1. Myth: Improving energy efficiency is for “greenies” and “geeks”. It isn’t worth the money.

Fact: Money spent appropriately for energy efficiency can yield a better return than money invested in the stock market. In addition, you and your family are more comfortable, breathing better air, and your house is more durable.

2. Myth: New windows are among the first things to buy to improve the energy
efficiency of my home.

Fact: Probably NOT. The first step to take is to have your house examined to determine how “healthy” it is as a system. Once its state of health is determined, a plan for improvement can be formulated.

3. Myth: My house consists of several independent systems that don’t have any particular relationship to one another.

Fact: Although your home has various components such as the foundation, walls, and roof; various mechanical systems such as plumbing, heating, and cooling to think of them as not affecting one another is a common misperception. The ways in which they interact is critical to your comfort, air quality, the cost of operation and the durability of your home. Think of your house as a “System.”

4. Myth: My house needs to “breathe.” Air leaks here and there don’t matter much. They help to provide fresh air.

Fact: Air leaks are uncontrolled ventilation. Moisture often travels with air as water vapor. It can condense, turn to liquid water, inside the walls and create mold or rot problems.

5. Myth: Attics and crawl spaces are good places for heating/cooling equipment and should always be ventilated to the outside.

Fact: Attics and crawl spaces are terrible places for HVAC equipment unless they are included in the “building envelope” and NOT vented to the outside.

6. Myth: The way I live doesn’t affect my home’s energy consumption.

Fact: The way you operate your home and what you do to improve its efficiency can have a huge effect on how much it costs to live.

7. Myth: Old buildings aren’t efficient and can’t be made efficient. It would be better and cheaper to tear them down and build anew.

Fact: Old buildings aren’t efficient as they were built. However, with proper analysis, appropriate planning and strategic action, they can be made highly efficient. Maintain, repair, renovate.