Talking About Green

An extremely hot or cold house and high energy bills are ordinary problems for homeowners. To over come these problems a quality installation for heating or air conditioning system or replacement of windows is required.
Home Performance with ENERGY STAR gives a whole-house move towards improving the energy efficiency, reduce the bills and comfort at home.
During crisis times, you want the ways to cut costs wherever you can. One way is by reducing the total energy you are using. It is not a time to focus on a particular factor, such as drafty windows, an old air conditioning system, or leaky ductwork but you have to evaluate how improvements to other factor can work together to give:
• Fewer drafts.
• Consistent temperature distribution across rooms.
• Better humidity control.
• Proper ventilation.
• Lower utility bills.
Most of the energy losses are due to air leaks in homes. Blocking and sealing air leaks will increase the overall efficiency of your home. With air sealing, you have to installed insulation in your home. Properly installed insulation in walls, floors, and attics gives more even temperatures throughout the house and results in a more comfortable living environment.
If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10 years old, then replace it with ENERGY STAR label. Installed correctly, these high-efficiency units can save up to 20% on heating and cooling costs. A properly-sized unit will make your home more comfortable by providing more constant temperatures and better moisture control.
Most homes have leaky ductwork and insufficient air flow. You are suggested to seal your house ducts with mastic, metal tape and balance the duct system to allow the flow of air flow to all rooms.
Energy used for lighting and appliances can hold half of your home’s utility bill. For energy efficient home use ENERGY STAR home appliances.
Some energy consuming things like leaving a cell phone charger plugged in, even when we are not using go ignored, it still uses energy. Another hidden energy drain is lighting, which holds about 10% of an electric bill. To overcome this problem switch to CFL light bulbs, which consume less energy than standard bulbs.