Green Living

Buying a home is expensive and selling a home can be difficult but something that can give both buyers and sellers peace of mind is having an energy efficient home.  For buyers they'll save themselves money in the long run, and for sellers right now being green is the big movement and it will give your home just one more advantage over the others on the market. Here are some tips make your home more energy efficient:

1) Reseal your windows

Naturally, we all need windows in our home, but they can be a big heat suck, especially in those cold months.  If life were perfect our windows would only let in light, not hot or cold air. Having your windows sealed professionally and using shades and curtains as necessary will be extremely helpful in maintaining the temperature of your home. It will save on either oil or electricity depending on the heat in your home and it, like most energy saving tactics, will save you money in the long run.

2) Buy energy efficient appliances

Most appliances today will advertise themselves as energy efficient and its almost an expected standard now, but it's important to make sure that you are seeking out the best quality appliances. Things like washers, dryers, and refrigerators are always plugged in, so ensuring that they're energy efficient can make a huge difference in your carbon footprint and the electrical bill!

3) Make sure everything is insulated

Good insulation is key to keeping heat in or out of your home depending on the season. Often times older homes are in major need of new insulation or may have entire walls, rooms, attics, garages, and so on that are not insulated. Having one cool room in the house may effect the temperature in your entire home, making you run the air conditioner far too often or turn up the heat frequently. Don't let bad insulation in one room impact the energy efficiency of your home, make sure everything is well insulated even if it seems a bit excessive.

4) Get an Energy Audit for your home

An energy audit will tell you all about the energy efficiency of your home. After a home assessment and an evaluation of the basic things like insulation, hot water tanks, and your furnace you'll receive a report about what in your home is saving energy and what improvements you can make to ensure energy efficiency.

Along with the tips listed above all the basic things still apply. Remember to recycle and compost whenever possible, replace old light bulbs with CFL's, turn off lights when you leave a room, don't run the water when necessary, unplug things when your not using them, and do full loads of laundry or dishes in the dishwasher. Following these guidelines you can make a difference in your wallet and in your carbon footprint!