Happy Earth Day! Today I will be sharing some tips on how to green your home on a budget. I had planned on having a giveaway today for a set of reusable shopping bags, but due to delayed shipping, that is being postponed. Stay tuned, I will have a set of 3 large bags to giveaway in the near future!!
 

1. Change Your Light Bulb.

If every American home replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an Energy Star bulb, like a compact fluorescent, by some estimates we would save enough energy to light up more than 3 million homes for a year.

2. Unplug Energy Vampires.

In the average home, 75% of all electricity used to power appliances is used while those appliances are turned off, according to Matt Golden at San Francisco home performance consultant Sustainable Spaces. Think phone chargers, laptops and DVD players. If you’re not using it, unplug it.
 

3. Insulate Yourself Against Energy Costs.


 

Well installed green insulation can help reduce your heating and air conditioning bills. Chris Colby of Spire Architecture in New York recommends spray foam insulation instead of fiberglass. Start with the attic first–that’s where the most heat loss occurs.

4. Replace Energy Hogs.


 

Refrigerators made before 1993 use twice as much electricity as a new Energy Star-rated refrigerator, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Expect to spend between $750 and $3,400, depending on the size and model.

5. Install Water Saving Fixtures.


 

Low-flow shower heads can save several gallons per minute, depending on the shower head you choose. Conventional showers can use upward of 5 gallons a minute. The low-flow shower heads can reduce that to as little as half a gallon a minute. Expect to spend between $15 to $100.

6. Test Your Home’s Energy IQ.
 

A new breed of home performance improvement specialists has emerged. These folks give your house the equivalent of a thorough medical checkup, examining air flow, leaky ducts, energy usage, lighting, heating–the works. If you have Kentucky Utilities as your power company, they have a trained technician that will come out and examine your home and provide you with a full report on your energy consumption. It is $15 and they add that to your next utility bill. When I called to ask about this they also told me that you are given a new compact fluorescent light bulb, a low-flow shower head and a water heater cover if you have an old water heater. This alone makes it worth the $15, not to mention the great information you will get about how to save energy in your home. The number to set up your energy audit is: 1-800-251-7808.

“Measuring Success One Family at a Time.”

859-576-4558

www.maxwellsellsgtown.com

nicolemaxwell@kw.com