© Florida Energy Conservation Advisors, Inc 2011                     The windows & doors are key openings of your home.            If sealed properly they will protect your home from the elements   & stop unnecessary energy loss.  Efficient Energy Use, sometimes simply called energy efficiency,  is using less energy to provide the same level of energy service.  For example, insulating a home allows a building to use  less heating and cooling energy to achieve and maintain  a comfortable temperature.  Another example would be installing fluorescent lights and/or skylights    instead of incandescent lights.                                                                                               Compact fluorescent lights use two-thirds less energy and may last 6 to 10 times longer than incandescent light bulbs. Efficient energy use is achieved primarily by means of a more efficient technology or processes rather than by changes in individual behavior.                                                        Overview:       Making homes,  and businesses more energy efficient is seen as a largely untapped solution to addressing the problems of pollution, global warming, energy security, and fossil fuel depletion.    Energy efficiency has proved to be a cost-effective strategy for building economies without necessarily growing energy consumption.          Lovins' Rocky Mountain Institute points out that in industrial settings,"there are abundant           opportunities to save 70% to 90% of the energy and cost for lighting, fan, and pump systems;50% for electric motors; and 60% in areas such as heating, cooling,office equipment, and appliances."In general, up to 75% of the electricity used in the U.S. today could be saved with efficiency measures that cost less than the electricity itself.             The same holds true for home-owners, leaky ducts have remained an invisible energy culprit for years. Researchers at the US Department of Energy and their consortium,Residential Energy Efficient Distribution Systems (REEDS) have found that duct efficiency may be as low as 50-70%.             Windows Film:          Heat rejection films are normally applied to the interior of flat glass windows to reduce the amount of infrared,visible light,and ultraviolet (UV) radiation entering windows. Such films are either dyed or metalized (which can be transparent to visible light) to convert incoming solar radiation to infrared radiation,which is then rejected back through the glass to the exterior.       They usually cost 10-15 percent of replacing the window to a low e hurricane rated product & can         reduce energy  loss by as much as 30-50 percent.        To keep the sun's heat out of the house, a low-emissivity coating      should be applied to the outside pane of glazed windows. Spectrally    selective films act by blocking certain wavelengths of the sun's infrared    radiation and reject heat without reducing natural light.  Security films are applied to prevent glass from shattering.  Typically applied to commercial glass, these films are made  of heavy-gauge plastic and are intended to maintain the integrity  of glass when subject to heavy impact.         Weatherization - Caulking to Reduce Energy Loss:    Caulk is used on window and door frames, siding, corner joints, foundations, and almost any area in which you find a seam or crack.       There are many types of caulk for various uses, so check with your home center to find out what type will work best for your particular needs. Generally, you will apply caulk from a tube with a caulking gun or from a pressurized can. A standard cartridge of caulk will give you approximately 25 feet of 1/4" bead. You can also purchase rope caulk. There are no practical alternatives to caulking. If you weatherstrip and caulk in addition to insulating your home,you will reduce your energy bill considerably.         Note: Never caulk the little openings in storm windows. They have a very specific purpose; that is, allowing moisture to escape and not condense on the glass. Cracks in the foundation or basement walls can be terrific energy losers. Utility pipes, vent pipes, exterior plumbing,and electrical or phone connections enter the house, caulk the separation. If any of these penetrate the ceiling below an unheated attic or the wall to a garage,caulk them as well. On roofs or siding, repair areas around flashing with caulk or a sealant recommended for exterior metal. Seal flashing around roof stacks and vents, between roof valley flashing and shingles,and around roof additions and skylights.          There are also types of adhesive caulking that will mend split or loose roofing shingles as well as splits or cracks in siding.(These are available in a variety of colors.) Keep all gutters, downspouts, soffits, and eaves clean and in good repair. Caulk them to prevent rot decay,basement flooding,mildew, and dampness problems.          Tip: If you are not using your fireplace, plug up the flue with insulating fireplace baffle (damper) to prevent warm air from doffing up and out of your home.   Windows & Doors Click photo to enlarge Click photo to enlarge Click photo to enlarge