There are a lot of things you can do with a tax refund, many of which you’ve probably already considered. But few will give you a better return on your dollar than energy upgrades for your home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
You know those improvements you’ve been thinking about for some time? Now’s the perfect time to stop thinking and start doing!
Increasing your home’s performance through better energy efficiency will save you money while making your home a more comfortable place to live all year long. Here are some of those upgrades you can schedule today.
Home Improvements for Comfort & Savings
There are a host of home improvements that will increase your family’s comfort and cut down on your utility bills. If your mind goes immediately to new windows and doors, consider these other possibilities first:
Attic Services
Our wonderful Maryland summer isn’t far off. Unfortunately, that great weather also comes with a spike in utility bills as we try to cope with the heat and humidity of the Eastern Shore. An untreated attic contributes greatly to energy loss, high utility bills and an inability to feel comfortable at home. Attics benefit greatly from air sealing and insulation, which work together to keep outside air out (including pollutants and moisture) and your conditioned air inside your living area. In addition, any ductwork in your attic should be repaired or replaced to prevent leaks and inefficiencies that decrease your comfort and increase energy costs.
Insulation
As many as 9 out of 10 U.S. homes are under-insulated and many have no insulation at all due to old building practices. Over time, insulation can become damaged, sag, or collect moisture (particularly if the home is not air sealed) and loses its ability to insulate. The result is unevenly heated and cooled rooms, and exorbitant energy bills. In addition, a lack of insulation can put undue stress on your HVAC systems, causing frequent need for repairs or complete breakdowns.
All of this means your home is using more energy than it should (and costing you far more than it should) while providing far less comfort than you expect. An insulation upgrade, along with air sealing, is one of the most effective energy improvements a homeowner can make.
Mold Remediation
Mold is one of the most dangerous results of uncontrolled moisture in the home. It not only causes damage to your belongings and the structure of your home, but mold spores travel throughout your house, poisoning the air you and your family breathe and causing serious illness in many cases. Your untreated crawl space is a prime location for mold growth, but it can appear anywhere that water and moisture are allowed to sit. If you suspect that you have mold in your home, you should call for mold remediation services right away to have the mold removed and the situation corrected to prevent further growth.
Crawl Space Repair
You might be surprised to learn what an impact an unfinished crawl space can have on your health and comfort at home. Left untreated, crawl spaces open the door to moisture damage, including mold growth, warped floorboards and wood rot, insect and pest infestations, energy loss which leads to cold floors and high utility bills, and poor indoor air quality.
Crawl space encapsulation stops the free flow of air from outdoors by sealing vents and other gaps and cracks. This eliminates the condensation caused by humid air hitting a cold floor or ductwork. A vapor barrier and dehumidifier ensure the crawl space is protected and any moisture is completely controlled. Now the air that moves from your crawl space to your living area is free from the contaminants that can contribute to sickness and poor indoor air quality. And you’re no longer losing conditioned air through unprotected ductwork or the unsealed walls of your crawl space.
Does Your Home Even Need Upgrades?
It’s a rare homeowner who can say their home is as energy efficient as it can get. But if you’re not sure how to begin or what upgrades your home would benefit from, there is a great place to start. A home energy audit from the trained and experienced specialists at Total Home Performance takes your entire house and all its systems into consideration to find out just where the inefficiencies are and what you can do to improve your home’s performance.
Our energy audits take the guesswork out of home improvement, allowing you to put your money where it will make the biggest difference in home comfort and savings.