Windows add a lot of character to our homes — especially old homes that still have original frames and panes. But they are also an important contributor to the efficiency and comfort of your home. Old ones can be drafty in winter and seem to let some sunny rooms overheat in summer. Replacing windows is… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless Late winter and early spring are great times to think about changes to your home’s landscape. While the goal of most lawn and garden projects is to bring beauty to your outdoor space, a well-designed project can also save energy, increase the overall value of your home and provide… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless My family is planning to remodel our kitchen in the coming months. We hope to incorporate energy efficient features to reduce our energy costs. What are some suggestions to increase our kitchen’s efficiency? Undertaking a remodeling project in any part of your home gives you the chance to make… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless Now that winter is here, I’d like to make my home more comfortable by keeping cold air out. I’m planning to have a contractor inspect and seal air leaks. However, a neighbor mentioned that I could seal up my home too much and cause ventilation problems. Is this true?… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I’m trying to make my home as energy efficient as possible. I recently installed a new heat pump and water heater, and increased the amount of insulation. A home energy audit found little air leakage. However, my energy bills still seem higher than they should be. Can you point… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless My neighbor added more insulation to his attic this summer. How can I tell if adding more insulation in my attic would be a good idea, too? When your home is not properly sealed and insulated, cold air sneaks in and heat escapes, making your heating system work harder… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I’m considering replacing my current heating system with a geothermal heat pump. It is comparatively pricey to other options. Would a geothermal heat pump be a good choice for me? Heating and cooling account for a large percentage of overall home energy use, so upgrading to a more efficient… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I recently moved from a home with wall-mounted heaters to one with central heat and air, and a duct system. How can I ensure my ducts are working efficiently? Homes with central forced-air heating and cooling systems, like furnaces, central air conditioners and heat pumps, use air ducts to deliver the… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless We have two kids, which means we do a lot of laundry. It never ends! What are some ways we can reduce our energy use in the laundry room? The average American family washes about 300 loads of laundry per year — all that laundry uses a lot of… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan I recently moved into a new home, and it feels drafty. I added weatherstripping to the doors and windows, but it doesn’t seem to have solved the problem. What additional steps I can take to increase comfort? The average home leaks about half of its air every hour through various cracks and… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan I keep hearing about home energy audits. How do they work, and will they save me money? Spending a few hundred dollars on an energy audit now could save you thousands of dollars over time. A home energy audit is a detailed assessment of your home that can give you a roadmap… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan I want to make my home more energy efficient, but some of the work needed is more than I can do by myself. When I’m hiring contractors to do these projects, how can I be sure that the work is of good quality? There are many contractors performing high-quality energy efficiency work…. Continue reading.