Hot Ideas To Save Cold Hard Cash (NAPSA)—The Department of Energy estimates that a typical U.S. family spends close to $1,300 a year on homeutility bills. Part of this cost is a direct result of air that has been heated or cooled for the inside, escaping to the outside. . With this in mind, homeowners planning to remodel should consider different steps to increase the energy efficiency of their homes. While increasing home energy efficiency may make a project seem more costly at the beginning, it will increase the return on investment by lowering monthly bills and possibly increasing the value of the home. Consider the following home improvements that will not only make a home look better, but also feel better by improvingenergy efficiency: Adding insulation in the attic is the easiest and most cost effective way to improve the energy efficiency of a home. After determining how much insulation is necessary based on the local climate and building design, homeowners can use rolled or blown insulation in the attic. Ifa home is still drafty, it may be necessary to hire a contractor to add insulation to the exterior walls as well. If an attic is already well-insulated, makesure there is proper ventilation, which will contribute to moisture control and reduce summercoolingbills. Re-siding a home can also increase energy efficiency. For example, CraneBoard Solid Core Siding, a new insulated siding produced by Crane Performance Siding, has a rigid insulation backing to increase energy efficiency, impact resistance and noise reduction over traditional siding. Solid core siding carries the Energy Star Logo, which means it meets the energy efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and Department of Energy. And, it has an R-value of up to 4.0 compared to 1.0 or less for traditional vinyl, fiber cement, Making your home more energy efficient can save money on monthlybills. or wood. R-value is a measure used for insulation that denotes how much insulating power the product has. The higher the R- value, the better the insulation. Replacing old doors and windows with energy efficient products that carry the Energy Star logo can also save money. This kind of upgrade should be considered if the current windows are single paneor if the doors are not filled with proper insulation. If existing doors and windows are in good shape but feel drafty, simply caulk around the seamsto seal off the cracks whereair enters the home. Upgrading appliances such as refrigerators, clothes washers, dry- ers, and dishwashers and comparing their EnergyGuide labels can increase energy savings. The EnergyGuide label provides important information such as estimated energy consumption compared to similar models and estimated yearly operating cost. Appliances account for 20 percent of household energy consumption, and by utiliz- ing the information on the EnergyGuidelabel, it is possible to compare similar models and decide ifit is better to pay a little more now and savein the long run. Interested in learning more about energy and cost savings with solid core siding? Call Crane Performance Siding at 1-800-366-8472 or visit www.cranesiding.com to receive a free brochure on solid core siding.
