As the seasons change, one thing remains constant: every homeowner wants to keep their energy bills in check without sacrificing comfort. At Cardinal Home Center, we believe that saving money starts with simple, smart improvements.

We sat down with Steve Smith, who has 25 years of experience in Lumber Sales, Blind Sales, Window and Door Sales, Paint Sales, and Flooring Sales at Cardinal Home Center, to gather his top expert tips on locating and repairing hidden energy leaks in your home. Whether you’re planning a major insulation project or just need a quick weekend DIY fix, you can rely on Cardinal for the advice and materials to help make your home more energy-efficient.

The Basics of Home Energy Loss

When asked where homes in our area lose the most energy, Steve points to the usual suspects: windows, doors, and poor attic insulation.

“The first place I tell homeowners to look for quick savings is the windows and doors,” Steve said. “However, when it comes to long-term impact, the easiest major fix is typically the attic.”

To quickly pinpoint problem spots, you don’t need an expensive contractor. Steve recommends a simple tool: the temperature gun (or infrared thermometer). By pointing the gun at different points on your walls, doors, and ceiling, you can easily identify cold spots that reveal where air is seeping in.

Insulation: The Best Investment

If you’re only going to upgrade one area of your home for energy savings, Steve is firm: focus on the attic.

“You’re going to get the best return on investment from the attic because hot air rises and is lost in the colder months,” he explains.

For homeowners taking on an attic project, the key is complete coverage. Blown-in insulation gets into voids that batts won’t, ensuring a more complete seal around joists, wires, and pipes. The recommended R-Value for attic insulation is R-38 for Southern Virginia and R-49 for Central/Northern Virginia.

If your existing insulation looks damp, moldy, or just flat or settled, it’s time to top it off or replace it.

Weather Stripping & Air Sealing

Sealing major cracks can be done in a single afternoon. When tackling air leaks, most homeowners focus on the perimeter of the door, but Steve advises checking the high-traffic areas too.

“Look closely at the windows top and bottom sash where it meets the sill. For doors, you need to focus on the sweep and the seal on the other three sides,” he recommends.

Choosing the right material matters. Foam is most commonly used for filling gaps around the door or window frames, while rubber is the ideal material for under-the-door sweeps due to its durability.

Window Treatments with Hunter Douglas

What you put inside the window can make a huge difference in climate control, especially with premium products like Hunter Douglas. The Duette line, in particular, provides an added R-value of 7.4. This is thanks to its unique construction.

“The Duettes have a dual honeycomb design which creates three pockets of air so the hot/cold transfer is rendered inert before it makes it to the living space,” Steve explains.

Final Advice and Top Picks

For homeowners looking for an immediate, low-cost project, Steve suggests checking for drafts around windows and doors as well as recessed lights from the attic.

Ready to shop? Steve’s top three Items an average homeowner should consider to start their energy-saving plan are:

  1. Better insulating windows and doors
  2. Hunter Douglas Duette blinds
  3. Newer faucets or shower heads that use less waterSteve offers a final word of advice: “Be honest with yourself. Look at videos on how to do things. Don’t attempt to do a job you know you can’t complete. For everything else, the team at Cardinal is here to help you get the job done right.”