Energy check ups

Give your home a green star, an Energy Star.  With all the talk of going green, of saving money on costly energy bills, it's time to put your home through an energy check up.

Your local energy companies and several government sources offer excellent web based DIY tools to audit your home's energy use. Look around your home. Do you need to evaluate your energy consumption? If your bills are higher than you prefer, you may be compromising comfort for cost. There is value in energy efficient upgrades that far exceeds the basic lowering of your electric bill.

Take a tour. Make a checklist of the basics. Do you have the recommended amount of insulation in your attic and walls? Adequate insulation, as recommended by geographic area, can save as much as 30% of current energy use. Could drafty areas be improved with new floor treatments? New carpet and baseboards seal air leaks at the floor level preventing cold drafts. Are doors and windows sealing tight? Caulking and weather stripping are a quick and effective fix.

Do you have a damp basement, mold, or mildew smell? Migrating moisture due to unseen air leaks or poor air flow can lead to health problems, structural issues and even severe damage.

Notice excess dust? Outdated windows, problems with air vents and even dirty air filters can affect the amount of pollutants in your home's environment. Remedy these simple problems and improve the comfort level. Drafty windows or air currents coming through improperly installed doors can wreck havoc on your cooling system's effectiveness.

Older appliances, heating and air cooling units add to operating costs. Upgrading to energy efficient units will pay for themselves in savings while benefiting your family with improved effectiveness. Turn down your water heater. A few degrees lower costs less to operate while still providing adequate hot water. Upgrade to a tankless water heater and eliminate the constant reheating.

Landscaping is an often overlooked area for energy savings. Properly placed trees and shrubs help protect a home against the brutal summer sun and harsh winter winds. Use of patio additions and planning of any concrete areas add to your home's aesthetics and landscaping improves the overall atmospheric condition inside.

Consider your window treatments as effective climate control. Winter brings the need to let outside light in, and utilize the benefits of solar heating. You can help an older cooling system with curtains and shade that keep out the sun and keep in the cool. Maximize the efficiency of newer systems with afternoon shades on the home's sunny side.

Check your venting. Is your clothes dryer properly vented? Is your range hood effectively venting the heat that would compound the work of your cooling system?  Are you losing ground because of mail chutes, cracks in your brick or stucco, or where lines and cables enter your home? Is your fireplace damper closed? Unless being used, a fireplace becomes a vent for precious conditioned air heated or cooled.

Once you have determined your needs, a professional contractor can help turn your home into an Energy Star. Proper installation is critical to the effectiveness of new windows, floors, insulation, structural corrections and upgrades. An Energy Star home is a beautiful home when you utilize a design professional to integrate efficiency, comfort and functionality.

Let us help you design a new energy efficient vision for your home incorporating grace and elegance. Our professional services can help you identify energy losses and create opportunities of improvement in your home while decreasing your cost of living.

Bobby Sanders is a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR) with an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.

The CGR designation requires that graduates meet prescribed standards of business practice, possess a minimum of five years remodeling industry experience, have a proven track record of  successful project management, complete a comprehensive education curriculum, and pledge to uphold the program's code of ethics.

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