Energy Saver Guy

Windows In the winter months, make sure your windows are not only closed, but also “locked”. I am in houses doing energy audits quite often in the winter and the people say “this room is always cold”, I say (as nicely as possible) well, why don’t we “lock” the windows closed! It cuts down air infiltration by large amounts! Do the math, a sixteenth of an inch times 16 windows is equal to 1 window open 1 inch. You would never consider doing that when it’s zero with a 30 mile an hour wind outside! In the winter, the sun can help you heat your house! When the sun shines in your home in the winter try to have it hit “dark” colored materials, they absorb more heat. In the summer, when the sun shines in your house, it hurts you by adding heat. The best thing to do is to have “light” colored shades so you reflect the heat back outside. The same exact info goes for skylights. Try to have the sun hit dark colored materials in winter, and light colored materials in summer.

PS. hang a white cloth or sheet over skylights in summer to reflect the heat back out!