Staying GREEN Can Save Money and Increase Your Home Value

September 3. 2010 by admin.

When it comes to home improvements, staying green will not only help you save money, but will also increase the value of your home. The National Association of Realtors’ 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found that nearly 90 percent of buyers considered heating and cooling bills important, and more than 70 percent wanted high-efficiency appliances. “One of the things that we as advocates of energy efficiency have been encouraged by is a change in home buyers’ and homeowners’ attitudes towards energy efficiency,” says Kateri Callahan, the president of the Alliance to Save Energy. 

Energy Star ceiling fans are 50% more efficient than conventional fans, use less energy and make less noise.  Most of these found in stores today come with a remote control and are within the same price bracket as a non-energy efficient fan.  They feature high performance motors and improved blade design, providing better performance and longer life.  These fans can save up to $75 per year.

Sealing and insulating your home (walls, floors, doors, windows) is one of the most cost effective ways to improve energy efficiency.  Energy Star states that you can save up to 20% of your current heating and cooling costs by doing this. Seal air leaks throughout your home to stop drafts, add insulation to block heat loss in winter and heat gain in summer, and look for Energy Star windows when replacing windows.  If you don’t want to attempt these home improvements yourself you always have the option of hiring a contractor with the specific diagnostic tools that can pinpoint all the leaks.

Here is a link to the Do-It-Yourself Energy Star guide http://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/DIY_Guide_May_2008.pdf

Install a programmable thermostat so you can be in constant control over the temperature of your house.  We now have the ability to set our thermostats manually at a specific temperature or set it on a timer to go off when we leave the house and to turn back on right before we come home.  You can save up to $180 each year by using a programmable thermostat. 

 Don’t forget to change your a/c filters every 3 months; a dirty filter will cause your a/c to work harder at keeping you cool.  Keeping a clean filter can prevent expensive maintenance and possible earlier replacement of the a/c unit due to buildup of dirt and dust.

 When it comes to your home’s water heater, this can alone make up for 15-25 percent of the annual usage. Efficient water heaters are conserving energy by keeping water hot for longer than your average water heater found in homes today.  People are seeing the difference immediately in their monthly bill and within a few years the water heater has paid for itself.

 Here is a link to look for any rebates currently being offered by Energy Star in your specific area.  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=rebate.rebate_locator

Currently the government is giving up to $1500 back in tax credit through December 31, 2010 on energy efficient improvements.

http://www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm

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