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How to Buy an Energy Efficient Home

With the cost of energy on the rise and damage to our planet becoming more evident, it is more important than ever to reduce our energy consumption. The cost of homes has decreased steadily in recent years and many people are seeking to buy a new house. With the market saturated with homes for sale at reasonable prices, shoppers have the advantage of choosing from many homes that are within their price range. Shopping wisely now will save you thousands of dollars in the future. Following are some things to look for when shopping for an energy efficient home.

Make sure that the heating and cooling systems are the right size for the house. If the unit is too small, they will have to work harder to regulate the temperature of the home. Also, central heating and air conditioning units are much more energy efficient than older furnaces and window air conditioners. Ideally, the unit should be located on the north side of the house so that it gets very little sunlight.

Finally, look at the toilets and water fixtures in the house. New low-flush toilets only use 1.5 gallons per flush compared to old toilets that use up to 7 gallons. By using the low-flush models, the average household can save up to twenty thousand gallons of water per year. Also, showers and sinks that use flow-optimized technology use up to thirty percent less water than standard faucets use without sacrificing water pressure. Using less water means that that the water plants are using less energy.

With the wide variety of homes on the market today, it is easy to buy an energy efficient house if you know what to look for. Buying wisely now will save you thousands of dollars in the future and will decrease the negative impact that high energy use has on our environment.

• Tell people you conserve energy and use enery efficient appliances.
• Read a book that explains how to conserver energy.
• Look for small ways you can conserve energy every day.