This Earth Day, you may be wondering what action you can take to reduce your impact on the environment. Since celebrating the first Earth Day in 1970, we have learned a lot about how our actions can impact climate change and the beautiful environment of our state.
We know that our personal carbon footprint contributes to our overall impact on the environment. This is the total amount of greenhouse gasses generated by our actions. Coloradans also now know that if we make changes in our lives to reduce our carbon footprint we can in turn, reduce our overall impact on the environment.
One of the best places to start is our overall energy consumption. The energy consumption in our homes is the single largest source of carbon emissions where we have the most power to make a change. In fact, the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions around the world are heat and electricity, above agriculture and transportation. Working to reduce our energy usage will have the biggest impact on our overall carbon footprint. If that is not enough, we can also enjoy considerable savings from increasing the energy efficiency of our homes.
Every aspect of the home can contribute to energy efficiency.
From turning off lights when they are not in use to turning down the air conditioner a few extra degrees, there are many actions that can reduce the carbon footprint of the home. While many homeowners know intuitively how to directly reduce their energy usage, they may not know that all the components of their home can have a large impact on the overall energy efficiency of the home.
If the components of the home are not performing well, the air conditioner and furnace will have to work overtime to compensate, using much more energy than is necessary. Wasting energy and money in order to keep the home comfortable. In addition to waste of energy and money, over running the air conditioner and furnace means increased and excessive wear and tear on these products. Creating even more cost and waste when these products head to the landfill much sooner than necessary. To prevent unnecessary energy usage and waste, the components of the home need to work together. This includes effective and efficient windows and even purposeful roof planning that is built to last.
Are Your Windows Wasting Energy?
On cold Colorado days do you find yourself avoiding sitting next to certain windows? Do some of your rooms feel like a sauna in the Colorado summers? A standard double-pane window allows approximately 75 percent of the sun’s heat into the home. When this happens, the air conditioner and furnace have to work overtime to keep the home comfortable. This means drafty and inefficient windows can make it incredibly difficult to keep your home comfortable, using far more energy than is necessary.
Even the roof can waste energy and money
The roof may be the last place a homeowner would suspect as a tool to reduce energy consumption in their home. Especially since most roofs cannot easily be made out of eco-friendly products. But, much like windows, a roof should be built to keep the hot sun out of the home regardless of temperature. During hot Colorado summers, the sun will beat down on a shingle roof, increasing attic temperatures to over 140 degrees Fahrenheit. If this heat sits in the attic it can make cooling the home incredibly difficult. Similar to windows allowing the sun to heat up the home this will require the air conditioner to work over time, wasting energy and money.
Green Solutions: Invest in the right products and systems for your home
Ineffective windows and improper roof systems will waste energy and money. To remedy this, a Colorado homeowner should invest in the right products for their home.
ENERGY STAR Products
One of the top EPA recommendations for reducing a homeowners carbon footprint is to upgrade to ENERGY STAR labeled products. ENERGY STAR is a government-backed voluntary partnership program sponsored by the EPA. They created this easy to recognize symbol for energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR estimates Colorado homeowners who invest in ENERGY STAR labeled products will receive an average energy savings of around $134 annually for double-pane windows replacements. With this in mind, the WestPro team worked with one of America’s top window manufacturers to offer the ENERGY STAR labeled Colorado Series by WestPro. This certifies that the window is a positive choice for energy efficiency, fuel savings, and the environment.
The Colorado Series Windows by WestPro provides multiple features to keep the home comfortable no matter the climate. Each window has Low E coating which provides maximum protection against harmful and hot UV rays that can damage floors, rugs, and furniture and heat up the inside temperature of the home. The Comfort Max frame reduces heat transfer, while eliminating drafts and air leakage. This is why the Colorado Series Window by WestPro has an ENERGY STAR label- it is Built for Colorado.
Roofs Can work With The Colorado Sun
Just like our windows, our roofs are Built for Colorado. When the hot Colorado sun beats down on a roof it heats the inside to high temperatures making the home difficult to cool. One of the best solutions for this is proper roof ventilation which will create a cross breeze through the attic. Cooler air can come into the attic and push out the trapped hot air. You can learn more details about proper ventilation here. At WestPro our Project Consultants do free ventilation inspections to determine the efficiency of the current roof ventilation and what upgrades may be needed to increase the ventilation. With proper roof ventilation the home will naturally be cooler and require less energy to keep cool.
WestPro Only Installs Products Built for Colorado
At WestPro we only install products we believe in, that are Built for Colorado and built to last. Our windows are ENERGY STAR certified and we ensure all our roof replacements have proper ventilation. Celebrate Earth Day every day, call today and get started to reduce your carbon footprint.