Assessing Your Home

I like my doors and windows in my home.  I do.  My husband wants to change the windows and doors to more energy efficient ones.  I am dragging my feet while I kick and scream.  My home has the original windows and doors; I love that!  For me the continuity that it represents is heartwarming.  For my husband the original windows and doors mean drafts and money literally out the windows and doors.

In the fall, my husband and I caulked and insulated leaks in the home.  Where ever different building materials met was a potential leak.  We caulked around the windows, sills, the joists, I bought special pre-cut insulation for all the outer wall plugs and switches and we installed the long awaited pipe insulation.  My husband is campaigning earnestly for new windows and doors.  He knows my weak spot is conservation of the planet’s resources and low emissions.

I want to reduce any waste that may come from my original windows and doors yet I do not want to change them.  I have purchased insulated drapes and we have new energy efficient storm doors.  I love my unique paned glass wooden door with the glass doorknob.  My windows have a warm patina to the wooden frames and brass handles which can only come from age.  I will admit the storm windows that were installed by the previous owners lack personality and effectiveness. 

I wanted to prove to my husband* that our house with our improvements have made our home more energy efficient.  Luckily, I found a website** that allows you to rate your home.  You must know specific information about your home like square footage and heat type, in my case oil, electric and your consumption of both oil and electricity.  After I input the information, it rates the home from 1 (worst) to 10 (best) in Energy Star for your locale by zip code.  We were an 8.6!  I am impressed and my husband a disbeliever. 

While I would love to move the energy star rating up a star or two, I need to weigh the cost of improvements versus the cost of savings.  The winter of 2012 was mild; it was exceptionally mild.  During my end of summer and pre-fall inspection, I will price new storm windows to replace the old storm windows.  However, I cannot justify the loss of esthetics of the original windows and doors to the small increase in star rating.  My stubbornness and the husband’s campaign continue. 

*My husband and I are not competitive.  Really, we are not!

**www.energystar.gov