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8 Energy saving renovations for your home

Photo: istockphoto.com/Cruceru Cristian

Save money, energy and the environment with tips from CMHC, Canada's national housing agency.

Improving the energy efficiency of your home can do more than reduce energy consumption and help protect the environment. It can also help you reduce drafts and noise, fix moisture and condensation problems, improve your indoor air quality and comfort level - and help save your family money year round.

Regardless of where you live or the type of house your family calls home, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has a number of energy-saving tips you can use to help you save money, save the environment - and reduce your energy use by as much as 47 percent:

  1. Draftproof everywhere, including foundation walls, attic hatches and doors, around window and door frames, at ceiling penetrations, around light fixtures and wiring, and around service penetrations through exterior walls. Plus, seal the joint between the window frame and wall, and keep weather stripping and storm windows in good repair.
  2. Consider upgrading to more energy-efficient windows to prevent heat loss, greatly improve comfort levels and reduce maintenance needs.
  3. Consider upgrading your furnace or boiler to a new high-efficiency unit.
  4. Cover hot water pipes within three meters (nine feet) of the hot water tank with pipe insulation, and if possible, insulate all accessible hot water pipes.
  5. Install a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature at night and during the day when your home is unoccupied.
  6. Replace and recycle older refrigerators, freezers, electric ranges and dishwashers with newer Energy Star rated models, and switch to energy-saving fluorescent, compact fluorescent and task lighting where possible.
  7. If you own a fireplace or woodstove, replace any leaky dampers and repair chimney flues. Also consider switching to more energy-efficient options such as an electric fireplace insert, EPA-rated insert unit or direct-vent natural gas fireplace insert.
  8. Save energy and water by installing low-flush or dual-flush toilets, low flow faucets and shower heads, and front-loading clothes washers that reduce water heating loads, water consumption and clothes dryer operation. CMHC also offers a new series of fact sheets, Renovating for Energy Efficiency which describe ways of saving energy in houses of all types and ages, including pre-World War II houses, post-War 1 1/2-storey homes, post-60s two-storey homes, 1960s or 70s one-storey homes, split-level and split entry homes, mobile homes, duplexes and triplexes, row houses, homes with walkout basements and common additions.

