Weatherization – what is it anyway? Why should I care about weatherizing my home? What good does it do?

Good questions, and the answers may surprise you. Weatherization is a systemic, whole-house approach to saving energy. It includes insulation is key areas, like the attic, floors, sidewalls; sealing the perimeter of the home; and addressing air infiltration with advanced diagnostics like blower-door technology to guide the process. It can save homeowners 20 to 30% on utility bills, especially in cold climates, and it is a worthy investment with a cost-effectiveness of 1.4 Savings to Investment Ratio according to the most recent National Evaluation by the Oakridge National Research Laboratory.

Here are the top five reasons you – yes, you! – should care about Weatherization:

1. Want to sleep better? The national evaluation showed tremendous health-related benefits to weatherizing a home. As part of the evaluation, weatherized participants reported the number of days their sleep was interrupted in the past 30 days. Post-weatherization, that number decreased by a whopping 44%. Think of the increased production at work and school resulting from better sleep in a warmer, safer, weatherized home. Increased sleep improves quality of life and can reduce the incidence of a multitude of related health issues. Weatherized homes improve the comfort and ability for families to get much-needed rest for the next day.

2. Have a child with asthma? Weatherization has been shown to reduce the symptoms of asthma by 11.8%. Improved indoor air quality means a healthier environment for people with any of a wide variety of respiratory illnesses. Adequate air changes each hour are calculated by Weatherization professionals and they are committed to indoor air quality in homes weatherized.

3. Want to save money? Weatherization can save as much as $283 per year on utility bills with even higher savings reported in some parts of the country. That’s money you can invest in other things – like food, clothing, medicine, gasoline, fuzzy animal slippers, plastic flamingoes for the garden – whatever you like! Let your money work smarter instead of harder by weatherizing your home.

4. Want to improve your home value? Installing energy efficiency measures makes your home more attractive to potential buyers and builds equity. The more efficient the home, the more likely it is to catch the eye of prospective buyers and generate an offer that you can’t refuse. Take care of your home and let it take care of you in the future.

5. Want to make a positive contribution to society? Besides all the personal reasons above, there is a societal benefit to weatherization. It reduces our country’s dependence on foreign oil and saves precious fossil fuels; it improves communities by improving housing stock. Weatherization is a low-cost way to meet many goals, both altruistic and personal. When you save energy in a home, everyone benefits.

October is National Weatherization Month and Energy Awareness Month and October 30 is celebrated around the nation as Weatherization Day (#WXDayOct30). What commitment will YOU make to weatherize your home and take part in the green energy movement? For more information, visit https://nascsp.org/Weatherization.aspx and learn more about how Weatherization can help you and your family and your community. Weatherization works!