Energy & Water Conservation Blog

How to Install Outlet Insulation in Your Home or Building

Electrical outlets located on exterior walls can act as a gateway for air leaks and energy loss. In fact, this source is responsible for approximately five percent of all energy loss experienced in the average home. Insulation for this area is useful throughout the year. Installing outlet insulation prevents cold air from coming in during winter, and cool air from leaving during summer. Installing insulation for outlets is a simple task that can be completed in a few steps.

Outlet Insulation

In order to install foam insulation without exchanging the original wall plate:

Use a screwdriver, remove the existing outlet plate.
Place the insulating foam gasket behind the wall plate cover.
Place the newly insulated cover back over the outlet.

In order to install outlet insulation that comes with the wall plate:

Remove the existing wall plate using a screwdriver.
Place the outlet cover with the foam gasket already installed over the electrical outlet.

The type of outlet insulation required depends on where it needs to be installed. For single outlets and wall switches, the standard foam insulation can be used. For decora-style (rocker), double, triple, or quad outlet and switch sources, the wall plates that come with the foam gaskets pre-installed may be a better option. If you would prefer to not have to get a new wall plate, simply cut the standard foam gaskets into the shape that you need.

Using electrical outlet insulation will effectively seal off air leaks from this area. Insulation can be installed in less than five minutes, and can reduce the amount of energy and heat loss by five percent. For even more detail, check out the video below to see exactly how to install switch gaskets.

Detecting a Toilet Water Leak Helps to Save Money on Water

Of all the water used in your home, do you ever consider the water that is wasted? According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense program, every year in the US 1 trillion gallons of water is lost to leaks. Of the many types of water waste in the average home, toilet leaks are the most common, and often the most costly. The more water lost to leaks, the higher the cost of water and sewer bills become. Finding a toilet water leak is the first step to decreasing water waste and costs in your home or building.

The most expensive type of toilet water leak just happens to be silent (the irony, right?), making it difficult to detect by just listening out for it. On average, toilet leaks waste between two and five gallons of water every minute. This may not seem like much, but that figure becomes 120 to 300 gallons every hour, and 2,880 to 7,200 gallons of water by the end of just one day. Although this water is never actually used, it is accounted for as part of the overall water bill, and can result in paying up to $100 more every month in water and sewer expenses.

Detecting a toilet water leak is fairly simple and cost-effective too. These leaks can be spotted in a few simple steps using only a $0.20 dye tablet. Drop the tablet into the toilet tank and lightly stir it. After approximately 15 minutes have passed, check the bowl for color. If color appears, there is a toilet water leak. Having knowledge of a toilet leak will then enable you to take the next and final step: fixing it.

The Smoke Pencil is a Non-Hazardous Way to Detect Leaks

Smoke Pencil

Air is leaking into and out of a home throughout the day if the home is not properly insulated. Knowing where to apply insulation can become tricky of you aren’t sure where the most air leaks are occurring. While some drafts can be detected by placing a hand to the corner of a window or to the front of an electrical outlet plate, others are a bit more difficult to find. These problem areas are often responsible for a significant amount of energy waste as well as hundreds of wasted dollars in energy costs every year. Using a smoke pencil to find these air leaks is a simple and safe way to start solving this problem.

Knowing where air leaks are occurring is the first step to reducing the effect air leaks have on energy consumption and costs. A smoke pencil is a battery-operated tool that is used to reveal these leaks. The smoke it creates reveals the movement of air in a specific area, and the quantity of smoke released can be controlled using the multi-function trigger on the tool. It is pocket-sized and can be locked, allowing for use in tight areas and easy storage.

At this point, you are probably wondering how a tool that creates smoke could possibly be safe to use. Typically, draft detectors use harmful chemicals or flammables in order to operate. The smoke pencil differs in that it uses a non-toxic fluid to create the smoke that reveals drafty areas. The fluid contains only water solution vapor, Glycerin, and a sweet smelling Glycol. This makes operating it much safer than would be with another smoke tool. In addition, it can be flown on a plane if you need to travel for a job, or shipped without problem.

Using Wall Plate Covers to Track Room Temperatures and Humidity

Wall Plate Covers

It seems during months of extreme weather it can become quite difficult to get the home to be the perfect temperature, right? Experts suggest maintaining home temperatures of 67 during winter and 78 in summer (health permitting) to save the most energy and money on energy costs. However, sometimes temperatures can vary from room to room, leading to tampering with the thermostat and increased energy bills. Installing wall plate covers from Plate Pals with a temperature, or temperature and humidity level reading built in eliminates the guesswork, allowing for more control over the use of the thermostat.

