Ditch the Duct Tape and Other Simple Ways to Save Your Bottom Line

You bought your home because you were told it was cheaper than renting. Now take a look at easy ways your home can save you even more money by improving your heating and cooling costs.

A recent inspection of ours showed an all too common mistake, Duct Tape used to seal ducts? The namesake of this product is very misleading and although the tape was marketed for duct work post WWII (Originally called Duck Tape to seal and waterproof ammunition cases) it has possibly the worst failure rate of any other commonly used duct sealer. Instead of tape, avoid leaky ducts and save money by applying mastic with a brush to all joints and leak prone areas of your duct work.

DUCT TAPE FAILING AS JOINT SEALER

As a certified home inspector company, SiteLogic Home Inspections provides home buyers with a detailed report of their homes condition and defects in need of correction. Providing money saving tips to our clients is just one more way we provide solid value on every inspection. Here are some other simple ways any homeowner can save on their heating and cooling costs.

• Clean and service your HVAC system annually. Don’t make your furnace or A/C work harder than needed because of dirt build up. An annual cleaning and tune-up pays for itself.
• Apply fiberglass insulation around ductwork located in unconditioned space. Crawlspaces are especially ignored and any ductwork located here should be insulated to prevent unwanted losses in heating or cooling.
• Replace your filter regularly. Your filter catches all particles you don’t want in your house but depending on the filter size, your home, and amount of pets in the house, it needs to be replaced anywhere from monthly to quarterly in order to keep good air flow.
• Install more attic insulation. Keep your conditioned air in place by blowing in more insulation to you attic. Current standards in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado call for an R-Value of 38. Most homes built before 2000 don’t meet this standard. See how much more insulation you should add here, and don’t forget to insulate your attic hatch!
• Lastly, Update to a programmable thermostat. This is a must for anyone with an old dial thermostat. Program in you daily habits and preferences so your HVAC systems can work as efficiently for you as possible.

About SiteLogic
SiteLogic Home Inspections is a local and family owned business in Fort Collins, Colorado. Our inspections and reports are designed to be one of the most helpful steps in your home buying process. Owner and Lead Inspector Joe Anderson is dedicated to making sure you understand the strengths and weaknesses of your home, and is available to answer any questions you have even long after your inspection is complete.   

SiteLogic is a Certified Professional Inspection company. We are InterNACHI certified, so you can trust that our inspectors are among the most highly trained in the industry. Our professionally trained home inspectors use modern technology, tools, and techniques to identify deficiencies and effectively communicate what exactly it means to the current condition of your home. Visit SiteLogicInspections.com to learn more.