energy wise homes – The Home Energy Audit – The First Step For An Energy Efficient Home

Saturday, November 21st, 2009 at 12:32 pm

RadonSafety.info - Slash Your Power Bills by 80% Or Even Eliminate Them Completely

As a homeowner you obviously want to prevent skyrocketing utility bills. Good news; you can invest in ways to improve your home's energy efficiency. But, before you go about making drastic changes to your home, you might consider an Energy Audit. Such an audit will provide an assessment of how much energy your homes uses and evaluate how you can make your home most efficient. From here, you can begin a plan of attack for making your home more energy wise.

A professional energy audit involves hiring a pro, who will complete an audit that could set you back $300-$700. But, fear not. The investment that you make in the short-term, could mean slashing your heating bill by 40%! Likewise you won't need another audit for another 15-20 years.

Most likely the auditor will perform various tests that include: a thermographic scan which detects air leaks and moisture problems, a combustion safety test for your heating system, a blower door test to determine how airtight your home is, and also an insulation, appliance and lighting survey. Professional energy audits go into great detail. The energy auditor should do a thorough examination of past utility bills and a room-by-room examination of the residence.

In terms of finding an auditor for the job, you can check with your utility company. Some companies may even provide free audits. Your state energy office might also be able to help you find a local company that performs audits. Another place to look for a list of home energy raters in your area is to check out the web site, energystar.gov

There is also the option of a do-it-yourself energy audit. Start with is a list of places in your home where you feel a draft. Simply taking measures to cut these drafts, whether by door replacement or alternative methods, can save up to 30% a year.

Next, assess your home for indoor air leaks. These will typically be found at junctures of the walls and ceilings, near electrical outlets, near the edge of your flooring, by baseboards and around window and door frames. Simple caulking or weather stripping can help deal these leaks.

Inspect areas, on the outside of your house where different building materials meet. Look for cracks in the foundation or the siding. Caulk any holes in faucets, pipes or around electric outlets.

Lastly, check your furnace and replace the filter as needed.

If not just to reduce your utility costs, tax credits are another reason to make your home energy efficient. If you add insulation or replace windows you could be eligible for tax credits up to $500.

Whether you go with a professional energy audit, or a do-it-yourself project, the information you gather on your home's energy efficiency will be invaluable.

Louise Scoggins is a REALTOR with expertise in Atlanta Georgia real estate. For more information on Cobb County real estate or other Atlanta properties, contact Louise with Explore Atlanta Homes.

Alternative Energy Resources

Alternate Energy sources have been in existence for millenniums, Solar Energy has been used since the early 1800 for home water heating. Recently with the public now aware of the global warming damage being done and the current and long-term effects, we are starting to realize our very survival is at risk. The major supply of our hungry energy demand is Fossil Carbon Fuels.We are so dependent on Energy that when the supply chain fails to deliver an entire state can be effectively shut down. In the event of a major failure of an energy supply source we have no Alternative Energy systems that can be used as an energy replacement for the failed source.

The majority of our Energy needs are produced from Hydro Electric (dams), Carbon Based Fuels or Nuclear. Each one of these sources of energy is having an extremely damaging effect on a Global Scale to the environment:

1. Nuclear Electric Power Plants have a waste product of radioactive with a 500 year half life in addition are very expensive to build and maintain. As these power plants age we start running a higher risk of accidents which at worst case would trigger the China Syndrome, the reactor core melting threw the earth crust into the center core, in this event no one really knows what would happen and I am sure we do not want to find out.

2. Gas, Oil and Coal are the three main Fossil Fuels, used in all forms of Transportation, Electricity and Manufacturing and is the single biggest producer of Carbon Gases.

3. Water dams have been used for centuries to store water (or energy) and as required release the water at the dam head, the pressure of all the water stored behind the dam is used to create electricity, this is hydraulic power, hence the name of Hydro Electric. The water storage area destroys vast land areas and also generates micro environmental changes. Hydro Power is dependent on water supply and with the current Global Warming many of these Hydro Plants are off-line due to low water reserves.

We have developed Alternative Energy Systems that can replace all of these current energy sources but we have not acted to implementing the change. It is very easy not to change our Energy Source, but why would we continue sending pollution onto the atmosphere when we can be using clean Alternative En
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ergy?

Electricity Power is the second largest carbon dioxide pollution source next to Transportation. Finding Alternative Energy and making our homes become self sufficient in the consumption of Electricity is the first and easiest step to stopping Global Warming. In 2004 the average cost of an Alternative Energy System was $550USD, this has decreased as more products are coming into the market. Depending on the Alternative Energy System being used the yearly cost of maintenance normally runs less than $125 per year and every fifth year an average upgrade cost of $200, this is a lot less then what you are currently paying monthly to your Electric Provider now.

Change is hard, but with less effort then going camping for a weekend and a lot less money you can make your home pollution free.The theory of Global Warming has been in existence for 30 years and the need to start using Alternative Energy has been known for a long time, but has been strongly been fought by many members in the Earth Science Community; most of the opposition has not been based on Science but rather on research funds available from Energy Companies for research projects and pay-cheques.

There are News Broadcasts almost every day of areas affected by weather change and anyone who would deny that these are not a result of Global Warming has either a low education (forgiven) or is a fool (not forgiven). In the past we have blindly put our trust in Large Corporations and Governments do we need to be reminded of G.W. Bush or Wall Street? Like it or not we must start taking our own action and start using Alternative Energy to stop this Global Warming. Every place in the world is being affected by Global Warming and a changing of our ways to Alternative Energy systems must happen!

By: Danny Fisher

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

The Planet is rapidly changing and it is not in a good direction, unless changes are made we could quickly end with the extinction of most life on this Planet. Addition articles on this subject written by D. Fisher can be found at Alternative Home Energy. One person and one home at a time and we can turn around this trend that we are on by starting to reduce our own home Carbon Dioxide emissions. You can find more detailed information on the 3 main Alternative Home Energy systems website.

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