Home Energy Score Explained

What is Home Energy Score?

                               

Home Energy Score is a new program developed by the US Department of Energy or DOE in conjunction with the US Environmental Protection Agency to aid in the conservation of energy, thus improving home efficiency that enhances comfort and indoor air quality.

This program is seen to reduce up to 20% or more from utility bills which allow families to save money as well. Knowing your home energy score will give you a quick understanding and better assessment on how your home rates with regard to energy efficiency.

How to assess the Home Energy Score?

This is how it goes: your home is assessed by looking at the actual energy usage based on your current 12 months of utility bills and compared to other homes in your area. Then it will be scored on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being the highest efficiency rating.

Of course taking into account some statistical factors such as local weather, home size, number of family members living in the house. Having a score of 1 means poor performance and are strongly suggested to apply the home improvements as recommended by the assessor if you want to have an energy-efficient home and cost-saving utility bills.

How will I benefit from Home Energy Efficiency?

Apart from the obvious reduction of utility bills,  it will boost your home’s value making it a potential market to home buyers. Homes with environmental certification are said to be sold 22% less time than those who doesn't have certification, studies show.

Having your home energy score assessed, a customized energy upgrade recommendation can be provided to you and an estimate on how much the average utility bill reduction is expected out of these improvements. Take note, have your home energy assessed only by a qualified assessor.

It educates you about what other home energy improvement opportunities can be done to decrease environmental impact of your home. That said, living in an energy efficient home enhances your family’s quality of life.

Houses with home energy efficiency will experience and enjoy warmer temperature during winter and and cooler environment during summer while benefiting from affordable home operations all throughout the year.

Who are qualified to do the Home Energy Assessment?

                                                               

                                   

There are independent home energy assessor who are qualified to perform such assessment. They use a certain software in assessing data from your home system, taking into account some factors such as appliances, home systems, age of the home and region. It will then be rated on the scale of 1 to 10. For homes rated 1 strongly suggest extensive energy improvements while 10 gets the highest rate in terms of home efficiency.

As part of their assessment, they will also provide home improvement recommendations as well as an estimated energy efficiency and bill reduction.

Among the home improvements that you can practically apply in your homes are:

• sealing air leaks and adding insulation
• improving heating and cooling system
• replacing ductwork
• replacing windows
• upgrading lighting, appliances and water heating equipment's
• installing renewable energy systems

With all the benefits you can get out of energy-efficiency home improvements, what are you waiting for? Contact your qualified energy-efficiency assessor today!

Ductless Air Conditioning System

Choosing an air conditioning system depends on what individuals or families prefer. Nowadays, people would prefer air conditioning system that are cost efficient and energy saving. More and more people are now putting weight on the efficiency of the product as well as its being environment friendly.

Ductless air conditioning system can give you that benefit. The mini split air conditioning is a ductless conditioning system. They don’t need to make bigger holes on the walls for the ducts, they only require a hole about 3 inches in diameter and that’s just it. Ductless air conditioning systems are like central air conditioning systems that have 2 major components, the indoor and outdoor components. The indoor is the evaporator and the condenser unit is the one set-up outside the house.

The difference between mini split and central air conditioning system is that you can control which part of the house you want to make cooler. You can have at most four evaporators with the multi-zone mini split air conditioning, with each port independent from the others. You can turn off those units that are not in use to be able to save energy and on your electricity bills.

With the mini split system, you can make a multi-tasking application. You can make one place cool down while heating up other rooms. This is very convenient because you can turn off evaporators on places which are not at use which means you  can save a minimum of 30% energy consumption as compared to the central air conditioning system. Each of these evaporators can operate at its maximum function and you’ll get the same coolness as the central system.

The mini splits are very flexible to install and the evaporators are slim and can be mounted on the wall or suspended on the ceiling drop. You can have from 2 – 4 evaporators depending on how many you like. Unlike standard air conditioning systems, these ductless systems produce no noise inside since the condenser unit is installed outside your house or office.

The most important matter to consider in order to attain an effective performance of your system is never to install ductless air conditioning system by yourself. Installing a ductless air conditioning system is very complicated. It requires a certified hvac technician to properly install them.  They have undergone upgrades and trainings regarding the proper installation of ductless air conditioning systems.

