Tips for a Green Home / Anthony Stokes-Pereira of Prudential Rand Realty

Consumers' interest in the "green movement" has never been so high. Home builders, retailers, financial services providers, and product manufacturers are all seeking to satisfy consumers' demand for Eco-friendly products and services, from energy-efficient light bulbs to solar-paneled roofs, from recycling plastic and paper to driving more fuel-efficient cars. These catch phrases have become part of our lexicon as we've become more aware of our impact on the environment and our role in protecting it.

Consumers have gravitated to the idea that they can help the earth by making smarter purchases and lifestyle decisions. Saving energy and resources is not only good for the environment, it can save money. As a homeowner, there are some simple, inexpensive steps you can take to make your home energy-efficient, you can get started on the road to being "green" with these five tips:

Change Your Light Bulbs

By replacing just five incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, you can save $100 per year on electric bills while using up to 75 percent less energy and removing greenhouse gases from the environment.

Buy ENERGY STAR® Appliances

ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, such as refrigerators, washers and air conditioners, meet a higher level of energy efficiency set by the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Energy than standard models. According to ENERGY STAR, if just one in 10 homes used ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances, the impact could be compared to planting 1.7 million new acres of trees. And, switching to these appliances is not only good for the environment, but easy on your pocketbook. Although these appliances may costs more, you can reduce your energy bill by $80 per year.

Seal Up

Cracks and air leaks represent cash seeping from your doors and windows. Get rid of air leaks in doors, windows and other areas by caulking gaps and cracks. This will help decrease your heating and air conditioning bill. But make sure you use silicone sealants. Acrylic caulk tends to shrink, while silicone sealants are waterproof and won't shrink or crack, creating less waste.

Use Less Water

Did you know that roughly 60 percent of a home's water consumption takes place in the bathroom, according to the California Urban Water Conservation Council? The largest culprit is the toilet, which accounts for 27 percent of your household supply every year. By installing low-flow toilets, showerheads and faucets, you can save thousands of gallons of water each year. In addition, replace leaky fixtures. That slow-dripping faucet can waste as much as 2,400 gallons of water per year.

Buying WATER HEATERS
Water heating is typically the third largest energy expense in your home, accounting for about 14 percent of your energy bill. An old water heater can operate for years at very low efficiency before it finally fails. If your gas water heater is more than 10 years old, it probably operates at less than 50 percent efficiency.

Energy-Saving Purchasing Tips:

• Calculate how much hot water your household uses at peak times. Figure that a clothes washer on hot wash/hot rinse can use about 32 gallons of hot water; a shower, 20 gallons. Washing dishes by hand can use 10 to 15 gallons, and automatic dishwashers, about 8 gallons.
• Match this figure with the "first hour rating" (FHR) on the EnergyGuide label. The FHR measures how many gallons of hot water your heater can deliver during a busy hour. Don't be misled by the size of the tank -- it doesn't necessarily correlate with FHR.
• Once you've found the right FHR range for your household, check the unit's Energy Factor (EF), which rates efficiency. A high-efficiency gas model would have an EF around 0.8.
• A natural gas unit will cost less to operate than electric.

Buying HOME ELECTRONICS
For most products, the Energy Star label is your assurance that the product will operate more efficiently than a standard model. But Energy Star TVs, audio equipment, telephones, computers and printers earn the label primarily because they draw only a small amount of power when not in use -- regardless of the amount of power they consume when operating. When buying electronics, do look for the Energy Star label, but also keep a few general caveats in mind.

Energy-Saving Purchasing Tips:

• Ink jet printers tend to be more energy-efficient than lasers.
• LCD televisions and monitors draw less power than CRT or plasma screens.
• Small lightweight power supplies tend to be more energy efficient than large, heavy transformer-based power supplies.

Adjust the Thermostat

When adjusting your home's thermostat, the rule of thumb should be: turn up the dial in the summer and down in the winter. Lowering the temperature by just one degree will reduce your electrical costs. And if you use a programmable thermostat, you can program your air-conditioning and heating systems to reduce output while no one is at home or at night while you sleep. Ceiling fans are also helpful in circulating the air to keep the room cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Going green doesn't have to be overwhelming or costly. By making just a few small changes within your home, you can help decrease energy consumption and help make the world a "greener" place.

For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please call or visit me, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.

Anthony Stokes-Pereira
Prudential Rand Realty
Office: (845) 770-2188
Email: anthony.stokespereira@prudentialrand.com
Website: www.anthonystokespereira.com

This post is intended to be informational only. The information contained herein does not constitute legal advice.