Find Information About Lots of Great Topics

Everyone knows they should conserve energy. This saves your family money and has a huge impact on our environment. No matter what your reason, purchasing a newly built Energy Star qualified house helps guarantee great energy efficiency.

What precisely is an Energy Star home? Are all new houses “green” and good for the environment? How can I know whether the new house that I’m buying is truly energy efficient?

The federal government has defined standards as to what qualifies as an Energy Star rated house. This is important because terms such as “green” are vague. Is a new housebuilder claiming to be green simply because he used energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs? Is it really “green” just because the house has insulation? While are good things, it does not make your home “green.”

To be confident that your new home you’re looking at is actually energy efficient, look for the official “Energy Star” certification that is only awarded to certain qualified houses.

Government guidelines at www.energystar.gov, list the criteria a new house must meet to become Energy Star qualified:

First, the house must make use of effective insulation that is both properly installed and inspected. Insulation should be used in the walls, floors and attics to ensure even temperatures throughout the new home. This will drastically reduce energy use and provide greater comfort in your home as it maintains level temperatures.

Second, the structure should be built with air tight construction and well fitted duct work. Small cracks and holes can cause cold air in and warm air to escape, greatly reducing the energy savings of your new home. An opening no bigger than a quarter can be a problem.

Next, the new home should employ efficient windows with protective coatings and superior window frames. The goal here is to prevent cold air from coming in in the winter and to keep the warm air out in the summer. High quality UV coating on the windows also prevents fading of rugs, furniture and paint in your home.

Next, Energy Star rated appliances should be used in the new house. These appliances use less electricity, oil and natural gas, and produce reduce waste vs. non-rated appliances.

Fifth, Energy Star rated appliances should be used in the home, including lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs, fans, appliances, air conditioning, refrigeration, dishwashers and washing machines. The more energy efficient appliances you have, the lower your electric costs will be.

Finally, Energy Star contractors can go through a third-party verification process to verify that the new houses built meet these standards. This helps ensure that builders are reputable and deliver on their energy-efficient promises.

Craig Axelrod is one of the senior developers from Emmy Homes. Emmy is which is one of Long Island’s most trusted home builders. Emmy’s Commack real estate features new construction in Commack. Visit EmmyHomes.com for information.

Popularity: unranked [?]