Category Archives: Energy

When making home improvements, it’s always a good idea to look for ways to improve the environmental impact of your home. But choosing which eco-friendly steps to take can be confusing. Improving the energy efficiency of your home is often a good choice. It can save you money and even earn you rebates, while making your home a little more earth friendly in the process and improving resale value in the future. Here are a few tips from the Clarksville Times for choosing the Greenest of the Green when it comes to remodelling: 1. Switch to a solar water heater … Continue reading →

I saw a great post on the Alliance to Save Energy website entitled “Energy Efficient Spring Cleaning Tips“. The post starts out by saying “Based on March data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. household will spend $2,200 on energy this year.” I see some great tips here, many of which are very easy for all of us to implement. AND I learned that the Alliance to Save Energy was not yet on my Resources list, so I have added them. Here are their tips: Wash clothes in cold water to save $63 a year. Clean or … Continue reading →

“The risk of defaulting on a mortgage is around a third lower if you live in an energy efficient home, according to the first study attempting to correlate such risks.” The report, conducted by the Chapel Hill Center for Community Capital at the University of North Carolina and the Washington-based Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), states that “The lower risks associated with energy efficiency should be taken into consideration when underwriting mortgages.” According to the study, reduced utility costs from energy saving measures provide home-buyers with enough capital to avoid repayment problems that often result in repossessions. To read more … Continue reading →

Have you ever wondered how much money you could save by switching to solar or even wind energy? I found a website called find-solar.org that has a calculator to help you find out. Here’s some info from the website: This Solar & Wind Calculator says that it will compute the size and cost to install an energy system for your home or building. Solar & wind calculator technology options include solar electric (PV), solar water heating, pool or spa heating, space heating & cooling, and wind turbines. The solar & wind calculator’s financial analysis is based upon energy bill savings … Continue reading →

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has set the criteria for energy usage for all major home appliances. This program, called the Appliance Standards Program, requires manufacturers to use standard test procedures to prove the energy usage and the efficiency of their products. The results of these tests are printed on the yellow Energy Guide labels which is present on all new appliance. The label may include how much energy the appliance uses, the energy usage of similar products, and an estimate of the annual operating costs. In certain categories of appliances, products that rank very highly in energy efficiency … Continue reading →