Atlanta At Home

ENERGY STAR- Helping you save money

Many of our customers ask, What is ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is a joint program between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Many of you have seen the very recognizable logo or symbol on your household appliances or systems.  This logo means that the appliance or system has met the energy efficency guidelines that were created by the EPA.  Items that carry this logo help to reduce your energy costs by about one-third, and also have similiar savings on greenhouse gas emmissions.

We also see the ENERGY STAR logo when buyers are shopping for a new home.  New construction homes today have features such as effective insulation, high-performance windows, tight construction and ducts, and efficient heating and cooling equiptment.  Homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR are 15% more efficent than homes built with the 2004 International Residential Code.  These homes are about 20-30% more energy effiecent that standard homes. In order to earn the ENERGY STAR, homes are inspected by a third-party.

If you are a current homeowner and looking for ways to make your home more energy effieicnet you can take simple steps like sealing leaks where air enters or exits the home, addition additional insulation, and sealing duct work throughout the home. The ENERGY STAR website offers multiple tips, instructions, and videos on how to do these simple steps. While on the site also check out the cooling and heating quiz to see if your heating and cooling systems are operating to their potential.

Click Here To View the ENERGY STAR Website

Going Green

We have all heard the popular term “Going Green”. However, many of us either aren’t sure how to do that, or think it requires too much effort. Well, the following is a list of simple ways to “Go Green”, as well as save money along the way!

1) Switch to CFL (compact fluorescent lamps) light bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy, which is not only better for the environment, but will also save the user an average of $30 per bulb over its lifetime! See the June 19, 2008 blog post for more information.

2) Talk to your boss about telecommuting. In the age of laptops, cell phones, and PDA’s, the majority of jobs can be performed from a home office. This saves time, money for you and your company, as well as reduces the amount of harmful carbon emissions released into the environment. Not to mention: imagine never sitting in traffic again!

3) If that isn’t possible, consider carpooling or public transit. Carpooling is a great way to save money on gas, reduce carbon emissions, and catch up on all the latest gossip! While MARTA does not provide easily accessible service in some metro Atlanta cities, there are other options. Check out http://xpressga.com/ for more information.

4) Turn off the faucet when not in use. When you are brushing your teeth, leave the faucet off except to rinse.

5) Turn off the lights when you leave a room. We have all heard this from the time we are little. Just be conscious that you are actually doing this. It also saves lots of money on your electric bill.

6) Recycle, recycle, recycle! Most all trash companies offer recycling bins to their customers at little to no extra charge. It takes almost no effort to toss your old cans, bottles, and newspapers into a bin right next to your garbage can.

7) Purchase your food locally if possible. When you buy produce and other food items from local growers, you are not only assured that your food is fresher and tastier, but also that less gas was used in transporting it from the farm to your door. Check out http://www.localharvest.org/ for more information.

Written by Renee Fouquet

Saving Money: CFL Bulbs

We have all heard of these nifty little money saving bulbs…but what exactly is a CFL light bulb?

CFL stands for Compact Florescent Light bulb.  These bulbs use less energy that the traditional incandescent light bulb that we are accustomed to.  The CFL light bulb uses on average 75% less energy compared to the incandescent light bulb and can last up to 10 times longer.

The important factor for consumers today, particularly as we are all feeling the “gas price crunch” is the savings CFL bulbs offer.  One CFL bulb will save a consumer on average $30 over the life of the bulb.  They also produce 75% less heat than an incandescent bulb which will cut cooling costs. They cost more upfront, but the savings over time make them a wise investment.

As an example of the power these little bulbs have, the following statistic was taken from the Energy Star website--If every American home replaced just one bulb with a CFL bulb, we would save enough energy to light 3 million homes for one year.

CFL bulbs come in a variety of shapes, wattage, and colors-even natural light. They can be purchased at most major grocery store or hardware store chains.  For more information visit the Energy Star website.

Get Your Home Ready To SELL!

I spoke with a seller this morning who is interested in placing her home on the market in the next 90 days.  She wanted to know what repair work she should consider doing to her home to make it ready for a prospective buyer.  I put together a few general quick fix tips to getting your home ready for the market below.

The Interior Of The Home:

• Replace any and all light bulbs that have burned out
• Repair or replace any broken appliances
• Remove stored items from the attic, basement, and garage
• Make sure all windows and doors can be opened and closed easily
• Move items away from water heaters, furnances, and electric panels
• Run water in all sinks and tubs to ensure that there are no leaks
• If the HVAC system is older than 5 years, have the unit serviced by a licensed contractor and retain the receipt for any repair work done

The Exterior of The Home:

• Make sure the yard is presentable.  Cut away any and all trees or shrubs that make contact with the home
• Have your home inspected for termites and obtain a pre-listing termite letter
• Repair any water damaged wood around windows and doors
• Make sure roof and surface water flow away from the home
• Clean gutters