by Doug Rye

Doug Rye, often known as the King of Caulk and Talk, is a national energy architect. He trains builders, contractors and others on how to build "the most comfortable homes in the neighborhood with the lowest utility bills." He was sponsored by Illinois Electric Cooperatives at several energy workshops.

1 The three most important things to remember for lowering you utility costs and creating a more comfortable house are: 1) air infiltration, 2) air infiltration and 3) you guessed it - air infiltration. If you add up all of the cracks, crevices and gaps that air can get into your home, it would be like having a door open all year long. Close the door!

2 When in doubt caulk it! Use high quality silicone caulk around doors, windows and other places where building materials are connected.

3 Eliminate moisture problems. If you have a crawl space under your home, roll-out thick sheets of plastic across the dirt. In your attic make sure there is adequate ventilation.

4 Duct leakage is a major problem in almost every home. All duct work should be sealed with a mastic paste and insulated. Duct tape does not permanently seal duct work.

5 In the summer, your attic can reach 140 degrees F, so get the duct work out of there! This may not be practical in an older home, but if you're building a new home insist that the duct work is placed in conditioned space, a basement or in the crawl space.

6 For insulation I prefer wet blown cellulose insulation. Cellulose forms an air tight barrier. It is sound proof and roach proof.

7 If you have an electric water heater, wrap it with a water heater jacket. If the water heater rests on a concrete slab, place a 2 inch thick insulation board underneath it.

8 If you're building a new house or remodeling, choose insulated windows with low-e glass. The glassed area of your exterior should not exceed 10 to 15 percent of exterior walls.

9 Geothermal heat pumps are 400 percent more energy efficient than traditional furnaces or air conditioners and can save you up to 50 percent on your annual heating and cooling costs. Plus, geothermal systems can provide you with free hot water throughout the cooling season and for some of the heating months.

10 Most people, even new — home owners, have the least efficient heating and air conditioning equipment allowed under federal law. What a shame! I recommend heat pumps since they are much more efficient than furnaces. At a minimum, buy heat pumps and air conditioners with a 12 SEER rating or above. SEER, or Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, is like a miles per gallon efficiency rating for heat pumps and air conditioners.

8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 1997