like cellulose.)
Ironically, the cellulose insulation used today is made from newspaper, too, but we’ve come a long way since 1936. Today’s insulation is made from recycled wood fiber, primarily newsprint. This insulation is also manufactured in a way that requires far less energy than the manufacturing processes for other kinds of insulation.
Adding cellulose insulation to your walls does require the drilling of holes, so you’ll have to at least touch up the exterior paint after the work gets done. Since I had a repaint scheduled for the outside of my house, I timed the installation of this new insulation to coordinate with the painter’s schedule. This way, I saved money on labor, since the painting had to be done only once.
Before the painter came, I had a company go around the house and drill holes above and below the fire block in between the studs. The fire block is a small piece of wood at shoulder level, approximately, that fills the void between the vertical two-by-fours. It slows a fire from spreading because it blocks the “chimney” effect between the vertical combustible wood. Every 16 inches, on center, there are studs, which are the vertical members on any house. These guys went between the studs and blew in cellulose insulation. I think they charged me about a thousand dollars, but right away, the house got quieter, and it got more energy efficient.
DOUBLE-PANE WINDOWS
Walls and attics are not the only parts of your home that need insulation. A pretty sizable portion of your home’s perimeter is made up of windows.
Windows can be one of your home’s most attractive features. They provide natural light, beautiful views, and ventilation. A certain ratio of windows to floor space is even required by law—for light, for ventilation, and to provide escape routes in case of fire.
Unfortunately, most windows have a very low R-value, some-where around R-1 or R-2. That means they can be responsible for a lot of wasted energy—up to 25 percent of your home heating bill.
It’s pretty easy to tell how efficient your windows are. Can you feel a draft when you’re sitting or standing near one? Put your hand on a window. Does it feel cold in the winter or hot in the summer? If so, you’re losing energy.
Double-pane windows are just what they sound like: two panes of glass (or sometimes plastic) in a single frame with a bit of air in between. That sandwich of air reduces heat transfer, keeping cold air outside from sucking the heat right out of your house in the winter. It also keeps warm air outside in the summer from transferring through a single thin pane of glass and heating up the inside of your home
I was concerned when we decided to make the switch to double-pane windows. I didn’t want this adorable (albeit tiny) 1930s home to have ugly-looking windows just so Ed could save a few bucks and use less energy. Adding modern-style windows to this older house would look awful!
But Ed did his homework and actually found out that the manufacturer who had made our windows back in 1936 was still around, and they make double-pane windows that look just like our originals. There are many window companies that make double-panes in a variety of looks, so the style of your home won’t be compromised.
You know, when Ed first wanted to replace all of our windows with double pane, I just thought, “Why are we spending all this money on something we already have?” I didn’t really get it. But our energy usage has gone down. And what I love the most is that now I can’t hear a thing! We live in a busy area, right across from a school, a block from a busy road, and a few miles from an airport. Over the years, I had grown to live with kids yelling, cars honking, and planes taking off. After the double-pane windows were installed, though, I felt like I was in the secluded countryside. Even if you’re worried you won’t save that much money on your energy bill (which you will), the silence itself is worth every penny.
Rachelle’s right. These are quality windows. The others didn’t seal as well. These have little gaskets on them. The hardware is very nice. They’re just wonderful windows, and they’ll be around longer than this house will. They’ll be taking them out and putting them in another house someday.
Choosing the Right Windows
Window technology has become so advanced that you can now get windows that have been fabricated specifically for your climate. Somebody who lives in Minnesota wouldn’t want to install the same windows as somebody who lives in Miami. Not only is there obviously a dramatic difference in temperatures between those two regions, but there’s also a difference in the amount and the strength of direct sunlight.
To meet the needs of homeowners living in different places—and working with different budgets—window manufacturers offer all kinds
of options. Besides double-pane windows, there are triple- and even quadruple-pane windows. Though they are a little more expensive, triple-pane windows are a good match if you live in an environment that has harsh, long winters. It’s just another added layer of protection from heat transfer.
