When your utility bills keep going up and your appliances keep getting older, you know that your home is not as energy efficient as you would like it to be. It is to your best interests to maintain a "green" home that uses energy efficiently. Improving your rating will result in significant savings on monthly utility bills and reduce environmental pollution.
Understand Ratings
Newer appliances and equipment are designed to save energy. However, some products are more energy-efficient than others. Knowing how to interpret energy ratings will help you choose products that will save you more energy dollars in the long run.
Products with the Energy Star label exceed the energy consumption standards set by the federal government. They may also come with energy-saving features. Thus, an Energy Star product is energy efficient.
Refrigerators and freezers are labeled with the number of kilowatt-hours of electricity the appliance uses in one year of operation. A smaller number means the appliance is more efficient.
For central air conditioners, the SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating) measures its efficiency. The higher the number the more efficient it is. You want a unit with a SEER of 12 or more.
Room air conditioners are rated with EER (Energy Efficiency Rating). Look for a unit with higher EER.
Washing machines and dishwashers are rated with an EF or energy factor, the number of cycles that can be completed using 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity. You want a washing machine with an EF of at least 2.5, and a dishwasher with an EF of 0.52 or greater.
How To Improve Your Rating
Home improvement projects to enhance the efficiency rating of your home can save money on utility bills. Prioritize your projects and prepare a budget so that you will know where to begin.
You can undertake the following home improvement tasks to save energy at home:
1. Insulation: Reduce energy waste with proper insulation. About half of the average household's energy demand is for heating and cooling. Stop air leakage and add new insulation to reduce your utility bill dramatically.
2. Install energy efficient windows and doors. Double or triple glazed windows can increase home efficiency at a more affordable cost than a major home renovation. Weather strip doors to eliminate drafts and create an air seal.
3. Heating, ventilation and cooling systems today are more efficient. Keep your HVAC system well maintained to improve efficiency. If it's time to replace your heating or cooling unit, you will benefit from the newer systems that use less energy to do the same amount of heating or cooling.
4. Practice good energy conservation habits. Turn off lights when not needed. Lower the thermostat one or two degrees. These practices may not seem like much but they will help boost the energy efficiency rating of your home.
Jumat, 28 Juli 2017
Sabtu, 15 Juli 2017
A Step By Step Guided Plan To An Energy Efficient Home Saving You Thousands
You need a plan to prepare for your future, your energy future that is. Energy Efficient Homes are the hot commodity amongst real estate professionals, designers and builders these days - but why? The short answer is that these homes will SAVE you tons of money. The amount of money you're going to save through implementing energy efficient home strategies is staggering and will only grow as energy prices continue to rise to an all time high.
There has never been a more crucial time to gain the maximum benefit you can for your wallet and home. These simple techniques coupled with an organized, well thought out approach will provide you a road map for the savings you're seeking. If you're tired of increasing energy bills and can't seem to find a better way to save some green then going green will accomplish your goals and provide a healthier home for you and your family - Not to mention the increased equity you'll get from making minor but substantial improvements. So how do you achieve an energy efficient home, providing savings, health, and peace of mind?
An energy efficient home can be summed up into 7 simple steps and strategies. Through programs which teach these simple techniques in great detail you can gain the competitive advantage and get on track to your energy goals. Distinguish yourself as the most energy efficient home on the block! Ok, to get to it. The first step towards saving money every month is:
STEP 1 - YOU Must Commit To Continuing Improvement.
The behavior of you and your family is one of the single most important aspects of saving energy at home. In our Americanized view of, "bigger is better" and "more baby more", we can have a hard time grappling the concept of conscious conservation. The good news is this can become FUN! Imagine playing games with your kids, spending quality bonding time, finding more creative ways to save Energy, use less and teach them great life lessons in frugality! People who really see the financial returns from their home performance continue to strive to achieve higher and better performance with regular assessment of their homes energy performance, creating a breeding ground for savings and a healthier environment. Commitment is the key here. Without it, you'll never get anywhere. Are you committed to saving money, energy, and creating a better world?
STEP 2: Understanding Where You Are At
In order to know where you want to go you must know where you are. Many home owners bock at this not wanting to pick up the phone or pay a few bucks for a professional energy audit to be done on their future energy efficient home, but I assure you it will be a growing and learning experience. An energy audit will allow you to identify where you can best allocate your resources to gain the maximum amount of savings, putting your hard earned money to work for you. Also, and energy audit will give you a baseline where you can measure your homes energy efficiency and performance once you get on track to your energy efficient home goals.
STEP 3: What Are Your Energy Goals?
In order to achieve a performing energy efficient home which will save you money you need to have clearly laid out goals and how you will achieve them. Not to sound like another self help book (I read a lot of them!) but truth is truth. You need to know where you are, where you're going and have a plan to get you there. The alternative, floating in space hoping that electric bill miraculously goes down by $200 in the spring - not likely. Yet again here is another opportunity to bring the family closer together and motivate everyone to achieve the energy goals.
STEP 4: Creating Your Plan
As an Architect I work a lot with plans - as you might guess. We don't go build the building and hope it works out! There is preparation and a laid out plan to get the end result. So decide what you are going to do to achieve your goals. How are you going to do it? Who is going to do what? Get the family involved and realize it's easier than you imagine - you just need to get going and momentum along with an action plan will get you saving money sooner than you think.
