Do You Want An Efficient CPA?

Harvey M Sachs, PhD and director of the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy came up with the following 9 methods that a home owner can utilize in order to become more efficient.

1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated. When one has insulation properly installed, it can dramaticallyslow the rate that heat leaves the house. If your walls are already insulated, this does not usually present a problem. However, in homes where walls have not been insulated properly and instead have cavities where hot air can leak out, it would be prudent to look into blown-in insulation to fill up those empty spaces.

2. Upgrade or replace windows. Often times, in older houses, windows can have a tendency to "leak." When you begin to think about replacing them, it is best to look into those windows with an Energy Star rating. However, do not go out and purchase windows just in the attempt to be more energy efficient. Because windows account for less than fifteen percent of heat loss, it would be wiser to look into other areas to become more efficient.

3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around the house. One way to combat the presence of poor insulation within walls and windows is to plant greenery. The benefits of trees and shrubs are twofold. Not only do they block the sun's hot rays in the summer with the foliage, they allow these same rays through in the winter due the barren branches on the plants.

4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system. Furnaces built prior to 1992 may be wasting an unbelievable thirty-five percent of the fuel used. There are updated furnaces on the market that will waste ten percent or less of the fuel used. The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) may be determined through the aid of a heating service technician or energy auditor.

5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system. The first step is to turn the setting on the hot water heater down to warm, which is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, insulate hot water lines, reducing their ability to cool in between uses. The use of low-flow fixtures will increase efficiency when used for showers and baths. Rather than replacing a perfectly good hot water heater, try the above steps.

Steps 6 through 9 will be discussed in the next article... so stay tuned!

How to make your home more energy efficient

Modern homes are much more efficient than they were 30 years ago, but there is still much more that can be done. Many of us could save 20-30% on our energy bills through improvements such as the purchasing of more energy efficient appliances, sealing air and duct leaks, and adding loft and cavity wall insulation.

Preparing your heating for the winter
Winter is the season when we consume the greatest amount of energy, mainly for the purposes of keeping warm. Having your central heating system serviced before winter will help. You can also vacuum out the vents and other heating apparatus. And consider having a setback thermostat fitted. It regulates the temperature, allowing the home to be less warm when you are away or asleep.

Seal gaps around doors and windows.
Put in weather stripping around doors and windows and caulk gaps where necessary. A large amount of heat is wasted through doors and windows not being sealed correctly.

Seal any other leaks
Use caulking and weather stripping around entry points for all pipes and ducts that travel through an external wall.

Check the fireplace.
Take time to check the chimney to make sure it is clear of leaves and nests built by birds or squirrels.

Inspect your insulation
Check out your roof. One of the most efficient ways to save on heating is to have sufficient loft insulation. If you don't know how to tell, look for your ceiling joists. If you can see them, you need more lagging.

Keep your hot water hot
It costs about 14% of your overall bill to heat your water. Wrapping an insulation blanket around your water heater, insulating your water pipes and considering the installation of a timer on all electric water heaters can save you money. And you could turn the direction of heating vents from up to down because hot air always rises.

It is important that we all make our homes more energy efficient for future generations and ourselves. Conserving energy just makes sense. Saving energy equals saving money..

Energy efficiency and energy conservation is important all year round. And it begins with us.

Today’s home buyers increasingly prefer energy efficient homes and condos. An energy efficient home or condo not only contributes toward cutting your utility bill, but can also increase the value of your property.

Many features go into making a home energy efficient. Energy efficient products are available for almost every part of a house such as the plumbing system, water heating system, appliances, air conditioning, electrical system, roofing materials, windows, insulation, etc.

So where do you start to learn about ways to make your home or condo more energy efficient? Start with an Internet search. There are numerous web-based tools for home owners to help you calculate the power consumed by the various appliances and systems in a home. Armed with information from these sites, you will know exactly the steps to take in order to make your home more energy efficient.

Here are a few things you can implement now to make your home more energy efficient.

1. Improve insulation of attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and heating ducts.

2. Use energy recovery ventilators.

3. Install solar power systems.

4. Block air leaks from holes or cracks in walls, doors, windows, etc.

5. Use lighting control systems such as occupancy sensors, timers and dimmers.

6. Keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use.

7. Install a programmable thermostat to change the settings automatically.

8. Test your ducts for air leakage.

9. Provide shading for the air conditioning condenser.

10. Wrap the water heater with a thermal blanket.

An Engery efficient home helps almost everyone. Prospective home buyers benefit from buying properties that have lower utility costs. Sellers may be able to charge a premium for homes that are energy efficient. And society benefits because there is less utilization of scarce energy resources.

If you are considering buying a home, condo, or any other type of real estate, seek out the services of a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about energy efficient homes. This agent should be able to help you find a home that not only meets your housing needs, but also offers the benefits of energy-efficiency.

Today’s home buyers increasingly prefer energy efficient homes and condos. An energy efficient home or condo not only contributes toward cutting your utility bill, but can also increase the value of your property.

Many features go into making a home energy efficient. Energy efficient products are available for almost every part of a house such as the plumbing system, water heating system, appliances, air conditioning, electrical system, roofing materials, windows, insulation, etc.

So where do you start to learn about ways to make your home or condo more energy efficient? Start with an Internet search. There are numerous web-based tools for home owners to help you calculate the power consumed by the various appliances and systems in a home. Armed with information from these sites, you will know exactly the steps to take in order to make your home more energy efficient.

Here are a few things you can implement now to make your home more energy efficient.

