Have you ever wondered why the snow melts from your rooftop faster than your neighbors, or why the family dog has a favorite place he likes to rest, well read on because lack of insulation or the presence of infiltration might be the issue.

In winter, the cost of heating a home makes up about 40 percent of an energy bill, more if your home lacks insulation. So if you’re looking for the most cost-effective ways to save on your energy bill – insulate and seal.

If your roof melts snow at a feverish pace, then your attic may have poor insulation, leaky or un-insulated ducts, or no insulation at all. A variety of materials are available to insulate your home. Generally materials such as fiberglass, mineral wool, cellulose fiber and foam are used to make insulation blankets and batts. Rigid boards, loose fill and blow-in insulation are also commonly used in residential construction and renovations.

All insulating material has an R-value which indicates how well that particular insulation resists the transfer or flow of heat. The greater the R-value, the greater the material’s ability to keep winter warmth inside your home or hot weather out in the summer.  Buying insulation by its R-value will let you know how well it will do the job of insulating.

Children and animals love comfort and they can be big indicators of possible heat-loss in and around our homes. If there’s a place in your home typically around single pane windows, doors or vents that your kids stay away from, consider checking for heat loss, conversely, if you find critters that typically shy away from humans, living on the periphery of your home, it might indicate significant heat-loss coming from your floor into your crawlspace, which can translate in lost energy dollars.

Besides preventing heat transfer to the out of doors, insulation also has other positive properties such as acting as a sound barrier. If you hear the wind whistling around your windows or you can hear road noise, check that area for missing insulation. A quarter (¼) inch gap around a door is the same as a 4 square inch hole in the wall – and as the old saying goes, “caulk is cheap.”

For people who are interested in taking a low or no-cost approach to keeping cold winter air from entering their home should consider the following.

• Check caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors. If you see cracks, light or feel a draft, make repairs where needed.
• Securely wrap ductwork exposed to outside temperatures with insulation. Joints and connections should be sealed with insulation tape or joint compound. Common duct tape is good for many things, but not for use on ducts.
• Install foam insulation covers behind light switches and outlets on exterior walls. For additional infiltration resistance, insert plastic outlet covers commonly used for child safety

It could pay to find out what your energy provider offers-
Some electric and natural gas utilities offer rebates and incentives for customers making energy efficiency upgrades to their home or business. Also, find out how the new stimulus packet has affected Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency at www.energystar.gov

Tom Lienhard is an engineer at Avista. You can reach him with questions and comments at askavista@avistautilities.com