Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. It s important to make your home energy-efficient by sealing all gaps and insulating thoroughly. But don t overlook ventilation. Vent fans in the kitchen and bathrooms are required by code in most states, and they re a good idea everywhere. They help protect indoor air quality and get rid of excess moisture from cooking and bathing that can lead to mold problems and structural damage. In the kitchen, range hoods now come in all shapes and sizes to go with your cooking surface and d cor. They can be ducted through a ceiling or exterior wall. This often requires tearing out plaster or drywall and it s best done during a remodel. If you don t want a large hood, consider a cooktop with a downdraft vent ducted through the floor. Either way, ventilation fans should always be ducted to the outside, never into an attic or crawlspace. Bathroom ventilation fans have come a long way, too. Energy Star-certified models with built-in ceiling lights can do double-duty and save you money, especially since these are so often accidentally left on. And they re much quieter, too. Some installers recommend the roof-mount type of fan. The fan and motor are installed on the roof and ducted to the interior space. In some homes, this can make installation and service easier since the unit s out in the open instead of built into the ceiling. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Before you crank up the A/C this summer to keep cool, try a little old-fashioned ventilation first. Just keeping air moving can make your home feel much cooler. But it goes beyond opening a window. There s a little science to it. If you live where the nights are cool, keep your house sealed during the heat of the day. If it s well-insulated, it should only heat up about a degree an hour. Open windows and circulate cool air in the evening and early morning. Get some cross-ventilation going by opening windows on opposite sides of the house. Homes designed with cupolas, clerestory windows, vented skylights or even attic vents have the ability to create what s called a thermosiphon. Hot air escaping from the top of the house pulls warm air with it from the rest of the house and cooler air through lower windows, creating a constant cooling flow. Take advantage of those features or install an attic fan to create the same effect. It helps to minimize the heat you generate inside the house by using the oven, dishwasher and dryer in the evening or early morning hours. Even light bulbs can heat things up, so making the most of the daylight is both cheaper and cooler. If you still can t get the air moving, there s always the underappreciated window fan. For much less than it costs to run your air conditioner, a fan can give you the summer breeze you re looking for. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Making your home more airtight with new windows, insulation or a finished basement can actually hurt your energy efficiency if you don t also ventilate properly. Until very recently, homes were built to breathe. Insulation was seldom used, windows were single-pane and drafts were just part of life. Home heating systems had no problem finding oxygen for combustion, attics were naturally ventilated and fresh outdoor air always found its way in somehow. Today, in the age of double-paned windows, whole-house insulation and vapor barriers, we re also seeing moisture problems that lead to mold problems and poor indoor air quality. It only makes sense that if you seal the house and don t circulate the air, the humidity and gases that once flowed freely in and out are now trapped inside. And they wreak havoc on the home s structure, not to mention its inhabitants. Consult your HVAC contractor to see if your home needs mechanical ventilation. A fan can provide outdoor combustion air for your furnace. Good combustion helps it operate more cleanly and efficiently and keeps it from depressurizing your house. An air-to-air heat exchanger brings fresh air into circulation in your heating and air conditioning ducts. It preconditions the air before sending it in, so you re not decreasing your system s efficiency with cold air. Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com