A GUIDE TO HOME ENERGY SAVING
STRATEGIES (Part 2 of 3)
Here are some more energy-saving tips to keep your
utility bills low while increasing your home comfort.
4. I'm pretty used to the fact that whenever I
praise the benefits of good windows, I'm going to get a lot of emails
telling me what a poor financial idea this is. While good windows are
really not terribly expensive, they get costly because of the number
of windows in your home. But good windows help stop drafts and keep
your home more comfortable while keeping out unwanted noise, pests and
air pollution. When you realize that your home's doors and windows are
like a hole in the envelope protecting your home, you can see that
good windows and window frames are one of the best investments a
homeowner can make. Today's efficient windows with low-emissivity
coatings, various types of gases between the panes, and other features
will not only save money and energy, but can also allow you to use
smaller and cheaper heating and cooling equipment.
5. Take advantage of natural daylight whenever you
can. It's healthy and offers great psychological benefits. You'll
enjoy high-quality daytime light in your home, good visual comfort,
and reduced problems from glare and overheating, all while replacing
daytime electric lighting. Use light-colored walls, ceilings and
furnishing to help bounce the natural light further into the rooms.
Just be sure you use blinds, drapes or shades to control the light
coming in so it's there when you want it but it stays out when you
don't.
6. When buying a new home, having a professional
energy auditor do an inspection can help you identify ways to save
energy and enjoy lower utility bills. Most people get a home
inspection to find out if there are structural or mechanical problems
in the house, but the additional energy inspection can be just as
valuable when you consider how much you'll be paying for utility costs
every single month you live there.
7. Buying a new appliance like a refrigerator when
your current one is still working might not seem to be a fiscally
smart idea, but older appliances use a lot more energy than today's
models do. If your refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer or other
major home appliance is around 15 or more years old, then a newer
model will pay back its purchase price and give you considerable
energy savings over its lifetime.
8. Landscaping can do much more than just enhance
the appearance of your home. It can block the hot summer sun and
provide shade and lower the temperatures around your home, help allow
cross-ventilation through the house, and channel the winter winds
away.
9. Don't forget about the ducts. It's been estimated
that more than a third of your heated and cooled air never reaches the
rooms where you'd like to use it. Over time, ducts can tear or
separate and allow your heated and cooled air to escape into the attic
or basement while bringing dust, mold and other pollutants indoors.
Leaky ducts can depressurize your home and allow outdoor air and
potential combustion materials to get inside. Frankly, poorly sealed
ducts can wipe out the total energy savings you'd otherwise be getting
from all the other energy improvements you have done. Ducts that are
tightly sealed will let you enjoy more consistent indoor comfort,
better air quality, and lower utility bills. Well-sealed ducts also
help keep out dust, mold, mildew, pests, pollen and fumes that can
otherwise get into your home through unwanted leaks in ductwork.
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