Hey team, and welcome back to one5c! We say all the time that it’s never too late to start on your journey to live a more climate-conscious existence. New folks join this world-saving team every day (đź‘‹), and I never, ever want anyone to feel regretful about the things they didn’t do before. We’re here now, we’re doing the work, and that’s what counts. Plus: Once you start down this path, it’s also so much easier to look ahead, which is what today’s topic is all about.Â
With temperatures continuing to hit record highs across the U.S., it might feel early to think about hunkering down for winter, but, if you’re able, fall is actually the perfect time to start making sure your home in shape to keep you toasty when the mercury drops. These 7 tips, pulled from our comprehensive guide to home energy efficiency, can set you up for big savings in the future. Share ’em with the planners in your life. —Corinne
HOW TO PREP YOUR HVAC FOR SWEATER WEATHER
By Shreya Agrawal
We’re five days into pumpkin-spice season, which, for those of us in places where the weather has begun to cool, ushers in the beginning of autumnal everything. The shoulder season brings rich colors, apple cider, and breezy nights of A+ snoozing weather. It’s also a great time to hit the “reset” button on our HVAC system and get it ready to work efficiently come winter.Â
Space heating accounts for the largest share of a home’s total energy consumption, and a majority of that expenditure comes from burning natural gas. Even electrical demand is on the rise in the months when the mercury dips, on track to outpace summer in 25 years.
Dialing back your home’s heating demands can take a few different forms, the most ambitious of which is trading your existing system for a highly efficient heat pump. If wholesale upgrading isn’t in the cards right now, you can still increase the efficiency of your setup to help curb excessive energy consumption—as well as costs. (Many of them will also help keep things cool in the heat, too.) Let’s cozy up into the details:
Easy: Service your system
Dirty filters and vents slow down air flow, which means the heating system has to burn extra energy to provide the same amount of temperature control. Take a look at your filters about once a month, and plan on changing them about every three. Proper maintenance also includes an annual checkup from a professional and putting eyes on the sealing around your ductwork to make sure no air’s sneaking in—or out.
Easy: Get your weatherstripping ready
Drafts are a major culprit when it comes to chilly homes during the winter. You can easily install weatherstrips or beads of caulk in places where you feel breezes slipping through, especially around doors or windows. Door snakes can also be a great way to stop any drafts from entering your house. You don’t have to spend money on buying one though; they can be made out of old fabrics, pillow stuffing, and other insulating materials.
Easy: Upgrade your window treatments
The coverings you put on your windows are also a good defense against heat loss. According to the Department of Energy (DOE), about 30% of a home’s warmth escapes through windows. Cellular shades, which feature a honeycomb-like structure that traps air, are particularly good for the job: They allow in more light than blackout curtains and can stop up to 40% of heat loss in winter, according to the DOE. Even closing the drapes can stop around 10% of coziness from slipping away.
Medium: Install a smart thermostat
The best thing you can do to optimize energy usage is to only turn on the heat when you absolutely need it. Programmable thermostats let you create custom schedules based on your past usage patterns—and even control the system from afar via an app. When you’re away or sleeping, you can set a lower home temperature and turn it up a few notches when you’re home. The DOE says this can help save about 8% on your heating bills.
Medium: Plug your chimney
If you have a fireplace and a chimney, be sure you have a plan to plug it when not in use. One study found that San Antonio homes with fireplaces used 31% more energy in the winter. Chimney balloons are a relatively affordable upgrade, and there are also DIY options. If you use your fireplace regularly, the DOE recommends keeping the damper closed when it’s not in use, getting your stack insulated by a certified professional, and checking to make sure there aren’t any leaks in the damper seals.
Medium: Get some attic foil
John Semmelhack, home energy specialist and owner of building science consulting firm Think Little, says people often neglect their attics. A simple way to stop heat from flying out the roof is installing attic foil. These thin reflective surfaces help contain the heat within. These shiny layers can sit on the attic floor or nestle between the rafters. They’re quite cheap and easy to install; if you’re feeling handy this DIY guide can help you tackle the task.
Advanced: Make sure your home’s sealed and insulated
One of the best ways to cut heating demands is to insulate and air seal your home so that the toastiness you generate stays inside. Effective insulation can help you reduce your energy costs by about 11%. “It is all about maintaining that thermal envelope around your home,” says Megan Plog of the DOE’s Energy Star program. Proper insulation is like wrapping your home in a big comfy sweater, and air sealing is like putting on a windbreaker. You’ll want to hire a pro to help you with both.
Shreya Agrawal is a climate journalist and communicator based in Los Angeles, California. Her work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, CalMatters, Malheur Enterprise, and other publications. Earlier this year, she was one5c’s very first intern.
The Roundup
In the news this week
What’s one of the most effective ways to get more homes to go solar? Install an array. According to new research published in the journal Energy Research & Social Science, the “neighborhood effect” (basically the social-science way of saying “keepin’ up with the Joneses”) leads to 15 to 20 new solar installs in a postal code—that’s 18% of all new rooftop suncatchers. Interested in being your ’hood’s trendsetter? Here’s how you can figure out if solar is right for you.
On Aug. 25, Massive Attack held what it hopes will set the benchmark for the lowest-carbon concert of its size. Tapping a low-carbon road map authored by Carly McLachlan, a climate scientist at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Manchester, the producers changed how the concert handled power, food, waste, and travel. Travel on its own makes up 41% of concert-going emissions, so train riders were given a range of incentives, including free shuttles (on electric buses) from the station to the venue. The band also arranged for five extra after-hours trains to get fans home.
After a pair of blows to its attempt to ban new natural-gas hookups in new construction, Berkeley, Calif., is taking a new tack: taxing owners of large buildings for the natural gas they consume each year. If passed, the ballot measure would be a first in the nation, reports Canary Media. Ninety percent of those tax dollars would go toward electrifying home and building HVAC systems and appliances. Shifting the U.S. energy mix away from natural gas is a key facet of hitting emissions-reduction targets.
More than 100 people from environmental and community groups asked the Department of Energy to reverse its decision to award more than $182 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to the International Recycling Group. The loan would help the firm turn plastic waste into a fuel for steelmaking—replacing coke, which comes from coal. The objections center on the potential toxicity of burning plastic and the incongruity of using IRA funds to support any projects that burn anything. “If finalized, this project would make plastics the new coal,” Judith Enck, founder of Beyond Plastics, told Inside Climate News.
Some 22% of peanuts’ total weight comes from shells—waste that can ultimately wind up in landfills. Authors of a paper in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition see potential to turn those husks into food. Shells are already upcycled into animal feed, but the authors see an opportunity to process them in a way that recaptures their protein and fiber for plant-based meat alternatives. If brought to market, flour made from peanut shells would contain around 60% fiber by weight and 7% protein.