More Energy Saving Tips for Winter

Back in August we sent out a list of 14 tips for saving energy in the fall and winter seasons.  While it’s always best to get a head start, it’s not too late to make your home an energy efficient one.  Not only will you be helping the environment, but you’ll be saving money too.   And some of these tips might even make you more comfortable than you were before, all while using less energy.

With the weather being a bit less forgiving this time of year, you’ll probably be spending more time indoors than usual.  With that in mind, we’ve written up 10 more tips for you!  Spending more time at home shouldn’t have to mean spending more money on energy.  So without further ado, here they are:

Radiant Floor Heating

Winter weather is pushing its way in, and it’s not leaving any time soon.  That means getting back to that awful feeling of stepping out of your hot shower and onto freezing tiles.  For many of us, it can also mean waking up to see inches upon inches of snow on the driveway that has to get shoveled away.  For most of us, it means higher heating bills that seem to keep going up and up.

If you’re renovating your home or building a new one, consider solving all of these problems with one simple solution – radiant floor heating.  In short, radiant floor heating is nothing more than what it sounds like: providing heat by radiating it from the floor (or under the floor, really).  There are multiple types of radiant floor heating available, which means the right solution for you is out there and ready to be put into your home.  

Flood Recovery & Your Home

As North America recovers from Hurricane Sandy, the first priority will be ensuring the safety of people in the affected areas. Next, emergency workers will need to restore critical infrastructure such as power and telecommunications. Individually, affected people will need to assess the damage to their homes or offices.

You may find that your heating, cooling, or plumbing systems have been affected by the storm. We’ve written this short guide to help you safely restore these systems to full operation.

5 DIY Bathroom Ideas

It’s there because it has to be, not because you want it there.  But that doesn’t mean you have to let your bathroom sit ignored and neglected.  In fact, if you make the right changes, a bathroom could turn into a room that you’re proud to have in your house.  A remodeled bathroom can be a relaxing bathroom, and you might even start to enjoy spending time in there.  And that’s a good thing, since it’s estimated we spend about 2 weeks a year there!

In this article, we’ll talk about five ways that you can upgrade your bathroom yourself.  If you’re the type of person that gets a great feeling from completing a project on your own, feel free to take a hack at some of these projects.  Even if you’d rather bring in a contractor to do the dirty work, read through these project ideas and get inspired.

How Do Boilers Work?

It’s getting colder out, and most homes are starting to rely more and more on that big tank of water pumping out heat: your boiler.  Maybe it’s tucked away in a tight closet, or maybe it’s out for all to see in your laundry room or basement.  Either way,  there’s no doubt it’s getting more use now, so it’s not a bad idea to get it inspected by a technician before you can’t go a day without it.

While that boiler is chugging away, what exactly is it doing?  In this article, we’ll talk about the various parts of a boiler system and how they all work together to bring comfort to your home, office, or other building structure.  While we’re at it, we’ll throw in a few tips on how you can increase energy efficiency and save some money this winter.  Maybe you can use that money to take on that bathroom remodeling project you’ve been waiting on (see our other article this month for some bathroom DIY tips).  Or maybe you could buy a nice coat and stay warm outside too!  It’s always good to get some fresh air…

Convenience in the Kitchen

Remodeling a kitchen can be an intimidating project.  With so many components to fix up, it can be tough deciding where to start.  One approach is to first upgrade the big appliances, since they’re often considered the centerpieces of the kitchen.  But most people only use their ovens or dishwashers a few times a week, at most.  Why not start with a part of your kitchen that you probably use multiple times a day, but maybe haven’t put much thought into?

How do HRVs and ERVs work?

Today’s buildings are being built tighter than ever before.  Extreme care is taken to install modern siding, use high-quality insulation, and seal all cracks to prevent air from leaking in or out.  Such tight buildings are designed with the intention of keeping as much heat inside as possible in order to save energy and reduce heating costs.  This technique, though, has some unintended negative consequences.  While drafts are typically thought of as unwanted, indoor air quality can suffer from a lack of air exchange.  Nobody likes to breathe in old, stale air, and without proper ventilation, humidity and pollutants can build up and damage your property and your health.  Luckily, there are several solutions to this problem.

Furnace, Heat Pump, or Both?

When it comes to heating your home, there are plenty of options to choose from.  Not only are there various brands, sizes, and efficiencies for you to juggle, but the equipment itself may also vary depending on your specific heating needs.  For such a significant purchase, it’s important to know what your all your options are.

For starters, most people in North America have a furnace as their primary home heating system, while boilers are more common across the ocean.  While a furnace can certainly do the trick, in certain situations, it might be advisable to include a heat pump into your heating system, as well.  In fact, sometimes a heat pump is all you need!

To see exactly how a heat pump can help, let’s explore how both heat pumps and furnaces work.