Six Steps to a More Energy Efficient Home

While the winter months are still upon us here in Michigan, heating bills are high. To reduce the costs, there are six easy steps that a home owner can take. And making energy efficient changes to a home can not only benefit an owner now, but in the future if the desicion to sell is made.

1. Low Emissive Windows- these windows are made from low-E glass, which has a metallic coating on the inside of the insulating glass unit. This lowers the glass’s ability to transfer heat, reflects UV rays and saves energy. When replacing single pane windows, there is the potential to save up to $450 a year (depending on how many windows are in the home and how warm/cold the weather has been).
2. Appliances-Typically 20% of energy costs are used up by appliances. And even if the initial price of an appliance is less, the long term cost may be more because of it using more electricity and water. Energy Star appliances can save up to 50% on bills compared to older, standard models.
3. Seal & Insulate- A lot of air can escape a home through various cracks and holes. Caulking and patching these leaks can save a lot on heating and cooling costs. For more information, check out http://sealyourhome.info/homedepot/projectpages/FindAirLeaks.aspx. Installing insulation in the attic space of a home can also keep heat trapped in the home, preventing it from escaping.
4. Lightbulbs- CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs) use up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than Incandescent bulbs. Changing the bulbs in your home will be slightly more upfront, but the lightbulbs will pay for themselves in savings within a year.
5. Heating & Cooling- Programmable thermostats can save up to 33% on heating and cooling costs, because they keep the temperature from varying too greatly and a home owner needing to manually make the temperature suddenly rise and using a larger amount of energy.
6.  Tankless Water Heaters- Tankless water heaters operate at a 98% efficiency rating, compared to 80% of standard water heaters, so an improvement of 18% can make a big difference in energy costs. Another benefit of tankless water heaters is that they are significantly smaller, so they use less space in the home.

For more information on these energy efficient ideas, check out http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/index.html