News

April Market Watch with Chris Doucet

in , ,
April 16th Weekly King County Market Watch NW marketingcenter--

Home Energy Audit: An Essential Guide To Improving Your Home’s Efficiency

in

Source: Realty Times

You want a comfortable, energy-efficient home—but where do you start? A home energy audit is your first step. It uncovers hidden energy drains, saves you money, and reduces your carbon footprint. Best of all? You can do a lot of it yourself.

This guide walks you through why energy audits matter, how to perform one, and the upgrades that deliver the biggest bang for your buck. Read on to learn more.

Why a Home Energy Audit is Worth Your Time

Think of your home as a system. If one part leaks energy, the rest works harder to compensate. That means higher bills and unnecessary wear on appliances.

Luckily, a professional home energy audit carried out by certified experts and/or companies (or even a do-it-yourself (DIY) check) pinpoints the following issues:

•  Air leaks that let heat or air conditioning (AC) to escape;

•  Poor insulation which drives up total household energy use;

•  Old appliances guzzling extra power;

•  Inefficient lighting - adding to already sky-high costs; and so much more.

Did you know that fixing the abovementioned issues can slash your energy bills by up to a third—sometimes even more more. Plus, many upgrades pay for themselves in just a few years.

How to Conduct a DIY Home Energy Audit

You don’t always need a pro. A thorough DIY audit takes a few hours and requires minimal tools to perform. Here’s how to do it right.

Step 1: Locate Air Leaks

Air leaks are silent energy thieves. Check the following parts of your home:

•  Windows and doors (hold a lit incense stick near edges—if smoke wavers, you’ve got a leak);

•  Electrical outlets and switches on exterior walls;

•  Attic hatches, vents, and ductwork; and the like.

Seal gaps with weatherstripping, caulk, or spray foam for an instant efficiency boost.

Step 2: Inspect Insulation

Poor insulation forces your at-home heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system to overwork. Key spots to check include your attic (should have at least 12–15 inches of insulation), exterior walls (tap them—hollow sounds may mean insufficient insulation), and at-home basement and crawl spaces (look for exposed gaps).

If insulation is thin or missing, consider adding fiberglass batts, blown-in cellulose, or spray foam.

Step 3: Evaluate Heating and Cooling Systems

Your HVAC system eats up nearly half of your energy bill. Ask yourself the following questions:

•  Is your furnace or AC over a decade or more old? (Upgrading to the latest energy-efficient models can save you about a fifth on your energy consumption costs.)

•  Are filters dirty? (Replace them every month or so depending on the amount of accumulated dirt present.)

•  Are ducts leaking? (Use mastic sealant—not duct tape—to fix them.)

A quick self-inspection on your heating and cooling systems at home can do wonders.

Step 4: Check Appliances and Lighting

Old appliances are energy hogs. Look for refrigerators, washers, and dryers with low or outdated energy savings ratings, incandescent bulbs (swap them for LEDs, which use a whole lot less electricity), and phantom loads (unplug devices or use smart power strips).

Step 5: Examine Water Heating Efficiency

Water heaters account for a considerable percent of your home's energy use. Improve efficiency by lowering the thermostat to 120°F, insulating exposed pipes and the tank (if you're using an electric unit), and fixing leaky faucets because they waste hundreds of gallons a year if left unchecked.

With the abovementioned pointers, you're more than ready to do a DIY home energy audit sans an expert's help.

When to Call a Professional Energy Auditor

A DIY audit helps, but a pro brings expertise and high-tech tools like thermal cameras to spot hidden heat loss, blower door tests to measure air leakage rates, and combustion analyzers that check your furnace's safety.

Consider hiring an auditor if you suspect major air leaks or insulation gaps at home, your energy bills are sky-high with no obvious cause, and you’re planning big renovations and want expert advice.

Worry not; many utilities offer discounted or free audits—check with your provider.

Top Money-Saving Tips You Should Consider

Lock in savings year-round at home with the following energy-saving tips:

•  Use energy monitoring tools such as smart plugs to track real-time usage of devices and whole-home energy monitors to identify hidden drains.

•  Optimize your thermostat settings for different seasons of the year. During winter, set your thermostat at 68°F when awake and lower when asleep/away. On the other hand, set your thermostat at 78°F when home and higher when out during the summer. If you're able to, you can switch to smart thermostats to save yourself from the hassle of doing manual adjustments.

•  Maintain your HVAC system. Schedule annual professional tune-ups, clean vents and ducts, and keep outdoor units free of debris.

•  Harness natural heating and cooling at home; open south-facing curtains in winter for solar heat and close blinds in summer to block heat. Finally, use ceiling fans to your advantage.