You also can find windows with a larger airspace between panes, which also increases energy efficiency. And you can find windows with gas (usually argon) instead of air between the panes. Argon is denser and has lower conductivity than air, so it reduces heat loss—or heat gain—through the window even more.
Windows are offered with different coatings, too. Tinted glass and tinted window films are designed to reduce heat gain through windows—primarily for people in warm climates. Windows with low-e, or low-emissivity, coatings come in different styles to meet different needs. Some are designed for people in cold-weather areas to reduce heat loss through the windows in winter. Others are designed for people in hot climates to reduce heat gain through the windows in summer.
Making Any Windows More Efficient
Even if you aren’t ready for the expense of replacing your windows—or if you’re renting a home right now—there are ways to make the windows you already have more energy efficient.
Curtains, blinds, shades, and shutters are a fantastic way to add color and texture to a room. They give you a great opportunity to show off an accent color from a couch or bring a new, dramatic feel into your bedroom. They can make an impressive interior design statement. But did you know they’re also a great way to save energy?
This is especially true in the winter. At night when it’s cooler, just close your curtains to keep the heat in your home. In the morning when you wake up, push the curtains back and let the sun shine in to brighten and warm up your rooms. It’s so simple, but it really can lower your heating bill, which saves you energy . . . and gives you more money to spend on clothes and makeup!
It’s important to mention that not all window treatments go on the inside of your home. You can mount awnings outside—particularly on south- and west-facing windows—to block the hot summer sun.
As you know, the sun is much higher in the sky during the summer. Awnings—as well as eaves and overhangs on the outside of a house—will block that really hot summer sun, reducing your cooling costs. When the sun gets lower in the sky in the wintertime, as it moves toward the winter solstice, it’s able to reach beneath the awnings and hit your windows, helping to heat your rooms for free. That is the beauty of the wraparound porches that you see on older homes, particularly in the South.
But you don’t have to do a major remodel to get these same benefits in your home. Relatively inexpensive awnings are a very effective way to turn your home into a passive solar house.
You can achieve a similar effect by planting deciduous trees—trees that lose their leaves in the fall and winter. Plant them on the south side of your home—and perhaps to the west and east as well—where they will shade your house from the baking sun in summer. And in winter-time, what happens? The leaves drop off those trees, allowing the sun to warm your house.
In lieu of double-pane windows—or any of the more expensive window treatments—another low-cost alternative worth considering is window films. These films can be applied to any window to block a portion of the UV rays entering a room. They reduce heat gain dramatically in the summer, and they also help keep your carpet, furniture, and other possessions from fading, while you still enjoy lots of daylight.
Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs
I love compact fluorescent lightbulbs. I love them! When I talk about pursuing the energy-saving low-hanging fruit, CFLs represent an entire orchard.
The SS Begley is lit completely by CFLs—all I have throughout the entire house are CFLs. Some of the bulbs in my house, particularly the ones in my home office, I bought in the early 1990s . . . and they’re still burning. They save an incredible amount of energy and money.
I’m such a big fan of CFLs that I would actually lobby to outlaw incandescent bulbs.
The State of California and several European countries are considering passing legislation to outlaw incandescent bulbs and make the use of CFLs mandatory. People have asked me if I would support that legislation. Not only would I support it, I would lobby for it.
Here’s the bottom line on compact fluorescent lightbulbs:
• CFLs use two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent lightbulbs, yet they provide the same amount of light. A CFL may draw just 18 watts of power, but it puts out 60 watts’ worth of light.
• The average CFL lasts nine times longer than a normal bulb—most people say they’re going to last ten years, and I’ve got some that have lasted as long as sixteen or seventeen years.
• Each CFL saves at least $30 in energy costs over its lifetime vs. a regular lightbulb.
• CFLs generate 70 percent less heat than regular bulbs, making them safer to operate and keeping your home cooler in the summer months.