If you want to invest on your HVAC, simply choose the type that benefit you the most. When purchasing a ductless air conditioning system, choose those units or models from trusted manufacturers to ensure 100% quality performance as desired. To know that you got the right unit, make sure that they have a SEER Rating, Cooling and Heating Options, Energy Star Certification and warranty. These are very important details you need to consider to determine a good quality hvac.

Easy Ways To Care For Your Tankless Water Heater

Equipments should be well maintained to be able to maximize its usage and the benefits you can get out of it. If upkeep is neglected, your equipment will not last longer than it should. There’s no secret into keeping your things functional for a long time but only through proper care and maintenance.

Tankless water heaters are not exempted to this rule. Caring for your equipments or things is very important. These things don’t know how to take care of themselves, owners should see to it that maintenance are properly done. It is also important that you have to set a schedule for cleaning. Doing so also allows you to monitor and check if there are any problems or perhaps there are parts that needs replacement or repair.

Maintaining your tankless water heater is not that tricky or complicated. You can refer to the manufacturer’s manual or consult a professional  that specializes in tankless water heaters if you have any doubts or confusion on the procedure. If you don’t want to take any risk, you can have a plumber to do the job for you. They are well trained and they will surely do the job correctly and easily.

Upkeep Procedures To Keep In Mind

1. Maintenance scheduling

Proper maintenance schedule for your tankless water heaters should be monthly. There is a need to clean out sediments or mineral deposits inside your heater monthly to avoid excessive presence of those chemicals that can damage your equipment. They should be flushed out by pumping about 3 gallons of any lighter acids such as diluted vinegar into your tankless water heating system. They are effectual in removing mineral deposits to prevent them from blocking your pipes.

Mineral deposits can be harder to flush out if it has been sticking there for a while. This is the reason why monthly flushing should be carried out.

2. Hard water issues

Hard water is also brought about by mineral deposits in your pipes. These mineral deposits can cause erosion to your pipes which can be very hard to remove. Using water softeners may be able to solve these problems but not all the time. If this will be the situation, you should call a plumber to do the checking and apply any remedy needed to fix the problem at hand. They know better on how to solve these issues.

3. Electrical wirings

As water is a good conductor of electricity, it is of most importance that the wires of any appliances or equipment are properly secured to be surely safe. Imagine what would happen to you getting electrocuted while having a shower because the wires were exposed to water.

You should see to it that all wirings are in good condition and doesn’t have any cuts whatsoever. If ever you have found one, seal them well with electrical tape or to be sure have an electrician check them out. Electricity is not a good thing to play around with. It is better to be sure than regretting later.

4. Annual check up

Annual checking should be done to your water heating system by a qualified and trained technician to see if everything is in good order and functional. It is also during the annual maintenance that your equipment is diagnosed if a repair or replacement is necessary. It is good to always be sure about the condition of any equipment you have at home to avoid any possibility of danger that are detrimental to your safety.

See? It’s just that simple. Tankless water heaters are very convenient and easy to maintain.  Have one in your household now and never worry about losing hot water supply.

Image Source: easywater

Geothermal Heat Pumps Are Great Investments

Want to invest for your heating and cooling system?

The geothermal heating or cooling system is a good choice for an excellent cooling system in your homes offices or other businesses. It can give your more benefits in so many ways.

Geothermal heating and cooling system utilizes the earth’s natural capabilities in converting temperature from hot to cold and vice versa. It doesn’t need any fossil fuel usage for the heating process so it doesn’t emit any unwanted gases that can be harmful to people and the mother earth. These makes them energy-saving and earth-friendly heating and cooling systems.

The initial investment for a geothermal heating pump can be a bit expensive than other conventional heating or cooling systems as it requires proper drilling and longer pipes. But, the accrued costs can be recovered in time as you get more savings on your monthly electricity bills. So in the long run, you’ll still get to have more savings compared to the other conventional systems.   

The cost of the installation depends on the loop you choose which is determined through your area and location. There are three types of loops that can be used: the vertical loop which should be employed when you have a limited area, the horizontal loop if you have the required extra area/space available outside your house, it is the cheapest choice for geothermal system using underground pipes, and the pond or lake loop, the cheapest of all options, this will only be applied if you have a pond or lake near your vicinity.

