/images/logo.gif){kind=logo}
Conserving Energy for Your Home: A Must in These Times of High Utility Fees |
| Date Added: June 04, 2008 05:29:43 PM |
| Author: GreenFinders.com |
| Category: House and Home |
| Everyone is surely affected in one way or another by the prevailing gasoline prices and by the increasing utility charges. Energy consumption has been a staple expenditure. Every amount of energy that we consume is equivalent to a certain amount of money that we worked hard to earn. So it goes to say that whatever energy we put into waste, the same thing happens to our money to, and as we save energy, so do we save money, too. Taking it from this point we should begin adapting home energy-saving measures to attain maximum efficiency in the way we manage our homes, our energy consumption, and our payables. Gaining even some fundamental information on how to effectively conserve energy will definitely guide us along our goal. Here are some tidbits of basic knowledge that might prove to be helpful as you seriously involve yourself in conserving energy for your home: • Choose building materials that possess high thermal resistance value or simply those that are good insulators so as not to overwork the heating and/or cooling system in your house. The U.S. Federal Housing Administration even issued a table for Thermal Resistance Value of Commonly-Used Building Materials. Do yourself a favor and get hold of a copy of it. Based from the said table, the higher the resistance value of the insulation installed, the higher the chances for you to save energy. Walls and ceilings should have resistance values of 19 and 38 respectively. Refrain from using aluminum since they are poor insulators. You may cover your interior walls with gypsum-based (gypsum is a colorless, sometimes white mineral that is composed of hydrated calcium sulfate used for cement) materials along with a 2x4 or 2x6 insulated frames to at least help control the coming in and coming out of heat/cold. • If you’re still scouting for a nice real estate or if you are moving out, choose a location where the sun shines the most—or less, depending on your preference. If you happen to build a house on a site where the sun shines the brightest, it will be an extremely favorable location for you during the winter season, but be prepared when summer sets in. Now, if you were going to move in to a house that doesn’t receive much sunlight, summer would be cool for you whereas the winter break might give you a hot temper. • For those whose house already underwent a thorough examination for probable air infiltration, regular maintenance is just the main key to ensure that no leaks will occur. Weather-strip the doors and windows and check the house for cracks or fissures in walls so that sealants can be applied to them. Another simple suggestion to block off heat is to grow tall shrubs or plant trees near the window area. • Use home appliances only when needed, and don’t use major appliances all at the same time. If you’re doing the laundry, better ask your children to turn off the TV because you’re going to use the washing machine. Unplug the cords of all unused appliances. |
You must be logged in to leave a rating.Average rating: ( votes) |