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DIY - Home Maintenance and Upgrade Projects

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Windows and Doors

DIY Guide:

Add Weatherstrip to Windows and Doors

Install weatherstripping around the perimeter of door frames
Add weatherstrip to windows and doors that open to the outdoors or unconditioned spaces like attics and basements to decrease air leakage and heating and cooling losses.
DIY Guide:

Air Seal and Insulate Window Rough Openings

Home Upgrades: Air Seal and Insulate Window Rough Openings
Air seal the rough opening around windows and doors prior to installing trim to minimize air leakage.
DIY Guide:

Air Seal and Insulate Wood Single-Pane Windows

Air seal and insulate around old wooden windows to remove or renovate pocket weights, decrease heating and cooling losses, and make your home more comfortable.
Air seal and insulate around old wooden windows to remove or renovate pocket weights, decrease heating and cooling losses, and make your home more comfortable.
DIY Guide:

Clean Window Weep Holes

Cleaning window weep holes helps to ensure proper window drainage, preventing water damage in the wall.
Cleaning window weep holes helps to ensure proper window drainage, preventing water damage in the wall.
DIY Guide:

Install Cellular Blinds

Cellular blinds provide privacy, style, shade, and heating and cooling energy savings to your home.
Installing cellular blinds on your windows can provide privacy, shade, and style, while reducing cooling and heating energy costs. consumption, improve comfort, reduce glare, and improve a home’s resistance to extreme heat events.
DIY Guide:

Install Exterior Storm Windows

Using storm windows can increase your home’s energy efficiency, reduce drafts and glare, block out outside noise, and make your home feel more comfortable.
Using storm windows can increase your home’s energy efficiency, reduce drafts and glare, block out outside noise, and make your home feel more comfortable.
DIY Guide:

Install Interior Storm Windows

Modern interior storm windows include new technology and sleek design features that offer an easy-to-install, cost-effective method for upgrading the energy efficiency of existing windows.
Using storm windows can increase your home’s energy efficiency, reduce drafts and glare, block out outside noise, and make your home feel more comfortable.
DIY Guide:

Install or Replace Door Sweeps

Doors to individual units in a multifamily building are separated from corridors using weatherstripping and airtight door sweeps.
Door sweeps are a type of metal weatherstripping that is installed at the bottom of exterior doors to prevent air infiltration, reduce drafts, increase the durability of the door, and reduce pest intrusion.
DIY Guide:

Insulate and Weatherstrip a Garage Door

Garage doors can get a lot of exposure to the elements.
Install garage door insulation to help maintain moderate temperatures in your garage.

Heating & Cooling

DIY Guide:

Air Seal and Repair Ducts

Right – Ducts are pulled taut and correctly supported
Seal and repair your central heating system’s ducts to make sure heated or cooled air gets to all the rooms of your house as efficiently as possible.
DIY Guide:

Air Seal HVAC Air Handler Unit Cabinet

Sealing seams and holes in the air handler or furnace cabinet of central forced-air HVAC systems prevents the loss of conditioned air and improves the performance of your HVAC equipment.
Sealing seams and holes in the air handler or furnace cabinet of central forced-air HVAC systems prevents the loss of conditioned air and improves the performance of your HVAC equipment.
DIY Guide:

Clean Ductless Heat Pump Air Filters

Home Maintenance: Clean Ductless Heat Pump Air Filters
Clean the air filters in your ductless heat pumps every 3 months to ensure proper operation.
DIY Guide:

Determine if a Smart Thermostat is Right for You

Right - The advanced controls in a programmable thermostat can be used to improve the efficiency of the home’s HVAC system.
Determine if you can benefit from replacing your old thermostat with a new smart thermostat.
DIY Guide:

Install an Awning Over an Outdoor HVAC Condenser Unit

This HVAC awning is made of metal roofing that is attached directly to the lumber framing.
Awnings protect the outdoor compressor unit of your heat pump or air conditioner from snow, rain, and hail.
DIY Guide:

Look at Refrigerant Line Set Insulation for Air Conditioners or Heat Pumps and Replace if Needed

Look at the condition of the insulation on the refrigerant pipe from the house to the outdoor unit of the home’s air conditioning or heat pump system and replace or hire an HVAC contractor to replace if needed.
Look at the condition of the insulation on the refrigerant pipe from the house to the outdoor unit of the home’s air conditioning or heat pump system and replace or hire an HVAC contractor to replace if needed.
DIY Guide:

Look for Condensate Drain Line Insulation

Look at the condensate drain line of your air conditioner, heat pump, or condensing furnace or boiler to make sure it is insulated. 
Look at the condensate drain line of your air conditioner, heat pump, or condensing furnace or boiler to make sure it is insulated.
DIY Guide:

Look for Signs of a Gas Furnace Backdrafting

Look at a gas furnace for signs of backdrafting, if the furnace is an older model that does not have a sealed combustion chamber and sealed exhaust pipe.
Look at a gas furnace for signs of backdrafting, if the furnace is an older model that does not have a sealed combustion chamber and sealed exhaust pipe.
DIY Guide:

Replace Air Filter Located at Return Air Filter Grille

If filter is inaccessible, locate the air filter between the return air plenum and the air handler box.
DIY guide showing how to pick a replacement air filter and how to replace the filter in home’s HVAC system when the air filter is located in a return grille in a ceiling, floor, or wall.
DIY Guide:

Replace Air Filter Located in Furnace or Central Heat Pump Air Filter Slot

Size the filter box for the appropriate filter.
DIY guide showing how to replace the filter in a home’s HVAC system when the air filter is located in an air filter slot on the furnace.