With the help of skilled and trained installation contractors, you will be able to enjoy the benefits that these geothermal heating and cooling systems has to offer. With the right people working on it, it will be very convenient on your part and it can assure you of a well done  job and avoid the occurrence of delays and performance issues.

If you are looking for a good investment then this is it. The cost of the installation may be bigger than the conventional system but if you look at it as a long time investment, you would agree that geothermal heat pump system is more advantageous and probably the best investment you’ll ever get in heating and cooling systems.

Here are the benefits you will get with geothermal heating and cooling systems:

• Energy saving. Geothermal heating and cooling systems don’t need fossil fuel to produce heat; it gets heat from a natural source: sun, water and earth. This simply means that it saves more energy consumptions and low monthly electricity bill for the years ahead.
• Low maintenance cost. These heating and cooling systems are unlike others. Their maintenance requirements are minimal because their parts are well protected from the weather conditions outside. This is one advantage people would like to have with their systems, lesser things to worry about. The indoor parts of the system can last from 20 – 25 years and the underground loops for more than 40 years
• Fresher air. These geothermal heat pumps never use fossil fuels so there are no air pollutants emitted by the system. This benefits both humans and the planet earth. You’ll be assured of a healthy environment.

• No annoying sounds. They sound just like your refrigerators. If they are just installed right then you will not worry about any irritating noise or rumbling sounds.

Geothermal heating and cooling system are really quite an investment; cost efficient, low energy usage and earth-friendly.

So, what more can you ask for? Make your move and invest on geothermal heat pumps today and live a comfortable and healthy lifestyle.

Earth-Friendly HVAC Is A Good Investment

Climate change has been affecting the earth’s weather since the past years. We felt the highs and lows in temperature during summer and winter days. These are just two of the repercussions of negligence and abuse to our environment. With that said, you and I are now experiencing the horrifying effects that we have cause our planet.

Fortunately, the disaster people have experienced nowadays brought awareness and consciousness to most of us if not all to be more considerate and to act now in helping save mother earth. Even technology considers earth-friendly inventions so as not to destroy our environment.That is why scientists and engineers have researched and studied hard to come up with technologies that can benefit us and the planet earth at the same time.

With the help of the innovations in technology, (HVAC) heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system has become more earth-friendly.  They have become energy saving, cost saving and have a very comfortable performance. New models and designs have been made to make you more comfortable in your homes and offices.

New models of Hvac are no longer using Freon R22, instead they use a cooled refrigerant fluid.  They are made not to depend so much on fossilized fuels and are more cost and energy efficient. Geothermal hvac is one of the solutions they have come up with to provide us with the cooling and heating needed during summer and winter by using the earth’s natural ability to cool down or increase air temperature.

Geothermal hvac system uses the earth’s ability to change the temperature of both air and water. A well is dug into the ground,  then copper tubing is installed for air to circulate. Earth will be the source of heat. A cooled refrigerant fluid is then used to absorb the heat. Its function depends on whether you prefer a cool or hot air.

Having a geothermal hvac is like investing in a new business. You may spend big as an initial capital but you will be able to get the payback in years depending on how big you spent because of the size of the room area you intend to fill with hot or cold air. You will surely get what you spent for by means of gaining savings from monthly electricity bills compared to the conventional hvac system.

The process of cooling and heating with geothermal hvac system is simple. In cooling, hot air is sent to the ground and circulates up as cooled air. Heating is the reverse process, cold air is absorbed down to the earth and circulates back as hot air. This is one of the wonders that earth can do. It can turn the temperature around.

Geothermal hvac system is just one of the hvac systems that are earth-friendly. Many of the new models of hvac systems that are non-geothermal are also manufactured to be environment-friendly, cost saving and energy efficient. New models are usually cost and energy saving because of the latest innovation in technology. Manufacturers constantly come up with more efficient models after their previous products.

Green Solutions for Renovations in Bishopville

Green solutions renovations Bishopville addresses homes or buildings reason for restoration. For obvious reasons, you want to enjoy the offering of energy efficient solutions for your home or your building.

