If you're like a lot of homeowners, you've been thinking for a while that you need to improve the energy efficiency of your house. When meeting with me, clients are always bringing up energy costs and ways of improving efficiency. Clearly it's on a lot of people's minds. With the current economic climate, many people are concerned about saving money. In addition, there has also been enhanced awareness about going green and reducing your carbon footprint. Fortunately there's a lot of information available about how to improve your home's energy efficiency.
If you want to take advantage of the sun's energy it doesn't mean you have to have solar panels on your roof. Using passive solar design principles, your whole house can be designed in such a way that the sun helps to heat and light your house – without the use of panels, fans, or other mechanical equipment. You can reduce your energy costs because you're using the sun as a source of free energy.
The heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system in your house represents the biggest chunk – up to 44% – of your utility bill. In addition, HVAC-related carbon dioxide emissions amount to 150 million tons a year. So if you want to reduce your carbon footprint and decrease your energy costs, the HVAC system is a great place to start. By implementing energy-efficient HVAC practices and replacing your system with a more efficient one, you can reduce your energy costs by 20 to 50%.
If you have an older home, you may find that your windows leak and let in cold air in the wintertime. Older windows can also be hard to open, dirty, warped, or inconvenient in other ways. The question is: are replacement windows worth it? Although windows can be costly, new windows will almost certainly reduce your energy bills and increase the comfort in your home.
Lighting accounts for 25 to 33 percent of a household's annual electricity bill; fortunately, reducing lighting costs is as easy as changing a light bulb. There are two kinds of energy-efficient light bulbs, which use as much as 75 percent less electricity than traditional incandescents – and your bulb will last much longer. The energy-efficient bulbs save energy, reduce your bills, and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. Using timers and occupancy sensors with the bulbs will save even more energy and extend the life of your bulbs.
Energy Star is a term you hear mentioned a lot when you're buying many different products, but what exactly does the term mean and who runs the program? Below are some useful facts about the Energy Star program.
If you're looking to cut your energy bills and go green, one thing to consider is getting a more energy-efficient water heater. Conventional water heaters – especially older ones – can be very inefficient, so it is easy to save money with a replacement.
What is a Cool Roof? Usually light in color, a cool roof reflects the sun's heat rather than absorbing it, as dark roofs do. It creates the same effect as wearing light colored clothing to keep you cooler in the summer when dark colors make you hotter. White surfaces reflect more than half of the solar radiation while dark surfaces absorb most of it. There are a number of advantages to a cool roof.
A drafty house can be cold and uncomfortable, and it is almost certainly costing you more in energy costs than you need to pay. Sealing cracks that let in drafts can save you as much as 25% on your energy bills and often is not a very expensive proposition.
When people hear the words "earth-sheltered home," they often envision a dark, damp cave. However, today's technology allows homeowners to built light and airy homes that are surrounded by earth on one, two, or three sides. There are some substantial advantages in building an earth-sheltered home.