Wall plate covers with temperature readings are installed over the light switch, or decora style switch, as a replacement for the existing cover. They measure 5.8-inches in height and 3.2-inches in width. On the face of the cover is a 5/8-inch digital display of the room’s temperature. Covers read temperatures between -20 degrees to 120 degrees Fahrenheit (-28 to 50 degrees Celcius). The accuracy is within 1 degree Fahrenheit. Plate Pals wall plate covers are battery-operated, requiring no residential energy to work, and no wiring to be troubled with.

In addition to reading temperatures, Plate Pals provides wall plate covers that read the relative humidity level in a room. Having an understanding of the RH level can be especially important in rooms such as the basement, bathrooms, or kitchen, where the humidity level tends to rise more often than in other areas of the home. Knowing how humid a room is can be beneficial to the health of individuals in the home, as control over humidity reduces the likelihood of molding, rotting, and condensation. All covers are available in either white or ivory color.

How to Choose Door Sweeps for Exterior Doors

Door Sweeps for Exterior Doors

When there are gaps in the door, air comes in whether the door is opened or closed. This leads to heat and energy loss, which leads to higher energy bills. Door sweeps for exterior doors work to eliminate drafts from this source. Door bottom sweeps can be used in a variety of homes, even homes that are being rented. The most common types of door sweeps for exterior doors are standard, automatic, self-stick, and draft door weatherproofing. Choosing the right door sweeps for exterior doors can be a simple task once you are aware of the specifics of each one.

Standard

Standard door sweeps have weatherstripping attached to a heavy-duty aluminum carrier. The weatherstripping seals gaps up to 3/4 inches. It is ideal for sweeping over a tile or hardwood floor. These types of door bottom sweeps are installed by being screwed into a steel or wooden door.

Automatic

Automatic door sweeps are ideal for doors that sweep across rugs or carpets. They rise automatically when the door is open, and seal drafty areas once the door is closed. This type of door sweep is attached to the door using screws, and seals up to ½” gaps between the door bottom and threshold.

Self-Stick

Suitable for renters, or homeowners not interested in making any permanent changes to doors, self-stick door sweeps for exterior doors are made of a flexible plastic strip. They can be installed on metal and wood doors. Installation requires no more than peeling off the paper on the back and pressing it into place.

Draft Door Weatherproofing

Similar to self-stick, draft door weatherproofing does not require making permanent changes. It is made of two foam tubes, each measuring 35 inches in length. The tubes can be cut to fit under doors that are smaller. To install, simply fit the tubes into the two sleeves, and place it under the door. Door draft weatherproofing can be installed over linoleum, carpet, tile, or wood floors.

Each of these door sweeps for exterior doors help prevent drafts from this source. In doing so, less energy is lost from the home, leading to a decrease in carbon dioxide emissions as well as the amount spent on heating this winter.

Weatherization Kit: Easy Way to Seal Drafts

Weatherization Kit

Weatherproofing the home is not as difficult as some might believe. You don’t have to tear your home apart or spend thousands on professional in order to fix some existing problems. Reducing the amount of drafts that come into your home can be done with a few simple items and about an hour to spare. The items in a weatherization kit make sealing drafts simple, quick, and cost-effective.

A weatherization kit is filled with items that make it harder for the cold air to come in, and the warm air to go out.

Shrink & Seal Window Kit – Place the plastic from this kit over the windows, smoothing out any wrinkles by passing a hair dryer over it, and it keeps the cold air from coming through the window.

Replaceable Cord Weatherstrip – Also used for windows, caulking rope is applied around the edges of windows, to cover the cracks and gaps that can’t be reached with a caulking gun or tube. Insulating windows can reduce energy loss by 10 to 25 percent in the average home.

M-D High Density Foam Tape 02253 – The closed cell foam tape reduces air infiltration from doors (and window sashes). Apply it to the clean, dry surface of door jambs, and cut off any excess. Doors make up as much as 11 percent of all heat loss in a home. Air easily slips in and out through doors that are not properly insulated.

Foam Outlet and Switch Gaskets – These handy little tools are placed behind the plate covers of electrical outlets and switches that are located on exterior walls. Stopping air from escaping here eliminates about 5 percent of total home energy loss.

All of the items in a weatherization kit are low-cost, making the kit itself a low-cost investment. It is available for about $11, and pays for itself easily with the amount of energy that is saved during winter.

Knowledge is Power: Using the Efergy E2 to Track Energy Usage

Efergy E2

At the end of each month, do you find yourself wondering why the energy bills are as high as they are? Professional energy consultants find that in most homes, residents are using much more energy than they realize. Not actually measuring energy usage can lead to spending 20 percent more on energy than necessary. Knowing how much energy your home uses is a great first step to reducing that amount. The Efergy E2 is a wireless energy monitor that allows you to track energy consumption in your home as it happens.

