Make the Most of Your Home Renovation
- Homes to Zero
- Jun 30
- 5 min read
So, you're thinking about renovating? Maybe it's time for a kitchen refresh, new siding, or finally finishing that basement. While you're dreaming up new colours and layouts, we at Homes to Zero invite you to think about more: your energy bills, your home’s comfort, and its carbon emissions.
What does that mean for your renovation? It means looking at the projects you’re already considering as an opportunity to make smart, long-term, carbon-reducing, and bill-reducing upgrades. It's about maximizing your efforts and investment while the walls are open or the exterior is exposed.
Which renovation projects are coming up for you? Let's explore the best strategies for you!
Project: Time for New Siding (~20-70 Years)
Eventually, your siding will need replacing—a project that typically happens every 20 to 70 years, depending on the material. When that day comes, seize the opportunity! As you're planning this significant exterior renovation, we highly recommend reading our detailed blog post on how your siding and insulation function as part of the building envelope.
With the old siding removed, the exterior walls are exposed, making it the ideal time to:
Boost Insulation
Add exterior insulation to your walls. This can significantly improve your home's comfort and drastically reduce the energy needed for heating and cooling, cutting your carbon footprint.
Seal the Gaps
This is your best chance for comprehensive air sealing from the outside, tackling drafts and preventing heat loss.
New siding is a "once in a generation" opportunity for many homeowners to make significant improvements to their home's performance without major interior disruption. Given the complexity of working with your home's outer layers, please get a professional (or us!) to help to ensure this carbon-reducing opportunity doesn't lead to a mouldy disaster.
Project: New Roof (~15-30 Years)
A new roof is a big project, something you might do every 15 to 30 years, depending on the material. As one of the largest surfaces of your home, its condition significantly impacts your home's overall energy performance and its carbon emissions. To maximize this project's potential, here's how to make your new roof work even harder for your home:
Attic Insulation Check (Always!)
Even if you're not changing the roof structure, take this chance to assess and upgrade your attic insulation to at least R60 (ideally R80 in many Canadian climates). This is often the quickest way to dramatically cut carbon emissions from heating and cooling.
Cathedral Ceiling Insulation
If you have a roof without an attic space (like vaulted or cathedral ceilings), now is the time to add insulation from the outside, before the new roof goes on. This is much more cost-effective than trying to do it later.
Solar Panel Planning
If you're thinking about generating your own clean power, installing solar panels when you have a new roof makes sense. They have a similar lifespan (around 30 years), so you'll maximize their use.
Project: Replace Windows and Doors (~ 20 Years)
Feeling drafts? Noticing condensation? These are signs it might be time for new windows and doors. Beyond updating your home's look, choosing the right replacements offers a huge opportunity to boost your comfort and cut your home's carbon footprint.
When you're choosing replacements, think about these key features that make a real difference:
Smart Glass for All Seasons
Look for windows with Low-E coatings. These are special, invisible layers on the glass that work like a shield. In winter, they reflect your home's warmth back inside, keeping you cozy. In summer, they reflect unwanted heat from the sun away, keeping your home cooler. This means your heating and cooling systems work less, directly reducing your bills and carbon emissions.
Superior Air-Tightness
New windows and doors should fit snugly, preventing drafts. Look for designs and installation methods that minimize air leakage. Fewer drafts mean consistent temperatures inside, greater comfort, and less wasted energy escaping your home, leading to a smaller carbon footprint.
Multiple Panes and Gas Fills
Modern windows use two and three panes of glass with special gases (like Argon) sealed between them. This creates extra insulation, significantly improving how well they keep heat in or out.
Replacing windows and doors is a powerful way to improve your home's insulation, comfort, and reduce its carbon footprint.
Project: New Kitchen or Bathroom
Planning a kitchen or bathroom remodel that involves opening up walls? This is your chance to think beyond aesthetics and discover how even renovating one room can make a noticeable difference to your home's overall comfort, leading to less wasted energy, a smaller carbon footprint, and lower utility bills. It's all about maximizing your efforts while the walls are open!
Wall Insulation
While the drywall is down, consider adding insulation to your walls.
Interior facing walls - for better sound dampening, creating a quieter and more peaceful environment between rooms, especially useful for bedrooms, home offices, or media areas.
Exterior walls - to keep your room comfortable and contribute to the overall efficiency of your home.
Air Sealing from the Inside
This is a fantastic moment to address any visible air leaks around windows, doors, pipes, and electrical outlets while the walls are accessible. Every leak sealed means less wasted energy and a smaller carbon footprint.
Project: Finish or Renovate Your Basement
If you're planning on finishing or renovating your basement, this is the ideal time to add insulation to the walls and floor! Basements aren't like above-ground spaces; they require a different approach to insulation because they are surrounded by earth and cannot dry outwards.
Insulate Basement Walls
Adding insulation to your basement walls significantly reduces heat loss, making the space warmer and more comfortable, and cutting your heating-related carbon emissions. It's crucial to use the right materials and methods to prevent moisture issues, as moisture cannot easily escape through the ground.
Insulate Basement Floors
Insulating underneath your basement floor can greatly reduce cold spots, add comfort and save carbon.
Don't Forget the Rim Joists (Headers)
This is a key area where your home's foundation meets its main structure. Insulating and air sealing the rim joists in your basement is crucial for preventing drafts and heat loss, contributing significantly to your home's overall airtightness and carbon footprint reduction.
Because the building science for basements is unique, it’s essential to consult with professionals who specialize in basement insulation to ensure a healthy, mould-free, and energy-efficient space.
Project: Improve Indoor Air Quality
Whether you're renovating or not, air quality is important. If you've made your home more airtight (through DIY or professional sealing during other projects), you'll need mechanical ventilation:
Consider an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator)
An ERV is a great choice for bringing in fresh air while recovering heat (or cooling) from the outgoing air. This ensures healthy indoor air without compromising your home's energy efficiency or increasing your carbon footprint.
Consult Professionals
Get expert advice on ventilation to ensure safety and healthy air quality, if one of these applies to you
anyone in your home has respiratory issues
you have gas appliances
you're making your home airtight.
Ready to Make the Most of Your Home Renovations?
At Homes to Zero, we understand that home renovations are a big undertaking. By thinking strategically about carbon-reducing upgrades during these events, you're not just improving your home's aesthetics; you're enhancing its comfort, future-proofing its value, and taking a powerful step towards a sustainable future here in Canada.
Let's have a chat and we can help you make your renovation dollars work hardest for you!
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