Suburban Blog

Quick Tips For Winterizing Your Home

Autumn is the best time to start any project that will prepare your home for the cold winter months ahead of us. Here at Suburban, we have put together a few cost-effective ways to prepare your home for the cold weather by increasing your heating efficiency:

1. Add humidifiers to the living areas in your home where you spend most of your time. Adding a humidifier will make the air in your room feel warmer in the winter. 
2. Close off any unused parts of your house that do not need heat ventilation.
3. Check the weather stripping around your windows and doors. The biggest loss of heat in your home will result from any window or door that has air leaking through it. Take a look at the advantages of Heat Mirror windows, they are the most advanced and energy efficient replacement window available.
4. Consider replacing your thermostat with a programmable thermostat that will reduce your energy bill tremendously over the winter.
5. Check to see if your attic and/or basement has insulation. If not, consider doing this because it will greatly reduce your energy efficiency.

Are You Juggling Your Energy Bills?

 I thought this  Video Clip was pretty cool and wanted to share it with our readers. It's an entertaining way to demonstrate how your household bills can get out of control. Did you know that the Average American uses 20 times the amount of oil/per year than any other citizen in the world. Take a walk around your house with our Energy Conservation Checklist (located below this article) and look for ways you can reduce next month's energy bill!  Subscribe to our HouseGuru blog for interesting and useful information on saving energy and living green. Even know we specialize in Replacement Windows and Vinyl Siding we are dedicated to helping homeowners save money and live more comfortably.  

 Enjoy the video and have a great day !

 Your friends at Suburban Windows & Siding

 

Your Free Energy Conservation Checklist

Did you know that there are several ways to conserve energy at home for little to no cost? As the winter is closing in on us in Connecticut, Suburban Windows and Siding would like to help you learn how to reduce your energy bill's effectively. Take a walk through your house using our Energy Conservation Checklist to figure out where you can eliminate unnecessary expenses.

1) Use dimmers on your indoor lighting and remote sensors on your outdoor lighting. This will help you save energy whether or not you are home.

2) Use automatic controls for your thermostats, heaters, and hot-water heaters. It is suggested to keep your thermostat no higher than 68* degrees in the winter.

3) Close off unused parts of your house that don't necessarily have to be heated everyday (attic, basement, guest bedroom, etc.)

4) Make sure that you are not obstructing any vents or air returns in your home.

5) Check to see if you need to replace any filters in your heating/cooling system.

6) Seal any cracks in your windows or consider replacement windows that will ensure you are heating your house and not your neighborhood. 

7) Take advantage of natural or existing light when heating and/or lighting each room in your house.

8) Check to make sure that there are no cracks or spaces in the siding of your home. Consider replacement vinyl siding if your home cannot hold in your heat as well as it used to be able to.

 

5 Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill Today

This time of year in New England is responsible for several changes in our daily life, whether we realize it or not. For example the cold weather is starting to increase everyday while the amount of light starts to decrease. Many of us are too busy to adjust to the changing season at home, and in return turning the heat up seems to be the quickest solution to our problems. Here are a few tips that can dramatically lower your energy bill without too much hassle.

1. During the winter you should turn your ceiling fan on a slow speed to push warm air that has settled up there around your entire room making you feel more comfortable.
   
2. Upgrade your light bulbs to florescent. Although they cost more initially, they will last up to 13 times longer and use only 1/3 of the energy that a normal light bulb needs.
3. When operating your washing machine, use COLD water. Laundry detergents are so advanced these days that using warm water is not necessary anymore. Using cold water can cut your energy bill to 1/5 of what it is now.
4. When using your dishwasher, turn off the Heat Drying feature because it uses extra energy for something that doesn't really need to be done.
5. When you are not using your fireplace, make sure you have closing glass doors installed because naturally a fireplace will drain your warm air and replace it with cold air from outside.

Energy Auditing Tips

Did you know? The easiest, most economical area in which to conserve energy for most homeowners is insulation and weather stripping. As we begin our transition into the colder weather this Fall we think that everybody should consider cost-effective energy improvements before its too late. Check out these 5 tips on how to do an energy audit on your own without hiring a professional..

1) Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces.

2) Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.

3) Check for open fireplace dampers.

4) Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner's manual for the recommended maintenance. 

5) Study your families lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Use lighting controls such as: sensors, dimmers and timers to reduce energy use.

Tax Rebate for Energy Efficient Improvements.

If you haven't heard the full story, on February 17 the Obama Administration signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Tax Act allowing up to $1500 in tax rebates for Energy Star windows, doors, and skylights. We think this program will be very helpful over the next year for anyone looking to make home improvements and save some money. In addition to this rebate, you will notice a reduction in your household energy expenses for years to come. As of June 1st, in order for windows and doors to pass through this program, they must have a NFRC label. The NFRC stands for the National Fenestration Rating Council, which is the only federal institution that determines the official performance of windows, doors, and skylights in saving energy. Make sure to hold onto your manufacture certification, it will provide some relief next April!