Get Better Whole-House Performance with This Comprehensive Checklist

An energy-efficient home is of the utmost importance these days with the high cost of energy and the push to lower your carbon footprint. Creating an energy-efficient home allows you to enjoy lower energy costs and a more comfortable indoor atmosphere while the environment benefits from fewer greenhouse gases. Following the whole-house performance method will allow you to realize the highest amount of savings as possible.

The whole-house performance approach improves all of the areas of your home that contribute to poor efficiency rather than just a few areas.

• Seal leaks in your home that allow your heated or conditioned air to escape while letting the outdoor air in. With leaks present, your HVAC system must work harder and use more energy to keep the indoor temperature at the thermostat setting. To help, caulk windows and doors and seal any pipes or vents that lead to the outdoors. Additionally, check and seal HVAC ductwork to prevent further air leakage.
• Investigate the insulation in your home. Experts contend that the most important area is the attic for whole-house performance. The government’s Energy Star program recommends insulation in the attic at R-30 to R-60 to combat the hot, moist summers of central Florida. Also check the insulation in your ceilings, walls and floors. Old or cheap windows can also affect your home’s insulation value. Consider upgrading to windows with a high Energy Star rating.
• Review the appliances and fixtures that can be upgraded to more energy-efficient options. This can be as inexpensive as replacing light bulbs or as expensive as replacing the refrigerator or hot water heater.
• Get a tune-up for your HVAC system to improve whole-house performance. This ensures that your system is running as well as possible. This includes cleaning, replacing filters and having an HVAC professional perform maintenance.

Let the experts at Rinaldi’s Energy Solutionsimprove your whole-home performance with a whole house comfort check-up. We’ve been serving the HVAC needs of central Florida since 1961.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about whole-house performance and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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