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When winterizing your home, you'll also want to look
closely at the age and efficiency of your furnace. It may be time
to replace
your furnace if it is more than 15 years old, in need of frequent
repairs or your energy bills are going up.
Though more expensive at the checkout, an Energy Star-qualified
furnace, when properly sized and installed, along with sealed ducts
and a programmable thermostat, can save consumers up to 20 percent
on heating bills, according to the Alliance to Save Energy.
Insulation, which keeps your home cool during the
summer and warm during the coldest months of the year, is the last
important player on the utility cost stage. Many homes, especially
older houses, are underinsulated, an easy problem to correct.
The easiest place to add insulation is usually in
the attic. Homeowners can tell if they need more by looking across
their uncovered attic floors.
If your insulation is level with or below the attic
floor joists, you probably need to add more insulation, according
to an Energy Star report.
Here too, the government offers a consumer-friendly
system for comparing the energy efficiency of insulation. The recommended
insulation level for most attics is R-38 (or about 12 to 15 inches,
depending on the insulation type). In the coldest climates, insulating
up to R-49 is recommended.
Finally, if
you plan to stay put for any length of time, it may pay to invest in a little
strategic landscaping.
The Alliance to Save Energy notes deciduous trees
(those that lose their leaves annually) give protection from the
summer sun and permit winter sunlight to warm your home.
Plant trees
on the south, east or west sides of your home. If harsh winds are a problem, you
might also create a windbreak, of sorts, with evergreen trees and shrubs. Help
from Uncle Sam
Before you bag the idea of big-ticket upgrades, keep in mind the
price tags of energy-efficient products may be smaller than you
think.
Consumers who purchase energy-efficient windows and
appliances may benefit from one-time consumer tax credits, including
a credit of up to $200 on exterior windows and storm windows, and
up to $300 on the purchase and installation of a new heat pump or
water heater.
To determine which energy-efficient home improvement
jobs qualify for the tax credit, see Bankrate's story on "Tax
credits for energy improvements."
In the end, if you take
steps to winterize your home, you and the environment come out ahead. Lower energy
use, of course, translates into lower utility bills, less air pollution from power
plants and a stronger economy. "We're all in this together,"
says DOE spokesman Shradar. "Not only will energy conservation strategies put
more money back in your pocketbook, but it will also help America reduce our dependency
on foreign sources of energy."
Next up: "Do-it-yourself
energy audit"
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