1. Improve insulation of attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and heating ducts.

2. Use energy recovery ventilators.

3. Install solar power systems.

4. Block air leaks from holes or cracks in walls, doors, windows, etc.

5. Use lighting control systems such as occupancy sensors, timers and dimmers.

6. Keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use.

7. Install a programmable thermostat to change the settings automatically.

8. Test your ducts for air leakage.

9. Provide shading for the air conditioning condenser.

10. Wrap the water heater with a thermal blanket.

An Engery efficient home helps almost everyone. Prospective home buyers benefit from buying properties that have lower utility costs. Sellers may be able to charge a premium for homes that are energy efficient. And society benefits because there is less utilization of scarce energy resources.

If you are considering buying a home, condo, or any other type of real estate, seek out the services of a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about energy efficient homes. This agent should be able to help you find a home that not only meets your housing needs, but also offers the benefits of energy-efficiency.

Harvey M Sachs, PhD and director of the Buildings Program at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy came up with the following 9 methods that a home owner can utilize in order to become more efficient.

1. Make sure your walls and attic are well insulated. When one has insulation properly installed, it can dramaticallyslow the rate that heat leaves the house. If your walls are already insulated, this does not usually present a problem. However, in homes where walls have not been insulated properly and instead have cavities where hot air can leak out, it would be prudent to look into blown-in insulation to fill up those empty spaces.

2. Upgrade or replace windows. Often times, in older houses, windows can have a tendency to "leak." When you begin to think about replacing them, it is best to look into those windows with an Energy Star rating. However, do not go out and purchase windows just in the attempt to be more energy efficient. Because windows account for less than fifteen percent of heat loss, it would be wiser to look into other areas to become more efficient.

3. Plant shade trees and shrubs around the house. One way to combat the presence of poor insulation within walls and windows is to plant greenery. The benefits of trees and shrubs are twofold. Not only do they block the sun's hot rays in the summer with the foliage, they allow these same rays through in the winter due the barren branches on the plants.

4. Replace an older furnace with a high-efficiency system. Furnaces built prior to 1992 may be wasting an unbelievable thirty-five percent of the fuel used. There are updated furnaces on the market that will waste ten percent or less of the fuel used. The annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) may be determined through the aid of a heating service technician or energy auditor.

5. Improve the efficiency of your hot water system. The first step is to turn the setting on the hot water heater down to warm, which is 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, insulate hot water lines, reducing their ability to cool in between uses. The use of low-flow fixtures will increase efficiency when used for showers and baths. Rather than replacing a perfectly good hot water heater, try the above steps.

Steps 6 through 9 will be discussed in the next article... so stay tuned!

How to make your home more energy efficient

Modern homes are much more efficient than they were 30 years ago, but there is still much more that can be done. Many of us could save 20-30% on our energy bills through improvements such as the purchasing of more energy efficient appliances, sealing air and duct leaks, and adding loft and cavity wall insulation.

Preparing your heating for the winter
Winter is the season when we consume the greatest amount of energy, mainly for the purposes of keeping warm. Having your central heating system serviced before winter will help. You can also vacuum out the vents and other heating apparatus. And consider having a setback thermostat fitted. It regulates the temperature, allowing the home to be less warm when you are away or asleep.

Seal gaps around doors and windows.
Put in weather stripping around doors and windows and caulk gaps where necessary. A large amount of heat is wasted through doors and windows not being sealed correctly.
To learn more about saving energy at home, energy efficiency, and energy saving visit our electricity and gas company.

Seal any other leaks
Use caulking and weather stripping around entry points for all pipes and ducts that travel through an external wall.

Check the fireplace.
Take time to check the chimney to make sure it is clear of leaves and nests built by birds or squirrels.

Inspect your insulation
Check out your roof. One of the most efficient ways to save on heating is to have sufficient loft insulation. If you don't know how to tell, look for your ceiling joists. If you can see them, you need more lagging.

Keep your hot water hot
It costs about 14% of your overall bill to heat your water. Wrapping an insulation blanket around your water heater, insulating your water pipes and considering the installation of a timer on all electric water heaters can save you money. And you could turn the direction of heating vents from up to down because hot air always rises.

It is important that we all make our homes more energy efficient for future generations and ourselves. Conserving energy just makes sense. Saving energy equals saving money..

Energy efficiency and energy conservation is important all year round. And it begins with us.

Today's home buyers increasingly prefer energy efficient homes and condos. An energy efficient home or condo not only contributes toward cutting your utility bill, but can also increase the value of your property.

Many features go into making a home energy efficient. Energy efficient products are available for almost every part of a house such as the plumbing system, water heating system, appliances, air conditioning, electrical system, roofing materials, windows, insulation, etc.

So where do you start to learn about ways to make your home or condo more energy efficient? Start with an Internet search. There are numerous web-based tools for home owners to help you calculate the power consumed by the various appliances and systems in a home. Armed with information from these sites, you will know exactly the steps to take in order to make your home more energy efficient.

Here are a few things you can implement now to make your home more energy efficient.

1. Improve insulation of attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and heating ducts.

2. Use energy recovery ventilators.

3. Install solar power systems.

4. Block air leaks from holes or cracks in walls, doors, windows, etc.

5. Use lighting control systems such as occupancy sensors, timers and dimmers.

6. Keep the fireplace damper closed when not in use.

7. Install a programmable thermostat to change the settings automatically.

8. Test your ducts for air leakage.

9. Provide shading for the air conditioning condenser.

10. Wrap the water heater with a thermal blanket.

An Engery efficient home helps almost everyone. Prospective home buyers benefit from buying properties that have lower utility costs. Sellers may be able to charge a premium for homes that are energy efficient. And society benefits because there is less utilization of scarce energy resources.

If you are considering buying a home, condo, or any other type of real estate, seek out the services of a real estate agent who is knowledgeable about energy efficient homes. This agent should be able to help you find a home that not only meets your housing needs, but also offers the benefits of energy-efficiency.