Comments

I am a insulation contractor, I saw recycled jeans mentioned that is at least 4 times the cost of other insulations , cellulose{ recycled news papers is extremley cheap. all fiberglass batts are green now for the last couple years, Knauf Insulation just introduced a new fiberglass batt last month its called Ecco friendly batts. The eight things mentioned dont even include insulation which is the cheapest thing you can do . plus you will find that Insulation contractors can furnish and install ,cheaper in most cases then a home owner can buy the insulation. Darn close!!
Submitted by Keith Neff (guest) on Sun, 09/06/2009 - 13:05.
Wow! That's very interesting about the recycled denim for insulation. I will definitely learn more about that. Also, CFL's do save energy as they use about 75% less energy than incandescents. Furthermore, people need to start thinking LED's. They use 90-95% less energy than incandescents and contain no mercury. www.kuuala.com is a great place for CFL's as well as lots of other energy saving technology mentioned here in this post and in the comments. I've been told they also will be carrying a diverse line of LED's, which is the future. They have come a long way and can offer a variety of lighting options from replacing your halogens to decorative lighting in the kitchen and throughout your house. Check out www.kuuala.com, they have some amazing and interesting products :) Cheers and let's green this world together.
Submitted by Mooshta (guest) on Wed, 09/02/2009 - 09:21.
Home Energy and Eco Friendly Housing can be accomodated with a little planning and computerized control for heating and lighting. Greening your home is Energy Management and It is available today for lifestyle enhancement and to save money. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D2Xh_PnX04 David Pylyp Homes in west Toronto
Submitted by David Pylyp (guest) on Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:45.
So if it is a smokescreen then what are they hiding? So would you rather buy what the government has to sell? If you don't agree then don't waste your time reading it, it is ignorance that leads to the problems we have so join the many in those ranks and go ahead to the third world nation you speak of. Wait, the US has become a socialist Third World nation so welcome home!
Submitted by Michael (guest) on Thu, 07/16/2009 - 10:14.
Hey Fay, There are a lot of options I've heard about. The most interesting one I found was on http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-recycle-blue-jeans.html = they use recycled jeans for insulation. Details are on the link, but consider Care2.com a great resource for just about anything. Good luck in your remodel.
Submitted by Dena (guest) on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 18:03.
Hey all, there are plenty or resources that confirm we have to be smarter about what we are doing with our natural resources and there are numerous sources for great information to consider what options might be something for you to consider. The key thing that needs attention to is that WE ALL HAVE TO MAKE CHANGES to reduce our consumption. We've gotten in to this fast track of thinking more of it can be made.....not all of it can be. And, if so, at what cost to our out of pocket but our recources. There are people/companies taking advantage and not giving good or right information. But the number of good icoming out far outweighs the bad. Consider your source - does it make common sense? Do your homework. Stop holding everyone responsible for your decision making. Scams and BS artists have been around a very long time.....but it's our own individual responsibility to do our due diligence. As the popluation increases and demands rise, the resources are decreasing - that makes logical sense. You need to look out of your own home or yard where people are struggling to find water and food resources. They don't have the technology we are blessed to have nor the money to get access to resources that are dwindling. Be smart about your water and energy uses. If you watched Earth 2100 it would have been a wake up call. We've got to recycle, reuse and use our resources wisely. Wake up America - we are the most privileged country in the world. Look at other countries that are struggling because of the population growth - their resources can't support it. And as they try, they create more pullutants. It is a viscious cycle. But we all have to do our part - TODAY. Start making changes in your home and at work. Just because someone else is paying for it doesn't mean it has to be wasted. Many companies are making changes. Schools, homes and buildings are retrofitting or are being built more energy efficient and water smart. Personally- We ARE seeing a reduction in our electrical and waterbills because we've made the following changes: changed out all our light bulbs to CFL's, wrapped our hot water and lowered the temperature, use cold water in full loads of laundry, use cold water in full loads of dishes, reduced our phantom power load, turned off lights when we aren't in a room, put computers on sleep mode if not turning them off. We've got a list of inexpensive things to do yet - but this household for one is contributing to reducing our energy use, reducing our water use and recycling more. And we love to share that information with others. YOU CAN DO THIS. Be someone that's making a difference and share it with others.
Submitted by Dena (guest) on Fri, 06/12/2009 - 17:50.
this is all BS and smoke screens! the key phrase about electricity cost is dependent on your local electricity rates! as for environmental impact on CFL use and refuse you might just as well have a mini nuclear reactor in your home and then send off your waist to some unsuspecting third world, out of site out of mind! we are all being taken for a big money ride by a corporate and government conspiricy on what is the right way to approach this world problem! one obvious way is to curtail this population explosion as humans are deffinately the problem here! If any of these so called green ideas were the path to take don't you think that we would all be doing it? or maybe we just can't rid ourselves of lazy bad habits multiplied a billion times over! this earth is already tooooo small and getting smaller by the year if we can stop people from capitalizing on exploitation of consumer masses we might have a fighting chance into this milleneum!
Submitted by Anonymous (guest) on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 18:27.
I am insulating the space between my basement suite ceiling and the upper floor. What is the safest insulation to use. I have been advised to use cellulose insulation but I wonder if there are health hazard consequences to this. The reason for the insulation is to offer heat to the basement suite, act as a fire retardant and absorb sound. Is there a healthier solution. I know that cellulose is paper treated with chemicals and this worries me. I am starting renovations soon and would need advise on this matter. Thank you. Fay Peraya
Submitted by FAY PERAYA (guest) on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 06:12.
Woops, didn't you miss the topic of insulation? I don't know why you would have even mentioned wood burning stoves/fireplaces. These are known to be polluting and energy wasters.
Submitted by Rich K (guest) on Sun, 04/19/2009 - 23:53.
You shouldn't do a load of laundry that isn't full anyway..
Submitted by Cara (guest) on Fri, 04/17/2009 - 18:07.

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