Power outages come at the most unexpected times. We might be in the middle of dinner, watching tv, getting ready in the morning, or staying at home sick, when suddenly the lights flicker and then go out. Voila-no power.
Power outages are bad news for many Western Washington homeowners. Sometimes they last for several hours and even several days. Homeowners are forced to find ways to ensure that their home stays warm and cozy while their power lines are undergoing repairs.
Instead of discovering that their home does a phenomenal job of stretching their heater’s final hours, Western Washington families are finding that their homes are not energy efficient. Without a heater running, the house quickly becomes chilly and uncomfortable.
Once the power is back, the system must run for several hours before moderate temperature is restored. Not only is this unpleasant to endure, but it also means a huge financial drain of your energy expenses.
The funny thing is that we usually don’t notice that this is happening in our homes. All we know are the signs, such as:
Instead of discovering that their home does a phenomenal job of stretching their heater’s final hours, Western Washington families are finding that their homes are not energy efficient. Without a heater running, the house quickly becomes chilly and uncomfortable.
Once the power is back, the system must run for several hours before moderate temperature is restored. Not only is this unpleasant to endure, but it also means a huge financial drain of your energy expenses.
Why Western Washington Homes Aren’t Energy Efficient
The cause for this low energy efficiency is a problem that all Western Washington homes face: air leakage. Every home is full of many tiny holes that allow air to blow in and seep out of the home. While it is impossible to seal every nook where air can escape, a viable solution to reducing energy transfer in the home is to install insulation. Many Western Washington homes already have insulation sandwiched between their walls, but there are two critical places where homes lack sufficient insulation: the attic and crawl space.Attic and Crawl Space Insulation
Air is always in motion in your house. During the winter, air is being pulled up through the crawl space and pushed out through the attic. This motion is called the stack effect and is described in detail in a different blog post. Because the air in your home is constantly in motion, outside air is continually being pulled inside your home. With little or no insulation in the attic or crawl space, the energy in your home can easily leave and your home become just as cold as the winter outside.
The funny thing is that we usually don’t notice that this is happening in our homes. All we know are the signs, such as:
- Some rooms feel drafty.
- Noticeable difference in temperature between rooms in your home.
- Heater runs constantly to maintain comfortable temperatures.
- House gets cold quickly when heater not running.
Winter Solutions for Energy Efficiency
As an insulation company, we have become very familiar with the best techniques and services for making homes energy efficient. The two most effective ways to save money and improve energy efficiency is to have your home sealed by professionals and install attic and crawl space insulation.Air Sealing
When sealing up the attic and crawl space, the goal will be to locate the most significant holes and cracks where cold air and wind can blow through and seal them up. Our technicians here at Clean Crawls are very experienced in finding and professionally sealing these major cracks. This will help to reduce the amount of frigid outside air that makes its way into your home through the attic or crawl space.Insulation
Insulation is a tool that most Western Washington homeowners take for granted, however, this resource is a powerful way to easily regulate home temperatures and save big on energy expenses. Here’s how it’s done: Insulation works by trapping the energized air in your home inside of billions of tiny air pockets. With a thick wall of insulation covering your crawl space ceiling and attic floors or walls, your home is covered in a thick blanket that prevents warm air from escaping. Some air may still come and go, but the energy stays inside.
