Let’s Not Forget Building Efficiency
Posted by Damien Cabral on Wed, Jun 24, 2009
I recently visited my brother who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio. As is typical of Cincinnati in the summer, temperatures were in the 90’s and the humidity was stifling. All around the neighborhood you could hear the buzz of air conditioners working overtime to keep the houses cool.
But even with the A/C seeming running 24/7, the upstairs of my brother’s home was warm while the basement was like a meat locker. I checked out the central air duct work in the basement and found that it was full of leaks preventing the cool air from reaching the upper levels. I also inquired about wall insulation and found they did not have insulation in their walls.
Talk about a money saving opportunity! Sealing the ducts and insulating the house could save as much as 30-40% on energy bills and pay for itself in only a few years. And let’s not forget those sleepless nights roasting in the heat!