Are your energy bills consistently higher than expected when it’s extremely hot in the summer or freezing cold in the winter? It might be time to consider weatherizing your home so that it’s airtight and energy-efficient in every season.
Weatherization comes down to making small improvements that keep your home’s temperature consistent and comfortable while reducing the strain on your heating and cooling systems. Weatherizing your home can help you save money, extend the lifespan of your appliances and even improve the air quality inside your home.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the most important steps you should take to weatherize your home.
Home weatherization is the process of modifying your home to protect it from extreme weather conditions that can help reduce your energy costs. This involves sealing air leaks, adding insulation and other home improvements to create a more controlled, comfortable indoor environment.
Keeping inside air in and outside air out makes it much easier for your home’s HVAC system to keep you comfortable. Plus, proper weatherization and home energy upgrades can cut your monthly energy costs by up to 30%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Weatherizing your home offers several key benefits:
The first step in weatherizing your home is scheduling a professional home energy audit. An energy audit is an assessment of your home's energy efficiency, kind of like a check-up for your house.
During your audit, a home energy expert will assess your home to find out where it’s losing energy and how you can fix it. After the inspection, they’ll provide you with a prioritized list of improvements you can make to improve your home’s energy efficiency, comfort and safety.
According to the DOE, you can save 5–30% on your energy bill by making the energy-saving upgrades recommended in your home energy audit. A home energy auditor uses special tools to assess your home and pinpoint opportunities for improvement. An auditor’s toolkit may include:
They may bring additional tools, including a screwdriver, pliers, wrench, tape measure, flashlight, batteries, and more.
When you begin weatherizing your home, you can use your energy audit, which highlights the areas in your home that need the most attention for maximizing your energy savings, as a roadmap.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: EPB customers can sign up for a free home energy audit with the EPB Energy ProsSM. Schedule your free EPB Home Energy CheckupSM here.
Attics are one of the most common sources of heat loss in a home. Without proper insulation, your attic can allow cold air to seep into your living spaces during the winter and let hot air in during the summer, making it harder for your HVAC system to maintain a comfortable temperature.
Ensuring your attic is well insulated is crucial for maintaining indoor comfort and maximizing energy savings. By properly insulating your attic, you can reduce your home’s monthly energy costs by up to 10%, according to the DOE.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: EPB customers can get up to $500 back for attic insulation. Learn more.
Follow these steps to properly insulate your attic:
🧑🔧Energy Tip: Want to learn more about insulating your home? Check out this video from your EPB Energy Pros.
One of the easiest and most effective ways to weatherize your home is by sealing gaps and cracks around windows and doors with weatherstripping. This makes heating and cooling your home easier for your HVAC system, especially in extremely hot or cold weather.
According to the DOE, sealing air leaks and adding insulation can save you up to 10% on your heating and cooling bills each year. Weatherstripping works best to seal objects that move, such as the mobile areas of windows and doors.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: To learn more about air sealing and weatherstripping, check out this video from your EPB Energy Pros.
Adding caulk is another easy, affordable way to stop drafts. Caulking is a flexible material that can help close gaps that are less than a quarter of an inch wide. It works better for stationary surfaces.
Caulking Tips:
Draft stoppers are a cheap and easy way to prevent air from entering or escaping under your exterior doors. They work by providing an extra layer of foam or other insulation to prevent airflow. You can purchase packs of foam door draft stoppers online or at most home improvement stores.
Did you know air can leak through the electrical outlets on your exterior walls? Installing foam gaskets behind outlet covers and switch plates is a simple fix that can help keep your home more energy efficient. This is a very cost-effective form of weatherization that can be done easily on your own.
🦺Safety Tip: Childproof your home by covering unused outlets with outlet covers. Watch this quick video to learn more.
Switching to a programmable or smart thermostat is a great way to save energy. Programmable thermostats let you set a schedule for your heating and cooling so you’re not wasting energy when you’re not there.
According to ENERGY STAR, using a programmable thermostat can save you around $180 per year in energy costs.
Smart thermostats come with all the benefits of a programmable thermostat; plus, you can control them remotely using an app on your smartphone. Some smart thermostats can learn your energy habits, local weather patterns and comfort preferences over time to find your perfect sweet spot between comfort and energy savings.
🧑🔧 Energy Tip: Check out this video from your EPB Energy Pros to learn more about saving energy with smart thermostats.
If sealing your windows isn’t enough to stop drafts, you might want to think about installing energy-efficient windows. Summer heat gain and winter heat loss through windows are to blame for about 25–30% of your heating and cooling energy costs, according to the DOE.
Although this is a bigger investment, it can really pay off by making your home more comfortable and lowering your energy bills. For more information, check out this guide on how to upgrade or replace inefficient windows.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: If you’re an EPB customer, you may be able to get back $15 for each energy-efficient window you install in your home. Learn more.
Exterior walls are a key area where heat can escape or enter your home, making it harder for your HVAC system to maintain a consistent temperature. Hiring a professional to insulate these walls not only helps improve your energy efficiency to help you save money — it also enhances your comfort by blocking drafts, reducing noise and controlling moisture levels.