Most contractor are always equipped with the ideas to help their customers reach their goal on delivering environmentally friendly solutions at prudent cost. Knowing that every household is different, and assuring every prospective customers that they can do what they would prefer and see that they will be benefited with their preferences.

Green solutions contractors have the commitment to work with integrity, honesty, dedication, commitment and total satisfaction. They aim to perfect the application of green solutions by living with the expectations of every prospective customers.

What You Should Know About Getting the Right Contractor

Generally speaking, all constructors can promise you the sun and the moon to do everything to meet your expectations. But mind you, for some reasons, a few or some of them may break your heart.

Consider some of this facts when choosing the right contractor to handle your home renovation. Number one consideration is the number of years the business has been there. The longer  they have been in this business will tell you that they are doing well.

Find out who are the clients they have made business with and try to verify and see their craftsmanship. And you might also want to know their pricing for the renovation you plan to do with your household.  

Considering the facts there mentioned, find out the  sets of standard for all phases of construction and upgrades on home efficiency with regards to green solutions and the extraordinary architectural visions to life.

With innovative ideas and decades of being in the business, a construction company that best delivers a home that best shows the personalities  and preference of the homeowner.

What Benefits would You Get from Green Renovation

 

A green solution renovation or sustainable construction is an ecological and resource-efficient ways of designing your home. Going green solutions in renovation has become more popular and homeowners are becoming more conscious if health issues inside their homes and increasing savings on energy costs.

The goal of going green solution renovation is transparent and its benefits are concrete. Using environmentally not harmful products is the ultimate goal in any green renovations, especially home renovations. It creates a better indoor air-condition and promote good health to occupants. Using of non-toxic construction materials and efficient ventilation systems, paints and finishes are highly implemented. With green solutions you are assured that you and your family are in the great sense of safety.

The Comfort of Ductless System in Your Homes and Offices

 

 

The investment decision in making use of Ductless System in your Properties as well as Practices need to give you a full client satisfaction. If you live in a classic household that's no ducts, or even a modern household that does not work with compelled oxygen warmth (and doesn't have ducts), it can be a massive expenditure to run a middle aircon system. In such cases ductless air conditioning units will be the best solution.

A ductless air conditioning equipment is usually part of the ac process in which circulates cool oxygen inside a building without ductwork. These types of devices usually are a cost-effective alternative to popular central heating, ventilating, in addition to ac (HVAC ) devices, that require a network associated with ducts to move oxygen. Ductless air conditioners are usually accepted as more efficient in addition to better sustain compared to windows air conditioners.

How to Determine the Size of Ductless System For my house needs?

Ductless heat water pump systems are usually sized to meet up with this cooling and heating needs connected to every particular  areas in your house. There's lots of overall flexibility with regards to process dimension as your household product provide among ¾ and only two ½ tons of heating/cooling depending on the BTU ability rating. Several popular capacities for household units are usually 9k, 12k, 18k, 24k, and 30k BTU. Out-of-doors units are usually designed  to meet up with this combined capacity of heating/cooling areas. A number of outdoor product might be essential for multi-zone systems.

The Benefits that you must Enjoy in Using Ductless System

Easy installation. These chilling techniques might be set up within much less time as compared to it takes to set up central air conditioning. Any two-person staff would desire a minimum of every week to run the actual ductwork as well as other the different parts of a new central air conditioning method.

Any ductless mini split method may very well be set up through start to end in one day. They don’t consume much space. Their small size makes ductless Ac units ideal for air conditioning small located rooms, for example flats in addition to dorm bedrooms.

They’re furthermore an excellent option for air conditioning individual bedrooms in much larger households, particularly basement in addition to attics, which can not often be ventilated nicely. Additionally, ductless air conditioners are usually an easy task to retailer for their small size. They are proven cost-effective.

Ductless ac units work with noticeably much less electrical power in comparison with standard ac units, which usually preserves on your own electricity bill. Furthermore, the use of many models, can  manage the individual area temperature in your own home, that's far more electricity effective and keeping your  area cool.

 

About the Author:

Tim VanVonno is an expert in heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. He specializes in green HVAC solutions, geothermal system, tankless water heater, ductless systems Berlin and many more.

Image Source: ductless4u