Energy Efficient Remodeling Tips
Home renovations can always seem overwhelming, but an energy efficient home remodeling projects is much easier than most people think. Many homeowners wrongly assume that making your home more environmentally friendly requires complete reconstruction or large sums of money, but this assumption is not correct. You are not required to spend a fortune to make your home more green. There are plenty of tricks and tips that you can follow to ensure that your home is more energy efficient and simultaneously reduce your energy bill significantly. Making your real estate property more energy efficient can have great advantages. The rehab process is short, but the results will last a long period of time.
Energy Efficient Low-Flow Fixtures
This tip is for bathroom remodels and refers to the type of fixture that you should select for installation. For example, low-flow shower head fixtures have the ability to save you more than one gallon of water per minute. Therefore, a low-flow fixture can save you money on both your water bill and your monthly energy costs. This is due to the fact that your hot water tank will be required to heat less water due to the water that is saved by the low-flow shower head fixture. Low-flow toilets are also available for homeowners looking to make their home even more efficient. A low-flow toilet can save you more than $100 on your yearly water bill.
Energy Efficient Refrigerator
Appliances require upgrades to ensure that they are running efficiently and saving you money over time. If you have an old refrigerator, too much energy is required to make your old refrigerator run and you are losing money with every energy bill. Refrigerators are constantly on and it is highly recommended that you have an energy efficient model that can save you up to 15% on your energy bill. This easy upgrade can make your home more energy efficient.
Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans are not designed to cool rooms within your home, but they are designed to cool you. A ceiling fan will circulate air and create a draft that can be felt by you constantly. By having ceiling fans installed in combination with an air conditioner, you can circulate the cool air throughout your home and use your air conditioner much less. This small change can save you about 6% on your energy bill.
Change Your Energy Supplier
Most homeowners are overpaying every month on their energy bills, but there is an easy fix to this problem. Simply choose a different energy provider but make sure to do your homework. By choosing between providers, you will be able to get the best rate and pay less on your energy bill monthly.
For alternative electric providers with rates in Illinois go to:
http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/ciElectric_cubfacts_alternativesuppliers.html
For alternative natural gas providers with rates in Illinois go to:
http://www.citizensutilityboard.org/ciNatGas_CustSelect_offers.html#ambit