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Weatherization in existing houses and buildings

There is a vivid concept called building envelope, what separates a house from unforgiving elementsoutside, such as sunshine, precipitation, and wind. The thermal envelope is just like a houses jacket, and it

keeps the inside cool in the summer, and warm in the winter. Weatherization is the practice to make sure

there are no holes in that jacket. As a consequence weatherization helps reduce buildings' energy

consumption.

1. Steps to make your existing house energy efficient:

First, conduct a home energy audit. An audit provides a comprehensive understanding of your homescurrent energy performance. Then, try to find out the weaknesses of your houses energy usage. The nextstep consists of trying to find the best weatherization solutions to fix these weaknesses. Finally, test the

the solutions' effectiveness.2. Weatherization solutions:

Attic Insulation Installation

Sidewall Insulation Installation

Weather Stripping Windows and Doors

Air Sealing

Water Heater Blanket Installation

Window Replacement

Door Replacement

Caulk and Spray foam for Gaps/Holes

Transparent Window Insulation

Duct Sealing and Repair

Furnace Repair

Radiant Heat Regulator Repair

CFL/LED Light Bulb Installation

3. Two simple and inexpensive ways to get started

Caulking:

You can use a caulking compound to seal leaks in a variety of places throughout your home, includingaround windows and door frames. Caulk forms a flexible seal for cracks, gaps, or joints less than 1 quarter-inch wide. Although not a high-tech operation, caulking can be tricky. Here are some important tips: 1)Clean all areas to be caulked for good adhesion. Remove any old caulk and paint, using a putty knife or alarge screwdriver. Make sure the area is dry so you wont seal in moisture. 2) Hold the caulk gun at a con-sistent angle, forty-five degrees is the best for getting deep into the crack. 3) Caulk in one straight continu-ous stream, if possible. Avoid stops and starts. 4) Release the trigger before pulling the gun away to avoidapplying too much caulking compound. 5) Dont skimp. If the caulk shrinks, reapply it to form a smoothbead that will seal the crack completely.

Weather stripping:Weather stripping can seal leaks around movable joints, such as windows or doors. You need to choose atype of weather stripping that will withstand the friction, weather, temperature changes, and wear and tearassociated with its location. When you want to determine how much weather stripping will be needed, addthe perimeters of all windows and doors to be weather stripped, then add 5 to 10 percent to accommodateany waste. Here are a few basic guidelines: 1) Weather stripping should be applied to clean, dry surfacesin temperatures above 20 F (-7 C). 2) Apply weather stripping snugly against both surfaces. The materialshould compress when the window or door is shut.Citizens' Greener Evanston (CGE) acts to improve community control of our greenhouse gas emissions.

We promote community awareness, advocate public policies, and make connections to support a regional sustainability agenda.

greenerevanston.org

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SOURCE LIST:

1.EPA Energy Star: http://www.energystar.gov/ 2.Green Envelope construction: http://greenenvelopeconstruction.com/weatherization3.Green Werks Chicagos Green Contractor.4.Weatherize Your Home-Caulk and Weather strip. DOE/GO-102001-1172, FS203, April 2001

Citizens' Greener Evanston (CGE) acts to improve community control of our greenhouse gas emissions.

We promote community awareness, advocate public policies, and make connections to support a regional sustainability agenda.

greenerevanston.org

http://www.energystar.gov/http://greenenvelopeconstruction.com/weatherizationhttp://www.energystar.gov/http://greenenvelopeconstruction.com/weatherization