MiSustainable Holland: Save on heating costs this winter season

Joe Sikma
·3 min read

HOLLAND — After two of the least snowy Decembers in recent history, the significant accumulation and cooler temps we’ve experienced over the past few weeks have lifted holiday spirits and made Hallmark dreams come true.

Heavy icicles hanging from the eaves is an indication that the effectiveness of attic insulation needs to be checked.
Heavy icicles hanging from the eaves is an indication that the effectiveness of attic insulation needs to be checked.

But as the new year rolls around and winter really sets in, the joy of the season can dissipate as high heat bills and cold drafts become a reality. Fortunately, there are a number of low-cost and high-impact tools and resources available in our community to help.

Heat escaping your home is literally dollars escaping your wallet! Here’s what to look for and how to address it:

Two telltale signs of a home that's struggling to retain heat are exposed on the rooftop. The first is icicles hanging from the eaves, which often occurs when heat escapes a poorly insulated home and melts the bottom layer of snow on a roof. The meltwater trickles down to the gutters before refreezing.

The second sign is when snow melts more quickly between the rafters or trusses, leaving a vertical striping pattern. If you notice your roof shedding its winter coat before neighboring homes, it's time to take a closer look.

Snow melted on a poorly insulated roof can re-freeze when it hits eaves and gutters, creating dangerous ice dams.
Snow melted on a poorly insulated roof can re-freeze when it hits eaves and gutters, creating dangerous ice dams.

There are several other problem areas to watch.

Heat escaping through the attic is often replaced by cooler air seeping in elsewhere. Doors and windows are an easy place to start. If you can see daylight or feel cool air pushing around the edges, it’s time to work on some air-sealing measures.

Replacement of older, low-efficiency doors and windows can yield savings, but typically requires a significant upfront investment that'll take time to break even. Low-cost options like caulk, weather stripping, seal kits and window inserts can make a world of difference for a fraction of the price.

Basements and crawl spaces are another place to check. Various studies have found basements are the cause of 20-30 percent of heat loss in the average home.

Blown-in attic insulation is an effective way to limit expensive heat loss, particularly in older homes.
Blown-in attic insulation is an effective way to limit expensive heat loss, particularly in older homes.

Rim joists, the wood framing that sits directly on top of a home's foundation, provide little protection from cool outside air and should be insulated. Basement windows are often overlooked and commonly need to be addressed. And, of course, insulating basement walls, even if you don’t plan to fully finish the space, can improve the performance and comfort of your home.

Fortunately, solutions are available. Local utility providers and nonprofits have partnered to provide a number of free, low-cost and rebated solutions for the aforementioned issues.

A great starting point for city of Holland residents is the recently launched Home Energy 101 program. HE 101 provides an in-home education session with trained professionals from local nonprofits, and offers up to $300 in energy-saving freebies. It also qualifies homeowners for energy efficiency rebates through the Home Energy Retrofit Program.

Learn more at hollandenergyfund.com.

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BPW customers, including those that don't live in the city of Holland, can still take advantage of rebates by visiting hollandbpw.com/en/customer-service/residential/residential-rebates.

Residents heating their homes with natural gas can take advantage of Semco’s Home Energy Assessment and energy saving rebates. For more information, visit semcoenergygas.com/residential-savings.

New funding for energy efficiency and weatherization at the federal level will open up in 2023. For the latest information, visit rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator.

— Joe Sikma is sustainability manager at the ODC Network

About this series:

MiSustainable Holland is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme: Smart Energy: We need to use both conservation and efficiency measures to manage our resources to provide access to reliable and cost-effective energy.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: MiSustainable Holland: Tips to save on winter energy costs