Energy Insights: 5 Ways to Improve Energy-Efficiency in your Basement

When thinking about areas of home improvement to help with energy savings, too often the basement is overlooked. This can be because basements are not part of your home where you might spend a lot of time or making improvements in other parts of your home might be more appealing. However, most unfinished basements offer many opportunities for upgrades and improvements that can help reduce energy consumption and help save on your monthly energy bills.

Finish and Insulate Basement Walls

If your basement is unfinished, then most likely the walls are lacking insulation. Having the right type of insulation in your home is one of the most important ways you can help reduce your monthly energy bills. The proper thickness of the insulation needed for your basement may vary depending on where you live. If you are considering finishing your basement, it is worth contacting a certified contractor to discuss your options and get an expert opinion on what type of insulation is needed.

Replace Leaky Windows

Often the windows are that are installed by home builders in the basement tend to not be the most energy-efficient and could allow air to escape out of your home. Replacing your basement windows with more energy-efficient options will help keep the warm and cool air inside your home where it belongs.

Search for Holes and Gaps to Seal

Installing insulation in your basement is the most effective way to help reduce your monthly energy bill, but you are still likely to have other leaks and drafts in your basement. These holes and gaps could exist around wires, pipes and air ducts that run through your walls, ceiling and floors. You can use chalk and foam spray to help feel in holes and gaps where air might be leaking. For duct work, you can apply duct tape to help seal off any holes you may find.

Wrap the Water Heater

If your electric water heater is in the basement, wrapping it in an insulated jacket and adding insulated foam around the pipes can help to keep the water warmer for longer. This can help reduce how often it must be continuously heat up water.

Consider New Lighting Options

In general, basements are very energy inefficient for lighting. Most often basements don’t offer a lot of natural lighting and may use track lighting or limited recess lighting because of the lower ceiling. Just like the other parts of your home, replacing your current light bulbs with long-lasting and energy saving options like CFLs or LED’s can make for an inexpensive upgrade that can create long-term savings.