Earth Day is April 22. Take some time to celebrate with smart, energy-saving DIY projects that make your home kinder to the Earth (and they’re kinder to your wallet, too).
1. Weatherproof Your Doors
Gaps around your entryway doors may seem minor, but they let a surprising amount of energy out of your home. In fact, it’s estimated that air leaks through entryways account for 11% of the energy loss in your home.
Prepare to keep air conditioned air in (and hot air out) this summer by adding Frost King weather stripping and door bottoms to all your entry doors. Installing weatherstripping around the sides and tops of exterior doors to fill the gap between the door and the frame is one of the easiest and most effective DIYs you can do. Our video Shut the Front Door gives step-by-step directions using our versatile Vinyl Foam Weatherseal.
Once you’ve sealed the sides and top of the door, check the base to make sure a door bottom or door sweep is in place to seal the gap between the door and the floor. Installing a door bottom at the base of the door will keep hot air (and dust and insects!) outside where they belong.
And what about oddly sized doors? Because we think of everything at Frost King, we’ve even got a new weatherstrip product to eliminate drafts around hard-to-seal patio doors.
2. Be Open to Lower Cooling Bills
Air conditioning may be a relief on hot summer days… but air conditioners gobble up electricity and release emissions that are bad for the environment. Show the Earth some love by minimizing AC use, while still keeping your cool with these smart tricks:
• On not-so-hot days, throw open the windows and run a window fan, which pulls cooler air from outside into your home. Run ceiling fans in bedrooms to make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler. Just be sure that fan blades are moving counterclockwise so they pull up cool air and create a downward breeze that cools your room. If the fan is spinning in a clockwise direction, turn it off, then look for the direction switch on the fan’s motor and flip it to run the other way. (In the fall, you should set your fans to run clockwise to blow heated air from the ceiling down into the room.)
• If you avoid opening windows because you don’t have screens or screens are damaged, our WB Marvin Adjustable Window Screens are the solution you need. The screens come in a variety of sizes and expand to fit windows from 19 to 45 inches wide. Pop them into place and enjoy fresh, cooling (and bug-free) breezes all spring long.
• The sun’s rays start getting hot this time of year. Close blinds on south- and west-facing windows during the day to block sunlight that makes rooms uncomfortably warm.
• Still using incandescent bulbs? They’re energy hogs that can actually make rooms warmer— a whopping 90% of the electricity they use produces heat while only 10% produces light. Instead, swap them out for eco-friendly LED lights, which use less energy and last much longer.
Insulate Your Water Heater
Heating water accounts for an estimated 18% of your home’s energy use—so you should make sure that your hot water tank is working efficiently. Place your palm on the tank of the hot water heater. Does it feel warm to the touch? If so, wrap your tank in a Water Heater Insulation Blanket and start saving up to 16% annually on your water heating bill.
Your hot water tank works by heating up water and holding it in reserve so that when you turn on the faucet to take a shower or wash dishes there’s a steady supply of hot water. Our Water Heater Insulation Blanket stops heat loss from the tank so your water heater doesn't have to work as hard to maintain high temperatures. Installing it is a relatively simple job you can do in an afternoon. Before you get started, watch our step-by-step video for complete directions.
While you’re at it, take a look at the pipes that run out of the water heater. Are they insulated? According to energy.gov, insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature up to 4°F hotter than water delivered by uninsulated pipes, so you can set the water tank’s thermostat lower. Insulating pipes also speeds up the time it takes hot water to reach your faucets and showerhead so you’ll conserve water while you’re saving energy. Frost King’s Tubular Pipe Insulation is easy to install—just cut the pieces to the right size and slip over pipes to prevent heat loss and reduce energy costs.
