Cool House Plans

There is an old saying “hit them where it hurts”. The energy crisis did just that. Who ever heard of $4 a gallon for gas and almost $5 a gallon for heating fuel? And, if that wasn’t bad enough; groceries, clothing and most everything else followed the path to higher prices, all because of soaring energy costs.

Now is the time for us to change how we do things. Several knew types of eco-friendly roofs have been developed. First, there are the photovoltaic roofing (solar roof) systems that are capable of channeling sunlight and converting it into electricity. What an energy savings that would be. These eco-friendly systems can also collect and heat your hot water. These solar roofing systems have a life expectancy of about 30 years.

Secondly, there is the white roof, or a reflective roof. A white colored fluid is applied directly to the roof surface with a paint roller. This type of eco-friendly roofing reflects the heat rays from the sun; keeps the roof and building cool, eliminates ultraviolet deterioration of the roof and, at the same time, reduces our air conditioner’s energy costs. Read the rest of this entry »

Air leaking in and out of your home can have a major impact on your utility bill. Blocking the obvious holes can tremendously help reduce your energy costs and save home energy. Sealing and weather stripping around windows and doors is an excellent first step. Now it is time to seek out the not so obvious holes. Read through the items below to expose those hidden air leaks.

Air can leak into the attic. Attic spaces are designed to draw air. In the summer it is needed to reduce heat buildup and in the winter to prevent moisture buildup. The air pulled through the attic should come from outside through vents or openings in the soffit or eave. That air could come from inside your home if there are openings in the ceiling. The air you paid to heat or cool is now conditioning your attic. What a waste of energy!

Add or replace weather strip around ceiling access doors or panels. There should be some type of access to your attic. This access could have gaps or spaces which allow air to pass. Add weather stripping if none exists or check and replace, if necessary, existing weather stripping. The door or panel should fit snuggly in its opening. If weather stripping is falling off or permanently compressed, then it should be replaced. Make sure there are no cracks or openings around the frame. If so, seal or repair gaps. Read the rest of this entry »

Today, escalating prices are draining family budgets. The cost of energy is soaring and everything from heating your home to driving to work is siphoning away your hard earned money. Though there is little that you can do about the rising cost of energy, there are some ways you can save energy, and save money at the same time.

One of the ways to save energy is to cut down on the amount of fuel that you consume. Think fuel efficiency when you purchase a new car. Stay away from the SUVs and consider buying an automobile that uses less fuel.

You can also save energy when doing your laundry, if you wash your clothes in cold water with cold-water detergents, and then hang them outside to dry. Most of the energy used to do laundry is in heating the water and drying the clothes, so with these two steps you will be saving a lot of energy, and money. Read the rest of this entry »