STEP 5: Execute Your Plan
This is where your energy efficient home is made - in the execution. A lot of people start things all the time, but the gold goes to those who see the plan through and play like champions to the final buzzer. Get your family motivated, set weekly energy goals or habits, get creative and make it happen.
STEP 6: Take A Look In Your Review Mirror.
We're all familiar will evaluations. Evaluations in your job are the most common but you need to do the same in your energy efficient home. You're going to gain so much insight with the evaluation process in the form of knowledge on how to keep gaining the most you can in savings with your home. Opportunities for further savings will come out of unexpected places and create new revenue streams to be saved, invested, or heck, take the family out to a fancy dinner and movie! This brings me to my final point...
STEP 7 - Reward Your Accomplishments
You finally did it. You're sitting in your energy efficient home with a smile on your face and a little fatter wallet. Take those extra family holidays or save more for an earlier retirement, all the while knowing you are doing your part to save the only resource we all share, but take for granted - our planet. The bottom line is you CAN have an energy efficient home and it is only up to you. With so many great books, eBooks, articles, companies and industries aimed at helping you get to your energy efficient home goals you won't have any trouble if you stick to the plan. I'm here to help you. Post a comment below and let me know what you struggle with in achieving your home energy efficient Goals
To Saving Money and Energy!
There has never been a more crucial time to gain the maximum benefit you can for your wallet and home. These simple techniques coupled with an organized, well thought out approach will provide you a road map for the savings you're seeking. If you're tired of increasing energy bills and can't seem to find a better way to save some green then going green will accomplish your goals and provide a healthier home for you and your family - Not to mention the increased equity you'll get from making minor but substantial improvements. So how do you achieve an energy efficient home, providing savings, health, and peace of mind?
An energy efficient home can be summed up into 7 simple steps and strategies. Through programs which teach these simple techniques in great detail you can gain the competitive advantage and get on track to your energy goals. Distinguish yourself as the most energy efficient home on the block! Ok, to get to it. The first step towards saving money every month is:
STEP 1 - YOU Must Commit To Continuing Improvement.
The behavior of you and your family is one of the single most important aspects of saving energy at home. In our Americanized view of, "bigger is better" and "more baby more", we can have a hard time grappling the concept of conscious conservation. The good news is this can become FUN! Imagine playing games with your kids, spending quality bonding time, finding more creative ways to save Energy, use less and teach them great life lessons in frugality! People who really see the financial returns from their home performance continue to strive to achieve higher and better performance with regular assessment of their homes energy performance, creating a breeding ground for savings and a healthier environment. Commitment is the key here. Without it, you'll never get anywhere. Are you committed to saving money, energy, and creating a better world?
STEP 2: Understanding Where You Are At
In order to know where you want to go you must know where you are. Many home owners bock at this not wanting to pick up the phone or pay a few bucks for a professional energy audit to be done on their future energy efficient home, but I assure you it will be a growing and learning experience. An energy audit will allow you to identify where you can best allocate your resources to gain the maximum amount of savings, putting your hard earned money to work for you. Also, and energy audit will give you a baseline where you can measure your homes energy efficiency and performance once you get on track to your energy efficient home goals.
STEP 3: What Are Your Energy Goals?
In order to achieve a performing energy efficient home which will save you money you need to have clearly laid out goals and how you will achieve them. Not to sound like another self help book (I read a lot of them!) but truth is truth. You need to know where you are, where you're going and have a plan to get you there. The alternative, floating in space hoping that electric bill miraculously goes down by $200 in the spring - not likely. Yet again here is another opportunity to bring the family closer together and motivate everyone to achieve the energy goals.
STEP 4: Creating Your Plan
As an Architect I work a lot with plans - as you might guess. We don't go build the building and hope it works out! There is preparation and a laid out plan to get the end result. So decide what you are going to do to achieve your goals. How are you going to do it? Who is going to do what? Get the family involved and realize it's easier than you imagine - you just need to get going and momentum along with an action plan will get you saving money sooner than you think.
STEP 5: Execute Your Plan
This is where your energy efficient home is made - in the execution. A lot of people start things all the time, but the gold goes to those who see the plan through and play like champions to the final buzzer. Get your family motivated, set weekly energy goals or habits, get creative and make it happen.
STEP 6: Take A Look In Your Review Mirror.
We're all familiar will evaluations. Evaluations in your job are the most common but you need to do the same in your energy efficient home. You're going to gain so much insight with the evaluation process in the form of knowledge on how to keep gaining the most you can in savings with your home. Opportunities for further savings will come out of unexpected places and create new revenue streams to be saved, invested, or heck, take the family out to a fancy dinner and movie! This brings me to my final point...
STEP 7 - Reward Your Accomplishments
You finally did it. You're sitting in your energy efficient home with a smile on your face and a little fatter wallet. Take those extra family holidays or save more for an earlier retirement, all the while knowing you are doing your part to save the only resource we all share, but take for granted - our planet. The bottom line is you CAN have an energy efficient home and it is only up to you. With so many great books, eBooks, articles, companies and industries aimed at helping you get to your energy efficient home goals you won't have any trouble if you stick to the plan. I'm here to help you. Post a comment below and let me know what you struggle with in achieving your home energy efficient Goals
To Saving Money and Energy!
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