subject: Did You Know That The Government Has Funds Available For Home Improvement? [print this page] If you are like most people, you probably want to save money. Did you know that the US Government will provide you with the funds to cut your electric bill? It's true. Below we will examine the most powerful home improvement repairs / modifications. These small changes will lower your monthly bills. In addition to this, you can get government assistance to help cover the cost these repairs. Qualification is easy and open to almost any citizen of the US.
1. Replace your AC equipment. Most houses and condos have HVAC equipment older than 10 years. Newer HVAC equipment is designed for maximum efficiency. By replacing an AC unit, you can reduce your cooling bill by 20%. AC units are rated by SEER. For maximum efficiency, be sure that your new AC unit has a SEER rating of 13 or higher.
2. Replace your gas furnace. Most furnaces are older than 10 years and are very inefficient when compared with newer ENERGY Star furnaces.
By replacing your furnace, you can decrease your heating bill by 20%. Gas furnaces are rated using AFUE. Look for an AFUE rating of 78% or better when replacing your gas furnace. In the simplest terms, the higher the rating, the higher the savings.
3. Replace your water heater. Tank style water heaters consume massive amounts of resources. Whether gas or electric, your old water heater can make up for 25% of your utility bill. Tank-less water heaters use less power and /or gas. Tank-less water heaters do not run out of hot water (unlike tank style water heaters).
The reason for this is also the cause of the savings. Tank style water heaters constantly run to keep the water heated. Tank-less water heaters heat the water only as it passes through. Because of this, they are also known as on-demand water heaters. Water heaters are rated by EF. EF stands for Energy Factor; A higher EF means higher efficiency and lower bills. When replacing your water heater, look for a rating of at least 0.62 EF.
4. Replace your windows. Windows will cause a loss of both heated and cooled air. Energy efficient windows are designed to slow the rate of loss. In addition to this, energy efficient windows will also help minimize sun damage to items that me be susceptible. Window insulation is measured by U-Factor. Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) measures the windows ability to block heat from sunlight. When replacing your windows, you want to have a SHGC of less than 0.41 and a U-factor of less than or equal to 0.67.
5. Replace your doors. Un-insulated doors will also cause air temperature loss. Glass doors are also rated by U-factor and by SHGC. All energy efficient doors are rated by NFRC (National Fenestration Rating Council). Be sure that your new doors have a NFRC rating of 100.
6. Go Solar. Solar power will not only reduce your electricity consumption but will also lower your carbon footprint. If you generate enough power, you can actually feed power into the grid and make a profit by selling power back to your power company.
7. Replace your roof. Your roof is another form of insulation. By replacing your roof, you can cut your cooling bill by 15% or more.
8. Add insulation in your attic. Many houses with attics lack adequate insulation. Correctly installed insulation can improve comfort while lowering energy bills. Insulation is rated by "R-value". The higher the R-value, the better the insulation to protect you.
9. Add insulation to the exterior wall frame. In general, most properties do not properly insulate the exterior walls. Adding R-13 insulation ion your exterior walls will help reduce heat and cooling leakage.
10. Replace your refrigerator. An energy efficient refrigerator will save you as much as $200 per year. The refrigerator is one of the largest consumers of power in your home. By replacing a refrigerator, you will cut back on your power bill as well as help protect the environment.
11. Replace your landscaping. Energy efficient landscaping can shield your home from the elements by acting as a windbreak and/or providing shade.
These 11 changes will not only help the environment, but will also help your bottom line. Each of the above improvements qualifies for government assistance including tax rebates, special mortgages, or grant assistance. All of the above can be added to a government insured purchase loan or will qualify for special energy efficient government insured refinance loan.
