Things to know

- Attic - As a general rule, if you clearly see any ceiling rafters, it could probably use more. Use batt or blown insulation for best results. Check with a Lowe's or Home Depot expert to determine the proper R-value of insulation for your home.

- Water heater and hot water pipes - Insulate hot water pipes with preformed foam pipe insulation sleeves if they pass through an unheated area or under your home

- Fireplace - Make sure the damper closes as tightly as possible when a fire is not burning to minimize heat loss. Remember if gas logs are used the damper needs to be BLOCKED open for safety.

- Basic Routine Weathering - Zip up your home's winter coat by caulking, sealing and weatherstripping around all seams, cracks and openings. Pay special attention around windows & doorways and where siding or bricks and wood trim meet. Seal areas near electrical boxes and plumbing penetrations as well.

- Ductwork - Look for cracks or air leaks in ductwork and use aluminum tape to seal them.

- Furnace filters - Change forced air heating system air filter (s) every month to every 3-4 months depending on useage.

- Ceiling fans - To save energy during colder weather, activate the reverse setting on your ceiling fans to circulate hot air that rises to the ceiling and blow it back down.

LAWN AND GARDEN

- Leaves - Rake and remove leaves left on the lawn to discourage disease.

- Push mower, outdoor power equipment - Perform annual maintenance before storing.

- Lawn and garden equipment, patio furniture - Store to avoid harsh winter elements.

DUCT TAPE - GOOD FOR MANY THINGS, BUT NOT FOR DUCTS

Duct tape (fabric-based tape with rubber adhesive) is good for many things. People use it as a bandage, to tape up broken plates, to repair their cars. There are thousands of uses. Some folks have even have websites and written books about duct tape. Apollo 13 astronauts used it to repair some equipment to get home to Earth safely from around the moon.

BUT YOU SHOULD NOT USE DUCT TAPE TO SEAL DUCTS!

During World War II, before it was called duct tape, the U.S. military bought quantities of the cloth-backed, rubber-adhesive tape for making emergency repairs on the battlefield. In the movie business it's called "gaffer's tape," used for everything from bundling cables to holding sets together.

Some time after WWII, heating and air conditioner contractors begin to use the tape to seal the joints in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) ducts. This tape was manufactured in the same way, though to match the ducting it was colored silver rather than the green of the Army version. Because of this use, it became known informally as 'duct tape'.

The problem...duct tape does not adequately seal the joints and has a short lifespan.

Over a three-month period in 1998, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) researchers tested duct tape and 31 other sealants under accelerated laboratory conditions that mimicked long-term use in the home. They heated air to nearly 170 degrees and chilled it to below 55 degrees before blasting it through ducts. They baked ductwork at temperatures up to 187 degrees to simulate the oven-like conditions of a closed attic under a hot summer sun.

Of all the things they tested, only duct tape failed - and they reported it failed reliably and often quite catastrophically.

Instead of using duct tape, the researchers recommended sealing ducts with mastics, gooey sealants that are painted on and allowed to harden. Metal ducts should be held together with sheet metal screws; flexible duct connections should be secured with metal or plastic bands.

Beginning October 1, 2005, Title 24 of California's Building Energy Efficiency Standards requires that ducts be tested for leaks when a central air conditioner or furnace is installed or replaced. Ducts that leak 15 percent or more must be repaired. More information can be found at: www.energy.ca.gov/title24/changeout/

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