Now that they’ve been in the house for about a year, she wanted me to know how much lower the utility bills were than they were paying in their former house (which was quite a bit smaller) and how they had found this house to be really comfortable, with no drafty or hot rooms to contend with like they had in other homes.
While it was nice to hear from her, I wasn’t really surprised, because I hear this a lot. People who buy homes that are energy efficient really do like them more than homes that aren’t, and one of the best ways to know if a house is efficient is to look for an Energy Star label (usually prominently displayed on the circuit breaker box). These are homes that have been inspected and rated, and found to be at least 30 percent more efficient than comparable homes built to the national energy code.
Think people don’t know what a difference a home like this can make? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which manages the Energy Star program with the U.S. Department of Energy, 100,000 new homes have now earned the Energy Star designation, saving these homeowners a total of $26 million in energy costs every year. It’s clear that people are seeking out homes that offer the potential for significant energy savings—money that goes into their own pockets every month instead of to their utility company.
Energy Star homes have a variety of features that cut heating, cooling, and water heating energy use. Tighter home construction cuts down on unwanted air flow in and out of these homes. Tighter ducts ensure that heated and cooled air doesn’t go where it’s not wanted. Improved insulation protects the home from the elements while improving indoor comfort. High performance windows keep the sun out when it’s not wanted and keep conditioned air inside. And energy efficient heating and cooling equipment keeps utility costs low while keeping the house comfortable.
Last year, thanks to programs like Energy Star and other energy efficiency measures, Americans cut their energy bills by more than $7 billion, along with saving enough energy to power 15 million homes. The greenhouse gas emissions saved by these steps was the equivalent of taking 14 million cars off our country’s roads.
If you live in a hot climate like Florida, where about a third of your annual energy bills is for cooling your home, an efficient air conditioner can make a huge difference in your expenses. The extra cost of buying an efficient unit with a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) will quickly be recovered by its energy savings. An efficient furnace in colder climates will give substantial savings as well. Water-saving appliances help cut down on both energy use for heating water as well as the cost of the water itself—something that can be as much as the energy costs in many parts of the country.
I still hear from readers who tell me that they are frustrated because their builder doesn’t put energy-saving features into his new houses because they aren’t needed. Others tell me they talked to contractors when they needed a new air conditioner and were told to buy the cheapest one available regardless of its rating. And I hear from people occasionally who tell me that their builder still says that energy efficiency costs too much and the features would price his homes out of the market.
I give these people the same answers when I hear these things: you’re the one who will live in that house, not your builder or your realtor or your contractor or your air-conditioning salesman. You’re the one who will pay the monthly utility bill. You’re the one who will suffer if the home isn’t comfortable or it’s too noisy or whatever else is wrong with it.
Get online and go to energystar.gov/ia/new_homes/Checklist8x14.pdf for a checklist on Energy Star homes with questions you need to ask your home builder about a home you’re considering buying. These are questions that need to be asked before you buy, especially since the right answers could help you save thousands of dollars in energy costs while you enjoy a really comfortable home.
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