• If every American home replaced just one standard lightbulb with a CFL, it would reduce greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars.
And here’s great news: Even if money is really tight, you can still switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. You can get them for free from a utility like the Department of Water and Power, like Pacific Gas and Electric, like Southern California Edison, like Con Ed. A lot of these utilities will give you compact fluorescent bulbs because they’ve discovered that it’s cheaper for them. The cheapest kilowatts they can produce these days are kilowatts saved. It’s very, very difficult to site and build a new power plant—all the expense, all the red tape involved, the environmental review. And the fuel sources are natural gas and coal. What’s the future of that? So utility companies are really on board with saving power, not creating more and more demand from their customers.
The CFL Naysayers
Granted, there are people who look at CFLs and see problems. The mercury content, the quality of light—I’ve heard them all, even from my wife. These people are more comfortable with the old technology that they’re used to, and they don’t want to give it up. I understand that, but it’s shortsighted thinking. So let me address a couple of the issues people raise surrounding compact fluorescent lightbulbs.
1. Toxic elements in CFLs. There’s an environmental cost to everything. Look at my mountain bike. The plating processes used to create it are toxic. It has rubber tires. Energy was used both to fabricate the mountain bike and to ship it to me. But if you look at the life cycle of that bike, the amount of energy that I’m using by riding that bike around fueled by an ear of corn or a bowl of rice (human fuel, rather than fossil fuel), as opposed to what I’d use getting around in an automobile, there’s no contest. I hope that everybody would agree with that.
It’s the same with a compact fluorescent lightbulb. CFLs do contain toxic elements. There’s a bit of mercury in some of them, although manufacturers have been working to reduce this substantially, and some have a bit of lead in the switch, as well. But these are very small amounts, extremely small. They must be disposed of responsibly and cannot go into a landfill.
But having said that, there’s far more mercury coming out of the smokestack of a power plant that’s generating electricity to power a standard incandescent lightbulb than there is in a low-energy-usage CFL. If you dispose of CFLs properly, the amount of energy that you’re saving—the amount of coal that won’t be burned at a power plant, of mercury that won’t be going out that power plant’s smokestacks—over the life of that bulb, you’re going to be eliminating much more mercury than you’re creating. The difference is like a teaspoon to a tanker truck. Really.
2. The quality of light is not as good. I hear this from Rachelle a lot. And in her defense, the light from the early CFLs was sometimes white and harsh, much like the long tubular fluorescents used in offices and businesses. But the newer CFLs come in a wide variety of wattages with softer, warmer glows.
I remember when Ed was g
oing to get rid of the antique chandelier in our dining room. It’s from the 1930s, when the house was first built, and I loved it, but Ed decided to replace it because it wasn’t “efficient.” He planned to replace it with this modern thing, a real monstrosity.
I just said, “That’s it. I’m outta here. I can’t live here unless the chandelier stays.”
So Ed put it back up and he put compact fluorescent bulbs in it. That was before the industry had come out with CFLs that could be dimmed, so your choice was either on or off, and the light was really harsh back then. It was horrifying. In the end I just left the chandelier off and lit candles in the dining room. (Fortunately I love candles.)
But compact fluorescent lightbulbs have gotten so much better, thank goodness! We’ve reached a point where I can even turn on the chandelier again! The light is softer, and you can dim them, too. So Ed added a dimmer switch to the chandelier and he put in the newer bulbs, and it’s fine now.
I’ve even found a way to live with some of the older CFLs that we have that are still working—and Ed will be the first to tell you that these things last forever. I just put a lamp shade on them to change the color and soften the light. So believe me, fluorescent lighting in your home doesn’t have to be horrible.
Concerns About Water
Water use—or rather water waste— is a hot topic in our house. Rachelle still doesn’t seem to understand why I keep after her about wasting water. Well, here’s why.
Living Like Ed Page 3