This document provides tips for homeowners to save energy through home energy audits, sealing drafts, adding insulation, upgrading windows, using efficient lighting and water fixtures, and reducing water usage. It recommends getting an energy audit, sealing air leaks with appropriate materials, adding sufficient insulation based on home age, installing efficient windows with low U-factors and high R-values, replacing incandescents with CFLs, taking advantage of natural light, and installing low-flow fixtures and aerators.

1. From the
Windows to the
Walls
How to save energy in your
home

2. Home Energy Audits
A home energy audit can help you as a
home owner or renter determine where
you are losing energy and money in your
home.
 You can either do it yourself or you can
hire an energy auditor to give your house
a check up.

3. Drafts in your home
 You can check for  You should try to
leaks indoor where seal all the leaks
the floor and you can find with
ceiling meets and the appropriate
where walls come material.
together and also
underneath doors.

4. Insulation
 Depending on when your home was built the
insulation used inside the walls and ceiling
might be less then the current recommended
minimum.
 You should use appropriate insulation to save
on heating and cooling costs.
 Each type of insulating has its pros and cons it
just depends on what you want for your home
and how much you are willing to spend.
 Insulation is measured in R-value.

5. Windows
 Window efficiency is measured in terms of
thermal transmission, or U-factor.
 U-factor measures the rate of heat transfer
and R –value measures the resistance to heat
loss. R-value is a measure of conductivity. U-
factor if affected by air flow and emissivity of
the glass.(ability to absorb types of energy).
 The lower the emissivity of the glass the more
energy your home will save.

6. Windows
 Thermal Curtains are insulated window
coverings and can be a great way to
reduce your home energy loss.
 You can also build pop in shutters that
 Window films

7. Lighting
 One of the easiest ways to save energy in
your home is to switch from your
incandescent to CFL’s a 15w CFL can
provide as much light as a 60W
incandescent while consuming a quarter
of the energy.

8. Lighting
 Take advantage of natural lighting.
Natural lighting will reduce the amount of
electricity you use for artificial lighting.
 You can have windows on the southern
side of your home to help bring in as
much light and heat as possible and also
skylights and tubular skylights.

9. Water
 Low flow toilets and shower heads. And
Ultra low flush. Many homes have toilets
that use a lot of water each time you
flush. But there are other options.
 Composting Toilets
 Faucet Aerator, this can reduce the
amount of water you are using while
maintaining the same pressure that you
love.

10. If its Yellow Let it Mellow
 If it’s brown flush it down.
 What more can we say.
 If you don’t mind your home smelling a bit
then just let the stuff linger longer.

11.  http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/do-it-yourself-home-energy-audits
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Homes/Add-Natural-Light.aspx?page=2
Reference.

 http://www.appropedia.org/Composting_toilets
 ↑ http://epa.gov/region5/sustainable/energyadvice.html
 ↑ Price, B. , & Price, J. (1976). Homeowner's Guide to Saving Energy. Blue Ridge
Summit, Pa.: G/L Tab Books.
 ↑ Stephens, B. , Carter, E. , Gall, E. , Earnest, C. , Walsh, E. , et al. (2011). Home
energy-efficiency retrofits. Environmental Health Perspectives, 119(7), A283-a284.
 ↑ http://www.nfrc.org/documents/u-factor.pdf
 ↑ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_insulation_film
 ↑ http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/translating-uncle-sam/stories/cfl-vs-
incandescent-battle-of-the-bulb
 ↑ http://www.epa.gov/WaterSense/pubs/fixleak.html
 ↑ http://www.jetsongreen.com/2011/04/home-water-waste-info-graphic.html
 ↑ Save water, save energy. (2002). Professional Safety, 47(11), 45-45. Retrieved from
http://ezproxy.humboldt.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/2003
89992?accountid=11532
 ↑
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704575304575296243891721972.htm
l
 ↑ http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/pdfs/energy_savers.pdf