Monday, April 25 2011
a happy home
Did you know that a typical U.S. home emits more carbon dioxide than two average cars? Or that the average U.S. household spends $1,900 per year on utility bills? Earth Day is just around the corner, and serves as a great reminder to consider new ways to become more eco-friendly. Below, tips for your home that will benefit the earth and your wallet.
Start with heating and cooling
Heating and cooling systems drain more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Consider programmable thermostats, upgrades to current equipment, regular replacement of filters, and drawing the shades on your windows to save energy use and cost.
Address leaks
Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, basement walls, floors and crawl spaces to increase the comfort of your home while reducing heating and cooling needs.
Watch your watts
Changes to your lighting are one of the most immediate ways to reduce energy costs. Use energy-efficient bulbs and consider occupancy sensors, dimmers and timers for high-use areas such as the kitchen, living room and outside.
Monitor appliance consumption
Shop for new appliances with two price tags in mind: the initial cost of the appliance itself, and what it will cost you to operate that machine over its lifetime.
Want to start conserving but don’t know where to start? Here’s a simple guide to the steps you should take to maximize energy and cost savings.
1. Find out which appliances or areas of your home use the most energy. This can be done with your utility company, or you can do an audit yourself.
2. Compare your current energy costs with your
areas of greatest energy loss. Determine your energy efficiency investment solution and how long it will take to pay off in the long term.
3. Weigh factors such as “How long will I be in my home,” “Does the work require a contractor?” and “What is my budget and how much do I have for maintenance and repair?” before developing
a plan.
Learn more about smart energy conservation by visiting www.energysavers.gov
WARRANTY WISDOM
Home service agreements give you the assurance that there is someone to help at any time with problems on covered items. A HomeTrust home service agreement gives you the protection you need against breakdowns of covered appliances and major systems such as plumbing, heating, electrical and air conditioning.
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