Energy Efficient Kitchen and Bathroom Remodel Suggestions

While it is still too early to think about Fall, and if you’re remodeling your kitchen or bathroom this summer or fall -- keep these things in mind: attempt to incorporate energy efficient savings in your remodel.

Your kitchen consumes substantial amounts of electrical and water energy. Reducing energy and water use will provide the biggest improvement and savings in your kitchen. Consider replacing your refrigerator and dishwashers that are more than 10 years old. Replace your stove if it is more than 20 years old. If you’re using an electric stove, consider switching to a gas stove or induction stovetop.

Refrigerators use 14% of the home’s electricity, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Today’s most efficient refrigerators use 47% less electricity than the 1993 models.

Dishwashers use up to 80% of their electricity to heat water. Today’s more efficient models use less than half the water and one-quarter of the electricity of 10-year old models.

Additional savings can be done if you do the following: Save electricity in your refrigerator by keeping its temps between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit. Reduce your dishwasher electricity use by 15 to 20% by washing only full loads of dishes and using unheated air to dry your dishes.

Your bathroom(s) are the largest user of water as well as electricity. In your bathroom remodel – see if you can use natural light by installing insulated energy efficient skylights. Additionally if you have windows in your bathroom, be sure to replace them with energy efficient windows with vinyl or fiberglass frames. Wood frames is not a good choice – it is bound to rot in the moisture rich environment.

Replace your toilet with a low flow toilet. This will save thousands of gallons of water each year. (And lower your water bill too) They look and cost the same as their traditional counterparts.

Install low-flow faucet aerator for your sinks (both bathroom and kitchen). Faucet use accounts for 15.7% of an average household daily water consumption.

If you need a pre-screened qualified professional contractor to help you with your kitchen or bathroom remodel, contact Adam Helfman at Hire it Done!

Energy Efficient Home Remodeling Projects with the Best Return on Investment

Much of home remodeling discussion has been revolving around going green, incorporating energy efficient home improvement services and products including air conditioners, water heaters, furnace, roof, windows and insulation.

The question facing some homeowners is, which one to pursue?

Regardless, going green in home remodeling project is a surefire way to not only increase your home value, but to make indoor living healthier and save substantially on energy bills.

Here is some of the potential return on investment estimates on some of the suggested energy efficient upgrades:

• Replacement Windows – provides an ROI upwards of 80%
• Replacing your roof with energy efficient shingles – provides an ROI upwards of 65%
• Natural Gas Furnaces – provides an ROI upwards of 90% (This is based on resale value added to the home and in the amount saved in utility bills over 5-10 years)
• Attic Insulation (R-0 to r-38) provides an ROI upwards of 69%

While looking at these ROI numbers, don’t forget there is a tax credit for some of these energy efficient upgrades. Be sure to read through Hire It Done previous blogs on this topic.

No matter which energy efficient home remodeling project you decide to tackle, be sure to contact Hire it Done and allow our pre-screened contractors compete for your remodeling bids. Go to: www.hireitdone.com

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #6 – Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax Credit when you install energy efficient furnace in your home.

If your furnace is more than 15 years old, it is most likely not efficient. Our government is granting a tax credit for those who upgrade and install energy efficient furnace. Since heating is the largest energy expense in most homes -- now is a good time to upgrade and reap the benefits of dual savings – lower utility bills and a tax credit for your 2009 taxes.

However you need to understand a couple of vocabulary words while shopping for a furnace. The EPA requires furnaces to have at least 78% AFUE. AFUE stands for Annual Fuel Utilization Rating. This means that a minimum of 78% of the fuel consumed is directly converted to heat your home. The rest escapes from the flue.*

Today the efficiency of new furnaces are between 78% AFUE and 96% AFUE. Traditional “power-combustion” furnaces are 80-82% AFUE. “Condensing” Furnaces are above 90% AFUE. “Condensing” furnaces, means that the furnace recaptures some of the heat wasted in traditional systems by condensing escaping water vapor. For Michigan (and cold climates), a condensing model is the best choice.

Proper installation of your new high-energy efficient furnace is also critical in order to fully reap the benefits and savings. A top of the line furnace installed improperly could cause you many problems down the road. Your furnace also needs to be properly sized for your home. Oversized furnaces are a common mistake that you can prevent by having your contractor do a heat loss analysis. A heat loss calculation includes factors such as the window area, type of windows, insulating proper-ties of the wall, and the amount of heat loss through air leakage. Discuss any remodeling plans with your contractor. Ask any contractor who bases estimates solely on the square footage of your house to do a true heat loss calculation.

Ask Adam Helfman at Hire it Done to help you find a qualified furnace installer for your home!

Sources: www.ConsumerSearch.com, www.furnacecompare.com and www.aceee.org

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #5 -- Stay Cool and warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you insulate your home.

If you’re thinking of re-insulating your home for next winter . . . I know it’s a little early to think about it now since it is summer.  But if you insulate now, you’ll appreciate the double savings you’ll get – lower utility bills, and you can claim a tax credit on your 2009 tax return. (you could save upwards of 20% in the winter, and upwards of 10% on cooling costs during the summer)

For insulation to qualify -- its primary purpose must be to insulate. One example given by Energy Star – insulated siding does not qualify.