Aside from the above mentioned, did you know that there are financial rebates available that you can utilize? Read on to learn more about them.

Financial Incentives and Rebates

Want to cut upgrade costs from the findings of your home energy audit? Take advantage of government tax credits like tax breaks for installing solar panels or heat pumps, utility rebates for efficient appliances or new insulation, and financial support programs from non-profits.

Check your local energy office or top energy sites for current deals available.

Closing Words

A home energy audit isn’t just about saving money—it’s about living smarter. Fixing leaks, optimizing systems, and using energy wisely means lower bills, better comfort, and a lighter environmental footprint.

Start with a DIY check, then consider a pro audit if needed. Every upgrade, big or small, adds up. Your home—and wallet—will thank you.

Source: Realty Times

10 Tips for a More Peaceful Home

in

SOURCE: Houzz

Turn your everyday living space into a serene retreat by clearing visual distractions, softening your lighting and more

Maintaining a Zen-like space is about much more than style. It’s about cultivating a peaceful place where each object has a reason for being present, whether for its beauty, utility or both. Here are 10 ways to bring a peaceful, balanced feeling to your home.

1. Clear Surfaces Daily

Clutter is visual distraction. Every time your eyes land on a stack of papers, a tangle of jewelry or a pile of laundry, some small part of your mind is at work thinking about dealing with said items. If you want a calmer experience at home, a good way to begin is by making it routine to clear all the surfaces in your house daily. When your eye can skim across clean, clear surfaces throughout your home, it also becomes easier to stay focused on the present moment.

2. Declutter and Get Organized

It’s one thing to clear surfaces; it’s quite another to completely declutter your home. But when you have taken the time to go through every closet, drawer and cupboard and whittle down your belongings to the ones you truly need, love or both, a weight lifts. Daily tasks that used to take forever are streamlined; lost items are quickly found; important dates are no longer missed.

3. Get Some Help if You Need It

Sometimes it’s best to admit you need help and let the pros do what they do best. Hire a professional organizer to help clear that clutter, a decorator to help you tap into your style and get your home looking and feeling just the way you want, or an architect to redesign your space.

4. Incorporate the Five Elements

Don’t stop with potted plants — to really embrace nature in your home, make sure all five elements are represented. They are: water (images of water, a fountain, flowers in a bowl of water), earth (stone, plants), fire (candles, incense, fireplace), metal (furniture, tools) and wood (furniture, beams).

5. Keep Floors as Clear as Possible

Similar to keeping surfaces clear (see item No. 1), having clean, clear floors is a way to streamline your life and keep your attention on the here and now. If piles of things tend to accumulate on your floors, perhaps it’s because there isn’t a better place for them — if that’s the case, make a home for these items so you won’t be tripping over them anymore. As for the floors themselves, keeping them fresh, clean, and dust free makes for a more pleasant space and helps improve indoor air quality.

6. Use Fewer but More Meaningful Decorations

Instead of binging on inexpensive finds, aim to reduce your decor items to include only the ones that you truly love and that hold meaning for you. A few beautiful objects carefully displayed can be so inspiring — reducing allows you to appreciate what you have even more.

7. Soften Your Lighting

Learn to appreciate natural light and use it more. Even when the light starts to fade in the evening, consider sometimes lighting candles instead of flicking on the overheads. And speaking of overheads, if you haven’t done so yet, swap out all of your regular light switches for dimmers — it makes a world of difference to be able to control the glow.

8. Pay Attention to Texture

Do the objects in your home thrill your senses? Consider this as you declutter and whenever you are considering a new purchase. Think of how lovely a chunky, hand-thrown pottery mug feels in the hand versus a machine-made version. Natural materials have some of the best textures — bring more rough jute, nubby linen, cracked old leather, pure silk and raw wood into your home.

9. Use Natural Scents

Have you ever noticed that some of the most beautiful, inspiring shops usually also smell amazing? Or how just the first whiff of aromatherapy oils in a massage therapist’s office instantly puts you at ease? What you smell can have a surprisingly strong effect on how you feel. Create a purifying, calming atmosphere in your home by eschewing artificial fragrances and choosing natural scents like those from beeswax candles, essential oils, natural cleaning products and fresh garden flowers instead.

10. Use Everyday Reminders

In meditation practice sometimes a bell is used as a reminder to refocus your attention on the here and now. Create a list of some things you do multiple times each day, and pick one of them to use as your own version of a meditation bell. It could be anything, as long as it’s something you do often — adjust the window shades, wash your hands, pour a glass of water, check your email. Whenever you find yourself about to do that thing, take a moment to stop, breathe and simply be present.

SOURCE: Houzz

March 5th Weekly King County Market Watch NW

in , ,
March 5th Weekly King County Market Watch NW marketingcenter--