Energy Conservation Tips

Information from the National Association of Green Realtors (NAGAB)

By Lisa Salt, Certified Greenagent (TM)

Did you know that the energy used in a typical home can cause twice as many greenhouse gas emissions as operating a vehicle for one year?  By decreasing our waste through energy conservation, we are decreasing our monthly home operating costs, reduce our reliance on renewable resources and ultimately increasing the resale value of your home and decreasing the sale time.

Reducing Energy Consumption in the Home: 

1.  Insulating Walls and Attic:  Ensure that you have the correct amount of insulation.  Properly installing the correct amount can lead to up to 25% in energy savings alone!

2.  Insulating and Sealing Basements:  If your basement was finished over 25 years ago, your insulation may be inadequate or non-existent!  Your home should have floor to ceiling insulation to be energy efficient.

3.  High Efficiency Furnace:  Converting to a high efficiency furnace can save you 25-40% on your energy costs for a family of 4, assuming the model you replaced was over 20+ years old.

4.  Air Sealing:  Get a home energy audit and discover the many things you can do to better seal your doors, windows,  baseboards and electrical outlets.

5.  Energuide Appliances:  Ensure that your appliances have a high Energuide rating - the higher the rating, the more energy efficient they are.

6.  Light bulbs:  Did you know incandescent light bulbs emit 90% of their energy as heat and 10% as light?  Not so great for cooling your home in the summertime!  Replace incandescents with CFL's.

7.  Roofing:  Choose light coloured roofing materials that have a high solar reflectance and thermal emittance rating.  Following this advice can decrease peak cooling demand by 10-15%.

For information on provincial rebates and getting a professional energy audit, click here.

For more information on Energy Efficiency in your home, fill out the form below and we would be pleased to assist.