January 2014
With winter in full swing, who doesn’t want to stay warm and save money on heating bills? With some basic steps, you can improve your home’s efficiency, save on utility bills and stay comfortable until the buds start blooming again.
Seal your wall switches and electrical outlets with small foam gaskets from a local home improvement center or hardware store. To install, remove the cover plate, insert the gasket and screw the cover plate back in place.
Assess Yourself!
Conduct a home energy assessment to determine where your house is losing energy and how each issue can be corrected to save you money. For a more thorough review, hire a professional technician to check for leaks, examine insulation, review past utility bills, inspect the furnace and ductwork, perform a blower door test and use an infrared camera – and then suggest changes to produce significant long-term energy savings.
Put a Damper on Heat Loss
Perhaps the easiest way to cut down on heat loss is to keep the fireplace damper closed when the fireplace is not being used. An open damper acts like an open window, allowing warm air to escape up the chimney. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue. Visit energy.gov for more energy-saving tips.
Raise Your Attic Insulation
Increasing your home’s insulation is one of the best ways to save energy and money. Although heat loss is often greater through windows and walls, it’s much cheaper and easier to add insulation to your attic – especially for older homes built before energy efficiency standards. Simply insulating your attic door can prevent up to 15% of your home’s heat loss.
For more information about Miami real estate, contact Melanie Dawn Molina Wood. Energy Smart Newsletter is a product of Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate. ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Operated by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker, the Coldwell Banker Logo, Coldwell Banker Previews International, the Previews International logo and “Dedicated to Luxury Real Estate” are registered and unregistered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.
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