Custom Homeowners “Go Green”

Posted by Elizabeth on October 20, 2011

On an annual basis, going green is still a growing trend among custom homebuyers. We’ve noticed, particularly in St. Louis, that homeowners are finding economical and creative ways to turn their home “green”.  It’s difficult to go green in every aspect of our lives, but even small changes to your home can make a big difference.

Here’s how you can make your home a greener place:

• Turn the lights off. By turning lights off, you could save 10 to 20 percent of your total household energy usage. In the event you don’t want to turn the lights completely off—use a dimmer switch.
• Clean with cold. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a washing machine uses up to 90 percent of its energy to simply heat the water in a load of laundry. The higher the temperature, the greater the cost to you and the environment. Since cold-water detergents have become so popular among consumers, you can make the transition seamlessly.
• Set your thermostat a few degrees lower in the winter to save on heating. When it comes to lowering your thermostat, you save up to three percent on your energy bill for every degree you lower the temperature. When projected over time, you will see a significant savings on your billing.
• Add weather-stripping around windows and doors to improve your home’s air tightness. Windows and doors tend to have gaps that allow cold or warm air to penetrate your home. Weather-stripping is a simple way to locate these drafty spots and stop up the air leaks.
• Replace appliances older than 15 years with Energy Star models. Add up all the appliances in your house and you’ve got a significant portion of your utility bill. A more efficient appliance soon pays for itself; lower monthly utility bills over the lifetime of the appliance will more than offset the higher purchase price.

In addition to simple changes you can make around your home, there are hundreds of energy smart options you can make when building your new home. To learn more about your energy-smart, custom home building options contact Fischer and Frichtel today!

Comments

One Response to “Custom Homeowners “Go Green””

1. Steve says:

   December 22, 2011 at 7:44 pm

   The easiest way to make your home more energy efficient is to seal any air leaks, and one that is often overlooked is the bathroom ventilation fan and exhaust vent. The back-draft flap these units come with do a very poor job of stopping leaks. To address this issue, I use a replacement insert fan from the Larson Fan Company (online). Their fans has a true damper built in, that does a great job in keeping warm air in during the winter and hot, humid air out in the summer. This product has reduced my annual energy bills by over ten percent. It saves the most when air conditioning is being used.