Energy Star provides a great resource and information about insulation for your home. The article states that the biggest savings comes from adding insulation in the attic.

If you need help finding a qualified insulation contractor, contact Adam Helfman at Hire it Done! 

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #4 – Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you install energy efficient water heaters.

In order to get sweet tax rebate on water heater, make sure you purchase a water heater that is energy efficient.  Even if your water heater isn’t on the fritz, you still stand to save big bucks by opting for more efficient model. Gas, oil, propane, and solar water heaters are all game for the tax break.  Check Energy Star’s Tax credit list to find the requirements for each kind of heater.

 (While shopping --look for the energy star label on efficient water heaters in the following categories: high efficiency gas non-condensing, gas condensing, electric heat pump, gas tankless, and solar.)

Consider natural gas on-demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be up to 30% compared with a standard natural gas storage tank water heater. Additional information about on-demand water heaters can be found at U.S. Department of Energy. 

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient water heater and electric heat pump, up to a life time cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:  The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only.  Need additional information? Visit  Hire it Done! 

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #3 – Stay Cool. Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you install energy efficient roof.

In order to get tax rebate on your new roof, make sure you purchase any energy star qualified metal or asphalt roofing.  Additional information on energy efficient star roofing products can be found at Energy Star.

There are pros and cons between metal versus asphalt roofing.  You’ll have to consider lifetime roof durability, cost, protection from the elements and fire resistance.

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient metal or asphalt roofing, up to a life time cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:  The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only. 

Need an expert for your roof? Hire it Done with Adam Helfman at www.hireitdone.com

More on the Energy Efficiency Tax Credit from Reliable Source

NAHB is a trade association that helps promote the policies that make housing a national priority. The association also has an arm -- that would be of interest to my clients - HBI, which stands for Home Builders Institute. 

NAHB released a fact sheet on Energy Efficiency Tax Credit:

http://www.nahb.org/generic.aspx?genericContentID=113316

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #2 – Stay Cool. Stay Warm. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you install energy efficient windows and doors.

In order to get sweet tax rebate on windows and doors, make sure they are energy efficient – they must have a U-factor of 0.3 or less. The U-factor is used to measure the heat transfer through the object and determines how well it insulates. The lower the U-factor, the better it insulates.

To understand a little bit more about energy efficient windows and the U-factor, go visit this website: National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC).  Two key things to know:

U-Factor:  Measures how well a window, door, or skylight prevents heat from escaping.  Ratings usually range from 0.20 to 1.20.  The LOWER the number, the more efficient the product is. U-Factor will change as window sizes change.

Solar Heat Gain (SHGC): Measures how well your new window blocks heat from sunlight – keeping your home cooler. The LOWER the SHGC, the lower that heat gain through a window. SHGC ranges from 0 to 1.  SHGC will change as the window sizes change.

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient windows, skylights and doors, up to a lifetime cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:

This comes from the new economic stimulus package signed into law in February that revived and expanded tax credits for energy efficient home improvements.

The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only.  

Central Air Conditioning Tips – Four Tips to Conserve and Stay Cool

Dusty air filter reduces airflow. Check your unit’s air filter once a month. Clean or replace filter when necessary.  Keeping filters clean can cut energy consumption 5 to 15%!

Install a programmable thermostat so you can vary the temperature according to when you're home. Set it to 78 degrees when you're home. If you'll be gone for more than a few hours, it makes sense to set the air conditioning at 85 degrees while you are gone. Each degree setting below 78F will increase your energy consumption by approximately 8%. As you can see that can add up to a lot of money. 

Don't leave the house and turn OFF the air conditioner. You can set the temperature up five to ten degrees but not OFF. This is because of latent heat buildup in the walls and furniture in the house and will make the air conditioner work harder to remove the heat and this takes a long time (which will run you your utility bills). 

Also flip the switch on the thermostat for the fan setting to FAN ON, not Auto. The constant air moving will keep you cooler. You can probably keep the thermostat a degree or two higher than normal and still feel comfortable. You will also maintain a more even temperature between upstairs and downstairs. This will SAVE you money because the outdoor condenser will not come on as much!

Need an expert for your air conditioning? Hire it Done with Adam Helfman at www.hireitdone.com

 

Stimulus Tax Credit Bulletin #1 – Stay Cool. Stay Green. 2009 Tax credit when you purchase energy efficient central air conditioner.

In order to get tax rebate on central A/C units, make sure you purchase an air conditioner that is rated 1^st tier (pdf file) by the Consortium of Energy Efficiency. Also any A/C unit that is energy star qualified (look for the logo) will work as well.

This comes from the new economic stimulus package signed into law in February that revived and expanded tax credits for energy efficient home improvements.

Here’s what is available: tax credit for 30% of the cost of energy-efficient air conditioners, furnaces, heat pumps and boilers, up to a life time cap of $1500. This credit is available for 2009 and 2010.

NOTE:  The tax credits you earn on all the energy efficient home improvement items such as central air, water heaters, furnaces and hot water boilers, windows, doors, roofing and installation, are cumulative, and capped at $1500. 

Be aware: this tax credit applies to primary residence only.  Need an expert for your air conditioning? Hire it Done with Adam Helfman at www.hireitdone.com