Improve Your Carbon Footprint
Going green means things like reducing the amount of water you use, recycling your paper and plastic, and using longer-burning light bulbs. However, it also means having a home that’s energy efficient and boasts a green factor in itself. At P.J. Fitzpatrick, our window, siding, insulation, and roofing experts can help you improve your energy efficiency and create a green home.
Airflow
There is good airflow and there is bad airflow when it comes to your home. Good airflow is the kind of air that you want to come through your windows; it’s the kind of air that blows through on a cool night in order to reduce the heat in your home or the kind of air that lets the freshness in after a long winter.
The kind of air you don’t want, however, is the kind that slips through the cracks in your doors or windows when they’re closed. When this kind of airflow leaks in, it makes your heat or air conditioner work harder to keep your home at the right temperature. This means you’re using more energy and increasing your carbon footprint.
To keep bad airflow at bay, make sure you have quality, low-E, double-pane windows that are built for energy efficiency. In addition, make sure you check the seals around your windows and the weatherstripping around your doors to make sure you don’t have any leaks. If you do, get them repaired as soon as possible.
Insulation
When people think of insulation, they usually think of keeping their home warm. While this is very important, it’s also important to keep your home cool and insulation can do that as well. With proper insulation in your attic, walls, crawl spaces, and more, you can create a barrier between your home and the outdoor elements.
Proper insulation will help shield your home from the coldness of winter and keep it warm while in the summer, it will help keep the heat out and the cool air in. Each region of the country has a certain amount of insulation needed in their homes (see our blog What Do R-Values Mean?) and if you don’t have enough, you could be losing energy and working harder for a comfortable home.
Building Materials
A home’s siding and roofing system are created to protect it from things like wind, hail, rain, sleet, snow, UV rays, and more, but did you know they can also be part of what makes a home green?
When it comes to roofing systems, one important factor is proper ventilation. Without this, your home will be too warm in the summer and too cool in the winter, creating more work for you to stay comfortable. Another important factor is the material your roofing system is made from; some materials reflect the sun’s rays better than others and some absorb the sun’s heat better than others. It’s important to talk to our roofing experts about which is right for you.
Siding is also a part of what makes your home green. With the right type of siding, you can reflect UV rays while keeping your home cool. In addition, you can also invest in siding that’s made from recycled materials in order to keep your carbon footprint at a minimum. We can help you choose the best siding for your home.
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