Owning a home can be a great investment and allow homeowners to have a sense of freedom. However, homeownership also requires regular maintenance and upkeep if you expect to be able to cash out when it comes time to sell your home.
Whether you are getting your home ready to sell or just looking for some cost effective upgrades, keep energy efficiency in mind. According to the National Association of Realtors 8 out of 10 home buyers say energy efficiency is of importance when purchasing a home.
With in some cases minimal changes can lead to lower utility bills, improved indoor air quality, an upgraded look, as well as will make your home more desirable to future buyers.
Check for Leaks
Have you ever walked past a window or door and could feel air seeping into your home? Or perhaps you can see daylight through cracks in the door? To some people this may seem like a small issue, however did you know that a leaky home can cost between 5-30% more on your energy bills? When you add this up every month it can make quite a financial impact.
To check for leaks first evaluate some of the key entry points:
- Check around windows (caulk if needed) - if windows are worn consider updating- new windows could qualify for the energy tax credit rebate.
- Feel around electrical sockets and light switches- foam insulating sheets can be added behind them to decrease leaks and improve efficiency.
- Feel for leaks around the doors and look for daylight- a simple door adjustment or new weather stripping could do the job. If your doors have seen better days or lack overall insulating ability a new door could be eligible for the energy tax credit rebate.
- Check around the foundation, exterior trim, fireplace, attic opening and seal all holes with appropriate sealers- not only will this prevent energy loss, but also unwanted animal intrusion.
Please read our eco-minded blog posts for more information pertaining to "all things green":
Composting 101: What is Composting and Why Should Everyone Do it?
How to Exorcize the Vampire and Monsters in your Life- the "dangers" of phantom energy sources
WARNING: Read This Before you Upgrade Your Windows in Attempts to Cash-In on the new Energy Tax Credits.
Color me Green- The In's and Out's of Low VOCs Paints
I Am Proud to Say That Our Future Looks Greener, Thanks To Our Little Earth Stewards!
CAUTION- Read Before you Dispose of Household Chemicals: Homeowners Guide to Trash, Recycling, and Disposal- Household Hazardous Waste
Go Green with Sustainable Landscaping Techniques
Get in My Belly- My Big Solar Belly, That is- Knoxville Goes Green with Solar Trash Compactors
Watch Out For Greenwashing when Purchasing Green Cleaning Products
Green up your Landscaping by Limiting Fertilizers: A Look into the Negative Ecological Impacts of Fertilizers
The Dangers of Over Watering
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Visit Christine McInerney and Jennifer Halinkowski with Keller Williams Realty on-line at:
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Office: (865) 694-5904
Christine (865) 237-5289 and Jennifer (865) 621-3658
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Timely information. With utility bills rising fast people can really do allot to lower their energy bills. For example, I replaced my older heating and air conditioning units 2 years ago and my electric bills have gone down $85 and the electric company has had 3 price hikes in that same time frame. Another big energy waister is the electric water heater. If everyone put a timer on the water heater , you would be shocked how much energy you could save with that one appliance.
Thanks