| Superior Home Living Real Estate for today's standards |
BIG money saving TIPS
Real estate: Value added
Cut your energy bills in half Yes, really. These five leak-plugging, warmth-trapping, efficiency-enhancing ideas could slice your home's energy usage by up to 50 percent. 
1) Upgrade your equipment
There's no getting around it: Replacing your entire heating and cooling system is a big, expensive project. But if your system is more than two decades old, the new one should easily pay for itself in three to seven years. In the long term it can save you more money than any other home improvement project. Annual savings : As much as 25% to 50% on your fuel bills. Up-front cost : $3,000 to $6,000 for a new furnace and air conditioning unit, including installation. Tax credit : $300 for central AC system; $300 for water heater; $150 for furnace or broiler (credit cannot exceed $500). Quick Fix : Air Filters (costing about $30 a year) could save you about $100 a year if you change them every three months, according to the U.S. Green Building Council. Chose a pleated model - it'll do a better job.
2) Patch leaky ducts
Even if you have the most efficient furnace and air conditioner known to man, if the ducts that funnel that precious hot air or cold air around your house are in bad shape, you'll still lose way too much energy. "Most air ducts are riddled with leaks," says physicist Max Sherman, head of the Energy Performance of Buildings Group at the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. Sherman says he's seen ducts that let a third of the air passing through the attic or basement escape. Annual savings: About 10% to 20% on your heating and cooling bills. Up-front cost: About $50 if you do it yourself; $500 to $3,000 otherwise. Quick Fix: A programmable thermostat (costing about $100) could save you about $100 a year. Models like the Honeywell Seven Day Universal Thermostat take the chill out of lowering the temp: Your house will automatically be cool when you're out or asleep, warm when you're around and conscious (and vice versa in the summer). You can easily install this little device without calling a pro, and it'll pay for itself in a year.
3) Patch leaky ducts
Even if you have the most efficient furnace and air conditioner known to man, if the ducts that funnel that precious hot air or cold air around your house are in bad shape, you'll still lose way too much energy. "Most air ducts are riddled with leaks," says physicist Max Sherman, head of the Energy Performance of Buildings Group at the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory. Sherman says he's seen ducts that let a third of the air passing through the attic or basement escape. Annual savings: About 10% to 20% on your heating and cooling bills. Up-front cost: About $50 if you do it yourself; $500 to $3,000 otherwise. Quick Fix: A programmable thermostat (costing about $100) could save you about $100 a year. Models like the Honeywell Seven Day Universal Thermostat take the chill out of lowering the temp: Your house will automatically be cool when you're out or asleep, warm when you're around and conscious (and vice versa in the summer). You can easily install this little device without calling a pro, and it'll pay for itself in a year.
4)Add insulation
Insulation wasn't standard for newly built houses until the mid-70s oil crisis. So if your home is older than that, check out your attic floor - it's the place you'd be most likely to find the stuff. None? Consider adding it to the attic and the basement. Even if there's some insulation there already, you may benefit from adding more. Annual savings: About 5% on your fuel bills (if you have some insulation already) to 25% (if you have none). Up-front cost: About $1,000 to insulate the attic and foundation yourself; about $2,000 to $4,000 for a handyman to do it. The credit: 10% of the cost of materials (credit cannot exceed $500). Quick Fix: A Smart Power Strip (costing about $30) could save you $30 per strip a year. Most electrical devices gobble energy even when they're shut off and unplugging them is a hassle. Plug in your printer, speakers and other peripherals and they'll get power only when your computer is on. Same goes for TV and stereo equipment. Each strip will pay for itself in about a year.
5) Replace old appliances
Most major appliances (such as refrigerators and dishwashers) that are more than 15 years old are major energy wasters - and likely worth ditching in favor of this year's models. No need to guess, though. See for yourself with a gizmo called Watts Up? ($100 for the standard model). Just plug any of your existing appliances into the thing, and it will calculate the machine's annual electrical consumption. Compare that number with electrical usage ratings on new products at energystar.gov and you'll know precisely whether upgrading is worth the money. Annual savings: $50 to $150 on electric bills per machine. Up-front cost: About $500 to $1,500 per machine. Quick Fix: Compact fluorescent bulbs (costing about $5 each) could save you about $5 each annually. The biggest problem with fluorescents is that their bluish light can make even the healthiest homeowner look ready for his last rites.
Quick note: I have found fluorescent bulbs that resemble
incandescent lighting. They are clearly labeled as "True"
12:13 PM - Sep. 28, 2007 - comments {0} - post comment
|
Description Home User Profile Archives Blog Manager Recent Entries - Commissions - BIG money saving TIPS - Do's and dont's for fending off foreclosure - Schumer Bill - Recreation in Connecticut CategoriesArchived News ArticlesMarket Trends in Connecticut Market Time How do I sell my house CT Town Profiles What to ask an agent Buyers Department Sellers Department CT Economic Digest Dining in Connecticut Places to go in Connecticut Foreclosure TIPS around your house Instant Message Setup Favorite LinksCT MLS SystemSuperior Home Living Realty Price my Home - Free CMA Real Estate Blog Directory CT Real Estate News |