More and more people around the world seem to be becoming conscious of their carbon footprint and taking steps to actively minimize it. One’s carbon footprint is not only a large part of environmental impact, it is also directly correlated to the amount of money spent on energy. If you are looking to cut down on the amount of energy used in your home or business, both for ethical and financial reasons, below is how you can employ your home’s windows, doors and skylights to help you do that.
Doors
Any door allowing access to your home, whether it is your entry door or back patio door, is a point where air can pass through. Depending on the season you can be losing heat in the winter and cool air can be escaping in the summer. Similar to windows, doors can be made energy-efficient, or not so energy efficient. If you just moved into an old home with the original door, there is a good chance that is not energy efficient. Additionally, as doors experience wear and tear, they can start to warp, lose suction with the door frame and even crack, allowing cold and warm air to enter your home that you don’t want in there. Having a fully functional, well-fitting door is necessary, and more importantly, having one that is energy efficient is even better.
Windows and Skylights
Most modern homes come with energy-efficient doors and windows. It is getting to the point now, especially with the cost of energy, that it doesn’t make sense to not have things like energy-efficient windows. Old, single-pane windows are thin and let a lot of air in from the outside. This means unwanted cold air during the winter and warm air during the summer. Both mean having to adjust the thermostat in your home, using more energy, and incurring a bigger heating and cooling bill every month. Look for energy star-rated windows that come insulated and double, even triple-paned cut down on your energy consumption, reduce your carbon footprint, save yourself money and keep your home better and more naturally thermoregulated.
Energy-efficient doors and windows are no longer luxury items and are simply part of being a homeowner in the 21st century. You are often able to get tax rebates for purchasing energy-efficient doors and windows and the energy savings you will achieve can quickly pay back any initial investment in new windows and doors. Keep the above benefits of energy-efficient doors, windows, and skylights in mind and save your money and the environment.
