Low-cost energy upgrades
Making a few efficient changes around your home can save you money with a small bit of time and money. Programmable thermostats are an inexpensive, money saving, option to lower your utility bills. You can also replace current light bulbs with LED light bulbs. Each LED light bulb may be a bit costly compared to regular light bulbs, but they last longer and take considerably less energy to light. One option is only to replace those light bulbs that you use most often and as time goes along replace the remaining bulbs. Another money saving tip is to replace the air filters as often as recommended. The frequency may be less often in a vacation home or more often in a primary residence with pets. All of the energy-upgrades mentioned above take little time and are relatively low-cost ways to increase the energy efficiency of your home.
Moderate cost energy upgrades
These next suggestions may require a bit more time and are a higher cost, but the savings can add up quickly. Insulating your attic and crawlspaces can make a big difference when it comes to heating and cooling your home. Replacing weather stripping around doors can block off airflow from the outside. Strategically placing your landscaping like trees and shrubs to block heat in the summer can help with keeping your house cool. Replacing older toilets with low flow types saves a large amount of water with each flush. You can also use low flow faucet aerators which replace some of the water with air thus, saving water.
Higher cost energy upgrades
The last few suggestions are true investments into your home. These will be large ticket items that make your home a more enjoyable space and energy efficient. Replacing windows and doors that have leaks can bring considerable energy savings benefits. Besides, new windows can bring in more light which can lead to turning on the lights less. Old furnaces and water heaters are major energy wasters. You could see immediate improvement in your utility bills when replacing these with more modern equipment. Kitchen appliances with the energy star ratings cost much less to operate than the older models some houses still use. Finally, if you are progressive, you may want to look into installing solar panels that soak up even the smallest amount of sunlight to heat or cool your home.
Check out some open houses in your area and check out the energy efficient options.
About the Author
Judy Szablak
With over 30 years in the industry, Realtor Judy Szablak has been on national television for her real estate expertise on the HGTV Network, featured on Martha Stewart Living Radio "Morning Living” , NPR radio as an expert real estate panelist, It’s Relevant News channel, and quoted in the Wall Street Journal for her in depth knowledge of Fairfield County Connecticut real estate.
She was also on the local NPR radio station (WSHU) as a Fairfield County CT real estate expert. Judy has provided multiple online respected news sources with her real estate expertise including The Daily Easton, The Daily Weston, The Daily Fairfield, The Daily Stamford and The Daily Greenwich, as well as in print in the New York Post. She is a weekly Real Estate Columnist for WestportNow.com, another real estate column "Real Estate With Judy” is syndicated through Hearst CT Media Online and seen in The Connecticut Post, The Danbury News-Times, The Stamford Advocate, The Greenwich Time, The Hour, Fairfield Citizen, Westport News, Darien News, New Canaan News and the Wilton Villager.
Judy is also the author of the book, The Art of Buying or Selling a Home, available at all major book retailers. Additionally, Judy has been nationally recognized in a number of national real estate trade magazines, some with distribution to over 1 million members. She was featured in Real Estate Today as early as 1994 for her commitment to, and implementation of technology in real estate. Judy appeared in the Certified Residential Specialist Magazine, as she provided advice on marketing strategies and ethics in the article titled "Marketing Makeovers.”
Judy was also featured in REALTOR® Magazine, regarding image enhancement for Realtors. She was again featured in REALTOR® Magazine, in an article on "Achieving Flow” and operating at optimal peak performance. In another article in the same publication, Judy offered guidance to fellow real estate professionals as she explored the topic of implementing and maintaining personal websites. She has appeared in The Council of Residential Specialists Magazine, which featured her ideas regarding technology. Additionally, Judy authored an article on marketing and technology for the Certified Residential Specialist (CRS) Online Magazine. On two occasions, in 2015 and 2017, she appeared as a featured agent in Top Agent Magazine. I have a few other websites- www.TheCtrealtyBlog.com www.CtHomesAndRealEstate.com www.BestWestportHomes.com www.ThePetitePowerhouse.com www,SzablakConsulting.com
