Understanding Energy Efficiency In Your Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Home Or Condo
July 15, 2008
We are continually receiving questions regarding energy efficiency and ways to make your home or condo more ecologically friendly. In this article we will be discussing some simple things you can change around your home to achieve these goals.
ENERGY STAR
In order to become more energy efficient you will want to familiarize yourself with The ENERGY STAR Rating Program. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of 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. Before buying any new appliances and other household products, make sure they are ENERY STAR compliant and carry the logo.
Ceiling Fans
South Florida has one of the warmest climates of anywhere in the United States. We recommend ceiling fans in the main living areas of your home or condo , including your bedrooms. For the majority of the year, you will run your ceiling fans in a counter-clockwise direction in order to cause a downdraft of air that will give you a “wind chill” effect. In those rare instances where your home may become cooler due to a drop in outdoor temperature, you can switch the fan to a clockwise rotation so that the warm air that has risen is forced back down.
Window and Door Insulation
The single largest drain on your energy in your home or condo is air leaking from your doors and windows. There are a number of products on the market to detect and seal these leaks yourself. Insulation strips can be bought in various thickness and length at any hardware or home improvement store. You may also consider tinting windows that receive direct sunlight throughout the day.
Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
These type of bulbs are four times more energy efficient that incandescent light bulbs and can cut nearly 10% off of your electric bills. Beyond buying the right bulbs for your lights, the best policy is to turn off any lights not needed in order to save the most energy possible.
Air Filters
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, air quality inside buildings is sometimes two to five times worse than outside air. One of the simplest ways to improve your indoor air quality is by changing your air filter on a regular basis. It is also advisable to buy an electrostatic filer. These filters contain an electrostatic charge that attract and capture more particles.
Digital Programmable Thermostat
We have talked about how to find and install a digital programmable thermostat in another article in this series. We highly recommend this inexpensive tip that will pay for itself usually within a month or two of installation.
These are just a few of the many ways you can begin making your Fort Lauderdale real estate home or condo more energy efficient and eco friendly. The items listed above are all cost less than $75 each and can be done in a matter of hours. Keep looking for “how to” instructions for each of these items.
Thank you for reading another article in the home improvement and repair series at the Fort Lauderdale Real Estate Blog.
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If you are interested in learning more about buying a home or condo in Fort Lauderdale or anywhere in South Florida; or if you need any information about the Fort Lauderdale real estate market, please feel free to contact me and it would be my pleasure to assist you.You can contact me at the number shown below or please feel free to contact me by the form below and I, or one of my assistants, will be sure to get right back to you within a few hours, if not sooner.
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Robin Sing-Cunningham
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Access USA Realty
Local Fort Lauderdale | South Florida : 954-709-7461
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