Energy Tips To Help You $ave (Cont'd)

If the insulation in your attic is less than an R-30 value, which is around 12” of the blown fiberglass it would be wise to consider upgrading it to today’s standards by blowing in some additional insulation. Of course you can hire an insulation company to do it, but if you are a do it your self-type than the most cost effective way to do it would be to purchase the blown insulation from Home Depot which gives you the use of their blown insulation truck and equipment.

Proper attic ventilation is important for your home, as it can help cool your hot attic in warm and hot seasons which will help cooling costs of the home. Adding ridge vents and/or turbine vents is not too difficult and can be beneficial if attic ventilation is inadequate. The needed amount of attic vents is a ratio of at least 1 sq. ft. for every 300 sq. ft. of attic space. A proper balance of the soffit vents, which are the intake vents along with the exhaust vents, which are vents up close to the ridge, including ridge vents, gable end vents and roof vents (turtle backs, turbines etc.) are important for good air circulation.

If you have a fireplace, adding glass doors on it can help block heat loss by preventing your fireplace flames from sucking the warm air out of your home. Fireplace suppliers can install them for you, or you can pick them up at your local home improvement center.
These are just some of the easier, cost effective ways to help with energy savings in your San Antonio area home. Maintenance, updating and improvements on your home should be an ongoing process, especially when it comes to energy savings.