Making Your Home Greener
Going green and saving money go hand in hand. The more energy you save, the lower your bills. Let’s take a look at some of the things that you can do to make your home greener and save money.
Add Insulation
Many homeowners are quite good at insulating the sides of the home, while forgetting that the house is a three-dimensional space with an upand-down component. Adding spray-foam insulation around the extremities of the home, i.e., the attic and the basement, will stop climate control leakage at the source— through the ground and into the air. A single layer of spray foam in the attic and the basement can help regulate the temperature of the entire house. The blockage will stop hot air from entering the climate-controlled environment and stop cooler air from leaving.
Install Low-e Windows
Door and window openings create opportunities for indoor air to escape, especially if the materials around the openings have been warped through expansion and condensation when the seasons change. Low-emissivity glass windows help to alleviate this problem, providing the same kind of extra protection that a layer of spray foam gives to the basement and the attic of a home.
Use ENERGY STAR® Appliances
Appliances that have the ENERGY STAR® stamp of approval have been vetted as low emission appliances. You may be able to take advantage of federal tax breaks for installing Energy Star appliances on top of the day-to-day savings that come from using fewer resources.
Use Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent bulbs use around 75% less energy than most other types of lighting. They also last around 10 times longer. For instance, a 23-watt compact fluorescent bulb gives you the same amount of performance as a 100-watt incandescent bulb while saving you $30 in energy costs. Multiply that by every light bulb in your home and that’s a considerable yearly savings.
Thinking of making a move? Contact an ARC agent to help with your transition.
