Keeping your Home in Shape (Part 1)

Helpful Hints to Keep Your Home in Tip-Top Shape with Judith


Improve Energy Efficiency


Easy: Replace Incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs yet require 75 percent less energy, produce 75 percent less heat, and last up to 10 times longer. Switching out just the five most frequently used lights in your house can save as much as 3,000 kilowatts of energy a day.


Advanced: Switch to solar power. This clean energy source generates no air pollution and no noise. Panels installed today will produce energy for 20 years with minimal maintenance. The federal government offers a tax credit of 30 percent of the installation cost, to a maximum of $2,000, for certain solar power features, and many states and municipalities offer additional incentives.


Reduce Drafts


Easy: Plug leaks, caulk and add weather-stripping to windows and doors to stop heat and air conditioning losses. Use expanding foam to fill gaps, especially between the living space and unheated areas such as the attic and garage. Leaky air ducts can decrease energy efficiency by as much as 20 percent.


Advanced: Add Insulation. Homes more than 10 years old probably have insufficient insulation, and even newer houses typically can use some improvement. Properly insulated houses not only use less energy, they also have better moisture control, meaning roofs and walls last longer. In addition to insulating outside walls and attics, owners should install insulation in basement walls, floors above unheated garages or porches, cathedral ceilings, and crawl spaces.






Judith Knutson <



Broker/Realtor®/GRI


Licensed in IA & IL


Mel Foster Co. 3211 E. 35th Street Ct., Davenport, Ia. 52807-2585



Cell: 563-340-7906


Email: Judithknutson@gmail.com



Get helpful hints at my blog:


http://activerain.judithknutson.com