Shaw Homes "Energy Efficiency 201 - Doors, Openings" - New Homes Tulsa

Energy Efficiency 201 – Doors, Openings

It certainly doesn’t feel like the hot weather is right around the corner, but it is.  Use this delayed spring cold spell to your advantage and find out where energy is leaving your home.  Any opening in a home that leads outside is a possible money thief.  As your furnace burns to keep you warm, openings like chimneys, exterior doors, and garage doors can keep it running longer by letting heat escape.  The same openings will have your air conditioner running longer during the summer.  Here are some tips to keep your heating and cooling bills lower regardless of what season it is:

·         Door seals – The favorite test for drafts is to carefully use a candle near any openings to see if the flame moves.  If you find a door that is allowing a draft in, you may need to replace the weather stripping around the door.  Often the seal is still solid except at the bottom of the door.  An easy remedy is to use a Draft Snake.  Draft Snakes are long cloth bags that are filled with rice or sand to conform to the door and floor, and you simply lay them at the base of the door to block the draft.

·         Fireplace openings – Anyone that has a fireplace in Oklahoma knows how loud the wind can sound inside the home.  An easy and efficient way to stop drafts from a fireplace, and keep your heat from flowing out of your chimney, is a Chimney Pillow, or Fireplace Plug.  This is basically an inflatable plug that comes in different shapes and sizes that will stop air from coming in or going out of your fireplace when not in use.  Visit this website for more detailed info.: http://www.batticdoor.com/fireplacedraftstopper.html

·         Garage door – Many home designs have a closet that is accessible from the garage that contains the water heater.  If the garage door is poorly sealed during the winter, your power/gas bill will be higher.  A simple inspection of your current doors seal around the edges, including the top and bottom, should tell you if it’s good or bad.  There are many easy ways to close the gaps, and we recommend a visit to your local hardware, Lowes, or Home Depot.  Use your cell phone and take pictures of the gaps and what surfaces are involved where they exist.  Show these pictures to your hardware helper to get the best remedy.

Shaw Homes builds energy efficient homes in Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore, and the surrounding Tulsa area.  Our homes come with a 2 year/10 year warranty package, showing that we stand behind the homes we build.

Shaw Homes has been building new homes in Broken Arrow since 1985.  With new home communities located in Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, Jenks, Owasso, Claremore.  We also build homes on private land. 

To view new home floorplans, communities and more, spend some time checking out our website at www.ShawHomes.com.