Increasing The Energy Efficiency In Your Home

by Jim Carlson   |   0 Comments  |   56 Views    |   0/5 Rating   |   Print This Article
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Jun 19th, 2012
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One of the biggest types of home improvements homeowners handle today has to do with turning their homes into hubs of energy efficiency. For a minimal investment of time and money, the average homeowner can save hundreds a year in energy costs and add thousands in resell value.

The first step in energy efficiency is sealing the home properly. This means sealing with weather tape and making sure the roof, windows and vents have no leaks. You want to seal your home off to the outside elements.

Those old oil furnaces are antiquated and don't really heat that well to begin with. You should go with something that uses electricity or natural gas. Even better, you should look into your solar heating options. You might be able to heat your home adequately with zero monthly cost.

Proper windows keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Which windows to choose are typically controlled by the style of your home. In other words, a craftsman style home needs craftsman style windows, and a historic period home will need special windows to compliment that style. Many homes require more generic styles, and the possibilities are numerous. Take your time and do your homework. If you get the type of windows that the U.S. government considers green, you can even receive a nice tax rebate for the install. New windows will help you save a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills.

A tankless water heater is a water-heating system that instantly heats up cold water as it flows through the pipes. You're never wasting any water or electricity this way. Water is hot when you need it and no tank has to fill up to wait until it's needed.

If you have an old fashioned water heater, it shouldn't be set over 120 degrees. Anything over 110 burns too much electricity to heat it up, and the difference between 110 and 115 is really negligible when showering or washing clothing.

Instead of fussing with the thermostat to find the right temperature and always ending up with a room too hot or too cold, purchase and install a programmable thermostat that you can adjust in advance in order to save a lot of money on your heating and cooling bills.

Installing a skylight not only works to brighten the room up with fewer light bulbs, but you can also keep your home a lot warmer in the winter months. The temperature may be cooler outside, but the sun's rays will still provide warmth.

These types of light bulbs use 30 to 60% less electricity and they can last for years as opposed to months. This is a great long-term investment to make that will ultimately pay for itself within the first few months of usage.

Jim Carlson lives in North Carolina and writes articles on many home improvement topics. If you are considering replacement windows, visit http://replacementwindowsraleigh.net

Article Source: http://www.informationbible.com/article-increasing-the-energy-efficiency-in-your-home-212256.html

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