Heat Loss in Your Home: Long-Term Solutions Reduce Carbon Emissions

Reader Contribution by Ruth Barton

The most recent figures reveal that the U.S. releases the most CO2 emissions in the world after China. Texas is the most polluting state, with 2011 figures stating that their annual CO2 emissions total a significant 656 million metric tons, despite California having a larger population than Texas.

The U.S. has already increased efforts to improve their carbon footprint and to become a more environmentally friendly country, with figures revealing that the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy fell 12 percent between 2005 and 2012. However, 2013 figures showed that U.S. carbon-dioxide emissions from energy sources increased back up by 2 percent. Although this means that energy related carbon emissions are still 10 per cent below 2005 levels, which is a significant improvement, efforts need to be increased further in order to make the nation more green. President Obama has already set a goal of achieving 17 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020.

In order to reach this goal, more needs to be done to improve the efficiency of U.S. homes. A 2011 study revealed that the average U.S household’s carbon footprint was as much as 48 tons per year with 13 tons being from housing. According to Flir, heat loss can account for up to 50% of total energy consumption in a building with causes ranging from air leakage through chimneys, attics, windows and through lack of insulation.

Using a Thermal Imaging Camera

A thermal imaging camera can be used to detect just how much energy is lost from a home, highlighting the most problematic areas where energy is being lost. For example, there is a new program that has started in Connecticut in which a car with a thermal imaging camera goes around towns and captures pictures of individual homes to see how efficient they are. The program is helping residents to become more energy efficient as when homeowners log in to the company website, they are able to see a thermal imaging photograph of their home. There is no obligation for them to do anything but there is an option for home owners to choose to get a home energy assessment for less than $100.

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