The Efergy E2 has a clear graphical display which shows electricity usage and what it is costing. In addition, it displays the amount of carbon dioxide that is released as a result of the energy being used. The E2 does all of this in real-time, meaning you can track this usage as it happens. It runs on 3 AAA batteries so there is no need to worry about tripping over wires or plugging it in.

Unlike other energy monitors the Efergy E2 allows you to not only view daily, weekly, and monthly data, but the information it collects can be loaded onto your PC in the form of a report via USB. This wireless energy monitor stores up to 8 months of history, in case you wanted to compare data. Knowing and understanding how energy is consumed around your home can help reduce that usage 5-20 percent, which of course decreases your home’s carbon footprint as well as energy costs.

Using a Smoke Puffer to Identify Air Leaks

In most homes, drafts and air leaks can be easily detected by placing your hand to a window or electrical outlet located on an exterior wall. Other air leaks, however, are not as easily detected. These hidden leaks are costing the average homeowner hundreds of dollars every year in heating and cooling. A smoke puffer provides a simple way to identify air leaks and drafty spots in the home that are not so easily detected.

Smoke Puffer

Also referred to as a smoke pencil, a smoke puffer uses batteries and fluid to point out where air is leaking out of a building. Installing and using this tool can be done in a few simple steps:

Lay the tool on its side and fill the tank with the smoke fluid.
Gently hold the vapor/power trigger for 6-9 seconds, allowing the vapor to warm up.
Once the LED power light glows, press the vapor/power lever more firmly.
Use the trigger on the smoke puffer to control the amount of time the vapor is dispensed; increasing the pressure applied to the trigger increases the vapor stream.
See how air is moving the smoke to discover where the most air is leaking out of the home.

In addition to ease of use, the smoke pencil is ideal for identifying air leaks for a number of reasons. It is lightweight and pocket-sized for easy storage. Also, the fluid contains harmless glycerin and water vapor, instead of toxic chemicals. As a result, it poses no threat to an individual using it, or others in the area. Discovering where air is leaking out of the home is the first step to reducing this type of energy loss as well as the amount of money it is costing every year.

Insulating with Q-Lon Weatherstripping Prevents Drafts from Doors

Did you know that air can easily escape in and out of the home through exterior doors whether or not they are open? This is because there are a number of cracks and gaps located between the door and the outside area. These holes are small, yet large enough to impact the level of home comfort, as well as the amount of money spent on heating every winter. Installing q-lon weatherstripping for doors will eliminate this unwanted air infiltration as well as the effect it has on energy bills.

Q-Lon Weatherstripping

Q-Lon is made up of a carrier that has polyethylene-clad urethane foam securely attached. Carriers come in PVC (vinyl), aluminum (metal), and wood to provide insulation for a variety of doors. The foam is UV stabilized, allowing it to remain flexible at temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. This form of door insulation is long lasting, as it does not splinter, rot, distort, or absorb water.

The q-lon weatherstripping is light-weight, and easy to install. Simply attach the PVC carrier to the frame of the door in a way in which the foam gasket pushes up against the door when the door is closed. Then, nail it in using the nails that come with the q-lon kit. If necessary, it can be cut to fit a smaller door opening. Q-lon weatherstripping seals 1/2-inch gaps, and works as both weatherstripping and a doorstop.

Approximately 11 percent of all energy loss in the average home occurs through exterior doors. Limiting the amount of unwanted air exchanges that occur through doors reduces not only energy loss, but also the costs of heating during winter, as you will have more control over the temperature in the home. The weatherstripping pays for itself with the amount of savings accumulated, and continues to save you money on energy bills long after.

Foam Door Sweeps for Exterior Doors Make Insulating Simple

door sweeps for exterior doors Some consider insulating to be difficult work, a task to be left for the pros. Others consider insulating to be an option available only to homeowners, not renters. These both couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are many simple solutions to drafts in the home. One of the easiest places to insulate is the door. The door lets air into the home and sucks air out whether it is left wide open, or locked tightly. Foam door sweeps for exterior doors help eliminate this problem with little effort on your part.

Sometimes referred to as a door draft seal, this type of insulation can be installed in three simple steps, and stays in place, gliding with the door:

With a pair of scissors, cut the foam tubes to the desired length
Place each foam tube into a fabric sleeve
Slide the insulator under the door

There are many benefits to this form of door insulation. Once this has been installed, there will be a reduction in the amount of unwanted air exchanges that occur through the doors, leading to a reduction in energy costs. In addition to being simple to install, it can be removed easily by sliding it from beneath the door, and is machine washable. The door draft seal can be installed over linoleum, wood, carpet, or tile. For all of these reasons, foam door sweeps for exterior doors are ideal for any homes that need insulation at the door.