Efficiency Myths

In this section, we answer a few common questions and debunk a few common myths.

Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Building codes are a minimum standard. There is nothing that requires homes that are built today to be any more efficient than the building code under which they are built. Today's high-performance builders construct homes that far exceed the minimum code requirements. Furthermore, building officials have neither the mandate nor the time to inspect homes with a goal of creating high-performance homes.

In the past, judging what was energy-efficient may have been open to debate. Now, with an effective energy rating system in place, there is a way to truly know how efficient a home is. Energy efficiency is only one aspect of building a high-performance home. If you want to live in a high-performance home, you need to find a builder who knows how to build one.

The good news is that many builders today are building houses that are much tighter than they use to be. This helps a home be more efficient and comfortable, but is only part of the puzzle. The truth is that houses don't need to breathe — people need to breathe. High-performance homebuilders take this into account and provide thoughtfully considered ventilation air. Houses need to be kept dry, considering moisture sources and how to deal with them. An old phrase in building science is, "Build tight, ventilate right". It's never been more true than today.

Actually, depending on how long you stay in your home, you'll save a bundle. Check out the following examples to see how it works out. You can expect a high-performance home to cost anywhere from nothing more to a few thousand dollars more. What you should consider is that extra money you spend to get a high-performance home is often difficult to see. The improvements and changes your builder makes to build a better home will be "under the hood". Would you buy a car without knowing what was under the hood?
Only considering the first cost of a home is a short-sighted way to think about the choices you make when you buy a new home. When you consider the features you want to see in your new home, isn't it wise to include high-performance details up there with the fancier counter or the jetted tub?
Another consideration is that the price of energy is rising steadily. It is difficult to predict how fast prices will rise, but it is almost certain that they will continue to go up. The bottom line is that decisions about building a more energy-efficient home today will look even better tomorrow.

Actually, it will. The energy rating that accompanies a high-performance home is your durable key to showing more value in your home.

That's pretty unlikely. Window replacement is rarely the first thing that we recommend after assessing a home and its energy use. Usually, there are several cost-effective measures to take before replacing windows.
There are reasons to replace windows: aesthetics, a specific comfort issue, security and others that may lead you to window replacement. However, you should replace windows as an educated buyer, not merely a hopeful one.
People often feel that their windows are drafty and in need of replacement. While a draft may be felt near a window, it is often the result of air falling as it cools after contacting a cold surface. The phenomenon is called a convective loop and can fool you into thinking your windows are leaky.

In most cases, powered attic ventilators have had little impact on cooling bills. This is particularly true if you have adequate insulation in your attic. Adding attic insulation is typically a first step to improve a home's performance. Also, caution should be used with powered ventilators to ensure that they do not depressurize an attic space and draw air from the conditioned space or ductwork into the attic.

Unfortunately, this is not true. If the ductwork in your home is in poor condition, you can't utilize the full efficiency of the appliance that you paid for. It's kind of like buying great stereo speakers and really cheap speaker wire. In many cases, you may achieve greater efficiency with a lower-efficiency appliance and a superior delivery system.

Actually, sealing ducts is one of the few things that cloth duct tape should not be used for. It's a great product for many things, but the best way to seal ducts is with duct sealing mastic and fiber mesh tape. See our DIY section for information about sealing ducts.

Filters should be replaced every month unless you are using a higher efficiency electrostatic filter such as a 3M Filtrete®. Sign up here for EnergyLogic reminder service.

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