Frigid Cold Weather in the USA Creates Opportunity to Save

Frigid cold air has taken hold over much of the USA, with below zero readings from New Mexico and Texas up to New England.  Even parts of the Phoenix, AZ metro dropped to 19 or 20 degrees this week.

For much of the USA, the snow and cold means you are cooped up in your house with no where to go.

My recommendation: take this weather and make it an opportunity to save!

Cold, windy days are the best time to find sources of air infiltration.  Take some time and check the following areas.  You can use your hand to check for leaks or a stick of burning incense (carefully).

1. Around doors, especially the corners.
2. Around electrical outlets on exterior walls
3. Around light switches on exterior walls
4. Around recessed light fixtures in ceilings and on exterior walls
5. Around attic access points
6. Around windows 

When you find a leak, make a list, and then attack it when you get the opportunity.

Here are a few articles to help you better insulate and seal your home:

• Mind The Gap - How to Find and Fix Energy Leaks
• The Three Problem Areas of Windows
• And my series on doors

Keep warm!

An Innovative Piece of Door Hardware That Saves You Money

Anyone reading Home Power Saver for any time knows that I love to profile easy projects and simple products that save energy.

Back in the early days I profiled an innovated piece of door hardware that creates a tight seal.  Best of all, it only takes 30 seconds to install!

Well, this innovative product has gotten even better!

How To Reduce Your Electric Bill (or Why Is My Bill So High?)

The entire purpose of Home Power Saver is to help readers reduce their electric, gas, and water bills. We do this by discussing changes in behavior, simple energy saving products, and improvement projects that most readers should be able to do.

Thus far I've looked at many specific areas where you can save energy and reduce your electric bills, but I have yet to take a holistic view of why a bill is what it is.

That all changes today, where I will dissect the average bill for an average family in the USA, and look at the prime target areas where the most savings may be obtained.

Mind the Gap - How to Find and Fix Energy Leaks

If you have ever traveled on the London Underground (The Tube) you are likely familiar with the "Mind The Gap" warning, telling passengers that there is a gap you must step over when entering the train.


While waiting for the tube on a trip last May, it dawned on me that "mind the gap" is also particularly important for homeowners when it comes to sealing your house, where even the smallest gaps can result in drafts and wasted energy.

Fixing gaps is a very simple project, but a thorough approach can take a few hours, if not a good chunk of a day or weekend. Today we'll look at how to approach DIY home sealing and what you'll need to save money on your electric and gas bill.

The Three Problem Areas of Windows

 Boarded Window

Windows can be a major source of drafts, and in some cases, an avoidable source. As windows age, as your house settles, and as materials warp and wear, gaps and cracks in sealants used to prevent air infiltration can occur.

The good news is that these problem areas are often easily fixed.


In general, there are three areas to check around a window. Some people like to wait for a cool and windy day and hold a lit candle or wet hand up around the window perimeter and check for any drafts. While that method is the most thorough, anytime is good for a plain old visual check, which can reveal some problems as well.

The three areas to check are: