Trying to be green!

There are several things you, as a homeowner, can do to make your home more energy efficient. Here are a few:

• Replace furnace air filters regularly.
• Insulate hot water pipes and install heat trap fittings at flex connections. Insulate the first five fee of cold line.
• Install low-flow efficient showerheads and faucet aerators.
• Install gaskets behind electric outlets and switch plates on exterior walls.
• Install programmable thermostats.
• Install do-it-yourself plastic storm windows.
• Install dimmer switches, photocells, timers and motion detectors.
• Install do-it-yourself insulated panel or cover to seal the fireplace when not in use.

An energy audit will take the guess work out of the equation to find out where and how a house is losing energy! They evaluate the efficiency of a home’s heating, cooling and electrical systems. Air leakage accounts for 30% of heating expenses, experts estimate. Sealing a home by caulking and weather stripping gaps and cracks and doors is often the first step.

One of our clients is into auditing a house and the name of his company is The Home Intelligence Agency. You can contact Brad at Young-brad@sbcglobal.net for more information on how he can help you.

If you don’t want to hire an expert for a home audit, there is a do-it-yourself energy efficiency walk-through guide at www.eere.energy.gov.