As the seasons change and a new year approaches, itʼs natural to start thinking about home improvements. But true comfort goes beyond appearances—itʼs about how well your home performs. From temperature consistency to energy efficiency, the way your home manages heat and air makes all the difference. This year, invest in projects that not only make your living space more comfortable but also help you save on energy costs month after month. Here are five smart upgrades that can transform your home into a more efficient, comfortable, and cost-effective place to live.
Your attic is often a major culprit when it comes to energy loss and inconsistent indoor temperatures. Think of your home as a chimney: cold air is pulled in at the bottom, and hot air rises and escapes out of the top. Gaps and cracks in the attic floor and around penetrations (like electrical wires, plumbing pipes, and chimneys) allow conditioned air to escape from your living space into the unconditioned attic, and unconditioned air to seep in. For most homes, an estimated 20% of all the air leaks in the entire house are located in the attic. These leaks frequently occur where there are gaps around plumbing and electrical penetrations.
Even if your attic already has insulation, it may not be doing its job as well as you think. Many attics are insulated with fiberglass batts, which donʼt effectively stop air movement. For insulation to truly work, air leaks must be sealed first. In Maryland, current building codes recommend R-60 insulation levels—thatʼs nearly two feet of insulation!
The process starts with careful air sealing using materials like caulk, spray foam, and weatherstripping to close gaps and cracks where air escapes. Once those leaks are sealed, the next step is to add or upgrade your attic insulation to the proper level. Together, these improvements dramatically reduce temperature differences between rooms and floors, help your home maintain a consistent temperature, and ease the workload on your HVAC system. The result? Lower energy bills, greater comfort, and a more efficient home year-round.
Just like your car, your homeʼs heating system needs regular maintenance to run efficiently and reliably. An annual heating system tune-up, ideally performed before the start of the heating season, helps prevent costly breakdowns and extends the lifespan of your furnace or heat pump.
During a tune-up, a qualified technician will inspect and clean key components of your system. For furnaces, that means cleaning the burners and checking for carbon monoxide leaks—a critical safety step. For heat pumps, technicians clean the coils and verify that the refrigerant charge is correct, since even a small imbalance can greatly reduce efficiency. Theyʼll also replace dirty filters, check electrical connections, lubricate moving parts, and make sure your thermostat and airflow are operating properly.
Clean, well-maintained systems donʼt have to work as hard to heat your home, which means lower energy bills and more consistent comfort. Plus, routine maintenance can catch small issues before they turn into expensive repairs. Scheduling a yearly tune-up is a simple, cost-effective way to keep your home warm and your heating system performing at its best all winter long.
The crawlspace beneath your home is often out of sight—and unfortunately, out of mind—but it can be a major source of energy loss and discomfort. Many older homes have fiberglass insulation installed between the floor joists, but over time, it tends to sag or fall away, leaving gaps that allow cold air to enter. This leads to chilly floors in the winter and an overall drop in comfort. Uninsulated crawlspace walls and floors can also allow heat to escape, raise humidity levels, and create conditions that promote mold growth and pest problems.
The best way to fix these issues is with spray foam insulation, which can be applied to the underside of the floor joists or directly to the crawlspace walls. The right approach depends on whether your crawlspace contains HVAC ductwork and how it connects to the main living area of your home.
For a lasting solution, encapsulation is key. This process involves sealing all exterior vents, installing a durable vapor barrier along the crawlspace floor and walls, and insulating the walls with high-performance materials. The result is a sealed, conditioned space that keeps out moisture and outside air, stabilizes indoor temperatures, and prevents cold floors and humidity issues.
By sealing and insulating your crawlspace, youʼll enjoy a more comfortable home, better indoor air quality, and lower energy bills—all while protecting your home from the long-term effects of moisture and poor insulation.
Your homeʼs heating and cooling system depends on a network of ducts to deliver warm or cool air to every room. But if those ducts have leaks, holes, or loose connections, a significant amount of air never makes it where itʼs supposed to go. In fact, the average home loses up to 30% of conditioned air through duct leaks—wasting energy and money while making your home less comfortable.
When air escapes into unconditioned areas like attics, crawlspaces, or basements, your HVAC system has to work harder to keep up. Meanwhile, leaky ducts can also pull in dust, allergens, and other pollutants from those spaces, reducing your indoor air quality and causing uneven temperatures from room to room.
Most duct leaks are nearly impossible to fix by hand since theyʼre hidden behind walls, in ceilings, or under floors. Thatʼs where Aeroseal comes in. This innovative technology seals ductwork from the inside out. During the process, a fine mist of non-toxic sealant particles is blown through your duct system. As air escapes through leaks, the particles stick to the edges and build up until each leak is sealed. The entire process is monitored in real time, showing exactly how much leakage is reduced.
The result? Stronger airflow, more consistent temperatures, and lower energy bills. After an Aeroseal treatment, your home heats and cools more evenly, your system runs more efficiently, and your comfort improves in every room.
Before starting any major home improvement project, itʼs essential to know where your home is losing energy and why. A home energy audit is the best place to begin—itʼs like a detailed health check-up for your home. Every house is different, and an audit helps identify which improvements will have the biggest impact on your comfort, efficiency, and long-term savings.
During an audit, a certified energy professional evaluates everything in your home that affects energy use. Theyʼll inspect your attic and crawlspace insulation, check for air leaks, and assess the performance of your heating and cooling systems as well as major appliances like your water heater. One of the key steps is a blower door test, which gently depressurizes your home to measure how much air is leaking in or out. Using advanced tools, the auditor can pinpoint problem areas and recommend targeted fixes.
After the assessment, youʼll receive a detailed report outlining where your home is losing energy, which upgrades will provide the greatest return, and what kind of savings you can expect. In many cases, completing a home energy audit also qualifies you for EmPOWER Maryland rebates, which can cover up to $10,000 in upgrades for insulation, air sealing, and HVAC improvements—making your investment even more affordable.
A home energy audit gives you the information you need to make smart, cost-effective upgrades that deliver real comfort and lasting savings.
Ready to take the first step toward a more efficient, comfortable home? Visit our Get Started page to schedule your comprehensive Home Energy Audit today and receive personalized recommendations tailored to your unique home.
Ready to Make Your Home More Comfortable and Efficient?
Improving your homeʼs comfort and energy performance doesnʼt have to mean a full renovation. Small, strategic upgrades—like sealing air leaks, adding insulation, tuning up your heating system, sealing ducts with Aeroseal, and scheduling a
home energy audit—can make a dramatic difference. Together, these projects help your home maintain consistent temperatures, reduce energy waste, and lower utility bills, all while creating a healthier indoor environment for your family.
At Atlas Home Energy Solutions, we help Maryland homeowners identify and implement the improvements that matter most. From attic insulation to crawlspace encapsulation and everything in between, our certified experts use building science to make your home work smarter, not harder.
Start the new year with a home that feels better, costs less to run, and performs at its best. Visit our Get Started page today to schedule your Home Energy Audit and unlock up to $10,000 in EmPOWER Maryland rebates toward your upgrades.
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