Having an energy efficient home isn’t just about helping the environment, it’s also about helping your wallet. There are plenty of ways to cut back on energy costs and improve the energy efficiency of your home.
As a general contractor in Ocala, FL, we at Tallen Builders can build your home with practically any energy efficient features that you request. Here are some energy-saving features and ideas to consider for your new or existing home.
New or Additional Insulation
While in Florida insulation may not be needed as often to keep in the heat, it will help considerably with retaining your air conditioning. Insulation should be added to your attic, ceilings and walls to ensure that every possible area where cool air could leak from is covered. If you know you have old insulation, it’s a good idea to hire an energy auditor to look at your home as insulation degrades over time. They’ll know the recommended R-value for your home’s insulation and if it needs to be brought up to code.
Upgrade Your Windows
Windows can be a huge source of heating and cooling loss in your home. Luckily, there are some window upgrades you can do to prevent some of the heat transfer. Double- or triple-paned windows filled with argon gas between the layers are a great defense against energy loss. This is because the argon gas is a fantastic insulator. You should also take note of the window frame. If you have aluminum frames, replace them! Aluminum does practically nothing to prevent heat transfer. Instead, use materials like wood composite, insulated vinyl or fiberglass for your window frames.
Use Energy Star Certified Appliances
You’ll see how Energy Star Certified appliances are worth the price when your electricity bill comes each month. For practically every appliance in the home, there is an Energy Star Certified version on the market. Bigger appliances to consider replacing are refrigerators, washers, dryers and furnaces. Smaller changes you can make are using low flow shower heads or adding a timer to your water heater to control when it produces hot water.
Seal Hole and Cracks
While it may not seem like a few cracks or holes in your home’s exterior leak that much air, you’d be surprised how quickly they add up. When combined, the number of cracks in the average home is equal to a 3 x 3 foot hole in the wall. Caulking these cracks is worth the time and effort, as it will not only save you energy costs, but help preserve the structural integrity of the building as well.
Have these tips inspired you to make the changes in your current home? Or are you on the market for a new home and would like to include these features? At Tallen Builders, we can help create your custom home with the energy efficient features you want. Reach us on our contact form or give us a call so we can begin building together.
Having an #energyefficient home isn’t just about helping the #environment, it’s also about helping your wallet! http://t.co/qAvMIWV0Cv
— Tallen Builders (@TallenBuilders) October 16, 2014