Tompkins Weekly

Home Improvement: Save money and energy this spring



Genson Overhead Door Technician Apprentice Carter Flick (left) and Technician Jesse Flynn install perimeter weather seals on a new garage door. Photo provided.

If you’ve been stuck inside most of the past year, it’s likely that you’ve taken long looks at areas in your home and thought about renovating. And you’re not alone.

Lisa Marshall, program director for HeatSmart Tompkins (solartompkins.org) said that ever since the middle of last year, she’s seen increased interest from homeowners in renovations, particularly ones that can help improve energy efficiency.

“We actually found quite a bit of interest amongst the public in having a home energy assessment done because people were home, and they started to be really interested more than ever in their home comfort, their energy bills and their indoor air quality — all three things that were an unexpected side effect of the pandemic,” she said.

And with spring finally here, it’s a good time to turn those ideas into action. No matter what renovation you’re considering this spring, there is likely a way to make the revamp an energy-efficient one, which often saves money in the long run.

Before deciding on what your renovation will look like, Theresa Ryan, marketing director for Trade Design Build (tradedesignbuild.com), recommends having a feasibility study done to help maximize energy savings. After that, Ryan recommends finding a designer who suits your project.

“It’s super helpful to bring in a designer early so they can evaluate the space [and] let you know what you can and can’t do in your space and on your property,” she said. “You have to pick somebody that aligns with the goal of your project. I think that having clear goals and a clear scope of work in place before you pick your design professional is super helpful.”

One of the best ways to improve energy efficiency, as Marshall recommends, is to focus on energy-efficient appliances.

“As we’re trying to move off fossil fuels, we’re going to be looking towards electrification of all of our buildings,” she said. “And so, [try] thinking about things like an induction cooktop instead of a gas stove if you’re doing a kitchen remodel, or if you’re getting a new washer dryer, there’s actually heat-pump dryers now.”

And if you’re working on a budget, Loralee Morrow, director of construction services with Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services (INHS, ithacanhs.org), said there are some cheap, easy changes that can make a big difference.

“There’s some really easy ones that people can do that they often don’t think about,” she said. “For instance, a lot of people don’t have door sweeps on their exterior doors. That makes a difference. That’s a really cheap thing to do. A lot of people don’t put new weather stripping on their doors and windows.”

One type of weather sealing Morrow suggests is Indows, which are window inserts that can be ordered to fit the size of any window and help to keep a house warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Local businesses like Bishops Carpet One (bishopscarpetone.com) offer window coverings, which can also help to insulate the home, though they are a bit more expensive than some of the simple fixes Morrow mentioned. However, making sure those coverings are energy efficient can help save money in the long run, so Bishops Manager Tom Pirko recommends consulting with a professional first.

“The biggest advice I could give is this: to start thinking about what you’re looking for and then come down so we can get you an estimate because there’s always lots of different options,” he said. “Especially if you’re trying to get something that meets the standards of being good, energy efficient, you’re going to want the custom version of it instead of going and buying the just general sizes that you can get other places.”

The Midstate Basement Authorities team poses together in this pre-pandemic photo. Photo provided.

Another place to seal up cracks that you might not consider is in your basement, particularly if there are cracks in your concrete walls or floor. Don Sinn, general manager for Midstate Basement Authorities (midstatebasement.com), said he’s seen many homeowners try to seal those cracks with spray foam, but that’s only a temporary fix.

“The most common thing that we see that we have to correct is when people get a crack in their foundation, they spray it with Great Stuff spray foam,” he said. “And that is great to cut down on the draft, but it doesn’t do anything for the structural integrity of the foundation walls. So, we have to come in, we have to grind all that stuff out of there and repair properly with mortar and carbon fiber straps.”

And if you’re thinking about replacing your garage door, there’s a way to improve energy efficiency there, too. Kevin Genson, vice president of Genson Overhead Door (gensondoor.com), said that focusing on a new door’s R-Value can help improve your home’s insulation.

“An R-Value tells you how well a type of insulation can keep heat from leaving or entering your home. A higher R-Value rating means better climate control and better energy efficiency,” Genson said. “There are doors on the market today that have an R-Value of 20 or higher. Since the garage is the largest entry into the home, an energy-efficient garage door can make adjoining rooms next to or over the garage much more comfortable.”

Local organizations like INHS and HeatSmart can help residents with lower incomes make energy-efficient renovations to their homes.

At HeatSmart, the nonprofit can connect homeowners with information about home energy efficiency and with installers for heat pumps. At INHS, staff can help set up an energy audit, which Morrow said can particularly help those in lower income brackets.

“[The] energy audit comes through and they do a scope of work, and then, because our clients are low- to moderate-income, our energy auditor will submit their scope of work to NYSERDA,” Morrow said. “And NYSERDA will cover some or all of the costs of the energy upgrades if they qualify. And if they don’t cover all of the upgrades, we cover the rest of it.”

Ultimately, sources agree that it’s important to do some legwork ahead of time to make sure you’re making the right renovations that suit your wants and needs. For more information about how local businesses and organizations can help you with your renovation, visit the websites mentioned in this article.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *