This article is part 1 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
If you feel that energy bills are taking a big chunk of change out of your pocket, you are not alone. Americans spend more than $115 billion each year on fuel and electricity for their homes. On the average, heating and cooling (space [...]
This article is part 2 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
An energy audit is one of the best ways to determine the most cost effective measures for reducing energy bills. Energy audits can locate areas where energy is wasted and can determine the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems. Energy audits vary [...]
This article is part 3 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
Results from the energy audit can direct you to the changes that would be most appropriate to improve the energy efficiency, or “tightness,” of your home.
Before you purchase an energy-related product or system, though, you should answer some important questions.
What are your budgetary [...]
This article is part 4 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
Weatherization projects insulate and tighten the shell of the home. Such projects include, but are not restricted to, caulking and weatherstripping, improving or replacing windows, and installing insulation.
Caulking and Weatherstripping
Caulking and weatherstripping are the easiest and least expensive weatherization measures and can save [...]
This article is part 5 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
The energy efficiency of similar appliances can vary significantly. It is usually more cost effective to purchase appliances with high efficiencies. Determining and comparing the energy efficiency of different models is usually easy, because federal regulations require many types of appliances to display [...]
This article is part 6 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
You may find that many improvements involving energy efficiency require a contractor for installation. While finding a quality contractor at the best price can be a little confusing, these suggestions may help along the way.
Try to limit your choices to local contractors. They [...]
This article is part 7 of A Guide to Making Energy-Smart Purchases.
Most consumers are looking for the greatest return for the least investment. This does not necessarily mean, though, that you should buy the least expensive product or system on the market. In fact, spending a little more money initially for an energy-efficient product [...]