Types of Exterior Wall Insulation
Depending on your home’s structure and your specific needs, there are several insulation options for exterior walls:
🧑🔧Energy Tip: EPB customers can get $300 back for upgrading their wall insulation. See what qualifies.
Your water heater can lose heat through its walls, which makes it work harder and use more energy. Covering it with an insulation blanket can help reduce this heat loss and save you money on your heating costs.
Depending on your skill level, you may be able to complete this project yourself within just a couple of hours, and it can reduce your yearly water heating energy costs by 7–16%. Check out the DOE’s guide on how to insulate your water heater tank here.
Exterior faucets can let cold air into your home during winter. If you live in a cold climate or an area that gets very cold during part of the year, remove your hoses and cover your outdoor faucets with insulated covers to prevent freezing and reduce drafts.
This step is affordable and easy to do yourself, and it can help protect your plumbing and improve your home’s energy efficiency.
ALT TEXT: A close-up of an installer placing a solar panel on a roof.
If you’re interested in renewable energy, recently replaced your roof, and have the funds for a bigger investment, you may want to consider a rooftop solar installation. By harnessing the power of the sun to generate energy, you can cut down on your carbon footprint while also lowering your energy bills.
Learn more about solar installations here.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: Are you an EPB customer and want to see if a solar installation is right for your home? Learn how to schedule a FREE Solar Energy Consultation with the EPB Energy Pros.
Do not overlook the importance of regular maintenance when it comes to your HVAC system. Most HVAC contractors offer plan options for seasonal HVAC service for a reasonable price, especially when you consider the long-term benefits.
Here are just a few of the benefits of hiring a professional to service your HVAC system a few times a year:
🧑🔧Energy Tip: Watch this video to learn more about the benefits of regular HVAC service. And if you’re an EPB customer, see how you can get $50 back for regular HVAC tune-ups.
Just like your attic, your basement can lose a lot of heat if it’s not properly insulated. Adding insulation to your basement walls can help keep the space dry and comfortable. Plus, it may increase your home’s resale value since it can help qualify your basement as a “conditioned space.” Learn more about basement insulation here.
Holes and cracks in your exterior walls can be a major source of drafts, allowing cold air to enter your home during the winter and letting cool air escape in the summer. These gaps not only make your home less comfortable but also force your heating and cooling systems to work harder, leading to higher energy bills.
Fortunately, filling these gaps is a straightforward and cost-effective way to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Identifying Problem Areas
Before you start filling holes and cracks, it’s important to identify where these gaps are located. Common areas where you might find holes and cracks include:
To identify these gaps, you can perform a visual inspection or use a flashlight to spot cracks. On a windy day, you can also feel for drafts by running your hand along potential problem areas.
Choosing the Right Materials
Once you’ve identified the holes and cracks in your exterior walls, the next step is to choose the right materials to seal them. Here are some common options:
If your windows are still letting in drafts even after sealing gaps and adding weatherstripping, window quilts and thermal curtains are excellent options to further insulate your home.
These insulating window treatments provide an extra layer of protection against temperature fluctuations, helping to keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Just be sure to open your drapes on sunny winter days to let in sunlight for extra warmth.
🧑🔧Energy Tip: Watch this video to learn more about using curtains to improve your energy efficiency on hot summer days.
Planting shade trees near your windows can help keep your home cool in the summer and block cold winds in the winter. Although it takes time for trees to grow, they can eventually lower your energy use and make your home more comfortable. The DOE recommends planting trees on the south and west sides of your home for the best results. Just be sure to plant the trees far enough away from your home so they won’t fall and cause damage during storms.
A good strategy for this is to research your tree’s maximum height at maturity and plant it at least that far away from your home.
We all love curling up next to a warm fire when it’s cold outside, but when your fireplace isn’t in use, it might be letting in cold air, causing drafts and reducing your home’s energy efficiency.
Follow these tips to weatherize your fireplace, prevent drafts and improve efficiency:
When it’s time to replace your appliances, look for energy-efficient models. ENERGY STAR-certified appliances use less energy, which can save you money and help protect the environment.
If you’re planning to upgrade your appliances proactively, consider prioritizing the most energy-demanding appliances first. Here’s a list of common appliances you can upgrade, starting with those that typically consume the most energy:
● Heating and Cooling Systems
● Electric Vehicle (EV) Charger
● Water Heater
● Refrigerator
● Clothes Washer and Dryer
● Dishwasher
● Oven and Stove
● Lighting
● Microwave
● Home Electronics
🧑🔧Energy Tip: EPB customers can get back thousands on home energy upgrades. See what qualifies.
By following these steps, you can make your home more energy efficient, comfortable and cost effective. Weatherizing your home not only helps maintain a consistent indoor temperature but also improves air quality and extends the life of your home and its appliances.
Plus, it can help increase your energy savings and help the planet. Remember, the first step to weatherizing your home is finding out which upgrades will help you the most.
If you’re an EPB customer, our EPB Energy Pros are happy to do this for free! Schedule a free EPB Home Energy CheckupSM to begin weatherizing your home for maximum comfort and savings.