An Energy Efficient Home
Will Pay You Back Repeatedly

Having an energy efficient home is becoming more and more important these days and it's no wonder.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, consumers spend 6% to 12% of their income on utilities. As a result, many homeowners are starting to see this as a major expense.

With sky rocketing utility cost, diminishing resources and concerns for our environment, a lot of attention has been drawn to the energy efficient home in recent years. People are now looking at having a home energy audit performed and then weighing the energy conservation tips that are recommended.

In an average home, utility usage breaks down like this:

• 40% - Heating and Cooling
• 34% - Appliances
• 10% - Miscellaneous
• 9% - Lighting
• 7% - Home Entertainment and Communications.

Homeowners everywhere are struggling to spend less, use less and pollute less without giving up the creature comforts they've grown accustomed to. And there are a number of ways to achieve this goal if you follow some energy conservation facts.

One of the great things about saving energy is that you're not only contributing to saving the environment but you're cutting your costs at the same time! That’s a win-win situation. It’s no wonder home improvement projects take into account the benefits of an energy efficient home.

Home improvement projects come in all shapes and sizes. Many people put off doing home improvements because they may not realize the potential payback, or they may simply want to avoid the expense. But if you start to grimace at the amount of your utility bills, especially electricity prices, it’s time to give serious consideration to energy saving tips.

Especially ones that can increase you home energy savings with a reasonable payback period. If you are considering project, the payback is something that you need to look at closely before you move forward.

The payback is essentially the cost of the project divided by the saving per year that yields the amount of time that it will take to payoff the improvement.

The Time it Takes to Payback

Once your projects are complete, you’ll start to see savings accrue naturally over time. And the more utility prices increase, the faster your payback will be. Your demand is cut and before you know it, a few years have gone by and your payback has really added up!

So if you are considering a home energy savings project, you first need to look at the size of project you are considering and determine if the project is justified for your home.

For example, energy saving window coverings can make a dramatic difference in your heating and cooling costs. But with any improvement project you need to look at all of the variables involved before proceeding. Maybe in this case you have fairly energy efficient windows and the added window treatments would not make sense. If that were the case you would pass on the project.

Those with a $100 budget will have different priorities than those with a $10,000. budget. And those who live in a southern climate will have different priorities than those that live in a northern climate. But no matter where you live, having an energy efficient home is within your grasp.

Throughout the following pages you will find a number of projects that you can do, or have done to your home so that you can accumulate home energy savings. Some of them are minor and others are more costly.

You might consider a home energy audit as a way of acquiring information as to where you can get the greatest home energy savings and then proceed from there. Check out our energy saving tips and see if you can find a fit for your home.

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