Want to Replace Your Windows? Not So Fast!

So, your energy bills are getting too high, and you think that replacing your old windows is the most affordable option. But before you take that giant leap, understand that there are more cost-effective options.

Being aware of your home’s carbon footprint takes targeted effort, but it can also save you money. Incorporating eco-friendly additions into your home can massively reduce energy bills and save on repairs.

According to CellularWindowShades.com, up to 24 percent of a fuel bill can escape out of leaky windows. But replacing windows can cost anywhere from $400 to $800 per window. Depending on the size of your house and the state of your windows, total cost could range from $3,000 to $10,000.

Continue Reading: Want to Replace Your Windows? Not So Fast!

Energy-Efficient Products Add Comfort and Savings

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – When buying a new home or remodeling an existing one, many people get caught up in the selection of hardwood flooring or cabinet colors and can sometimes forget about adding real value to a home — specifically with the right combination of energy-saving solutions and an optimal heating and cooling (HVAC) system. What’s behind the walls and in the attic, basement or utility closet can really impact a home’s value and performance and lead to greater energy savings and long-term buyer satisfaction.
The average homeowner spends approximately $1,900 a year on energy bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating and cooling account for about 56 percent of a typical home’s energy usage, making it the largest energy expense for most homes.
A natural first step to achieving an energy-efficient home is to install a high-efficiency heating and cooling system. Many of today’s top builders and contractors are turning to the experts at Carrier and their full line of energy-efficient solutions to help reduce energy use in homes without pricing buyers out of the market. Plus, many Carrier products meet or exceed federal energy requirements and are Energy Star compliant.
Though investing in energy-efficient heating and cooling may have the biggest impact on reducing household energy use, homeowners should approach energy efficiency from a more holistic perspective.
A highly efficient system should work in concert with high-quality insulation, water heater, windows, roofing, light fixtures and energy-efficient appliances to ensure the greatest energy savings. Be sure to talk with a homebuilder or contractor about how these various systems work together to determine the right solution based on the style of home and climate.
So while contemplating what color to paint the master bedroom, think about what’s in the utility closet, too. It’ll reduce future energy use and contribute to a comfortable home. For more details on heating and cooling systems, visit www.residential.carrier.com.

12 in 2012: Doctor-Prescribed New Year’s Resolutions

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – Being aware of your home’s carbon footprint takes targeted effort, but it can also save you money. Incorporating eco-friendly additions into your home can massively reduce energy bills and save on repairs.
According to CellularWindowShades.com, up to 24 percent of a fuel bill can escape out of leaky windows. But replacing windows can cost anywhere from $400 to $800 per window. Depending on the size of your house and the state of your windows, total cost could be anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000.
One affordable yet environmentally efficient option is insulating window shades. There’s some hesitation around insulating shades, but here are a few questions and explanations straight from the expert’s mouth.
Q: Our windows are cold. Do we need to replace them, or can we use insulating shades?
A: If your windows are no longer functional, and your energy bills are off the charts, go with replacement windows. However, if they are simply old and cold, homeowners might want to consider high-quality insulating shades with side tracks that provide a four-sided seal. Shades like these will solve your heat-loss problems immediately.
Q: How do I know if insulated shades are the right option for my home?
A: Quality insulated shades are part of a good energy-conservation plan. After installing energy-efficient CFL bulbs, insulated shades are the next step. Mini-blinds can transfer the cold from your window into the room, increasing your energy costs by 10 percent. Insulating shades can reduce that by half.
Q: What are the environmental benefits of using insulated shades?
A: Residential heating and cooling eat up more fossil fuels than any other sector. A shocking 50 percent slips through poorly insulated windows. Experts guage that the equivalent of 450 million barrels of oil could be saved every year if all windows in the U.S. had effective insulating shades.
For more information, go to cellularwindowshades.com. The shades come in a variety of attractive and complementary colors.

Start Saving With Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – Cash back. Product rebates. Tax incentives. These are phrases we love to hear when purchasing large home appliances. The real bonuses start if you purchase energy-efficient solutions, because homeowners continue to save every month by using less energy and lowering utility bills.
Carrier, a leading manufacturer of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems, regularly offers incentives to customers who purchase energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, such as the Infinity system.
This same equipment may also qualify for rebates from one of Energy Star’s 600-plus local utility partners, located throughout the United States, or tax incentives provided by the federal government.
To save the most money on your next heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) purchase, it’s important to understand which energy-efficient products qualify for specific incentives, how to apply for those incentives and how much money to expect in return.
The experts at Carrier suggest that those planning to install energy-efficient technologies talk to a local contractor about potential HVAC purchases and take a look at www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm or www.dsireusa.org to learn about the rebate programs available in their area.
That’s just the beginning. Energy-efficient products can save you money every time you use them. For example, upgrading from an 80 percent efficient furnace to a 98 percent efficient Infinity furnace from Carrier will significantly reduce monthly utility bills.
The same is true when switching to a high-efficiency air conditioner. When paired with other cooling methods, high-efficiency AC can reduce a home’s energy use by 20 to 50 percent.
For more information on selecting the optimal furnace, air conditioner, heat pump or HVAC system for your home, check out www.residential.carrier.com.

Thinking of Replacement Windows? Think Again

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – Being aware of your home’s carbon footprint takes targeted effort, but it can also save you money. Incorporating eco-friendly additions into your home can massively reduce energy bills and save on repairs.
According to CellularWindowShades.com, up to 24 percent of a fuel bill can escape out of leaky windows. But replacing windows can cost anywhere from $400 to $800 per window. Depending on the size of your house and the state of your windows, total cost could be anywhere from $3,000 to $10,000.
One affordable yet environmentally efficient option is insulating window shades. There’s some hesitation around insulating shades, but here are a few questions and explanations straight from the expert’s mouth.
Q: Our windows are cold. Do we need to replace them, or can we use insulating shades?
A: If your windows are no longer functional, and your energy bills are off the charts, go with replacement windows. However, if they are simply old and cold, homeowners might want to consider high-quality insulating shades with side tracks that provide a four-sided seal. Shades like these will solve your heat-loss problems immediately.
Q: How do I know if insulated shades are the right option for my home?
A: Quality insulated shades are part of a good energy-conservation plan. After installing energy-efficient CFL bulbs, insulated shades are the next step. Mini-blinds can transfer the cold from your window into the room, increasing your energy costs by 10 percent. Insulating shades can reduce that by half.
Q: What are the environmental benefits of using insulated shades?
A: Residential heating and cooling eat up more fossil fuels than any other sector. A shocking 50 percent slips through poorly insulated windows. Experts guage that the equivalent of 450 million barrels of oil could be saved every year if all windows in the U.S. had effective insulating shades.
For more information, go to cellularwindowshades.com. The shades come in a variety of attractive and complementary colors.

Winter Opens Homes to Pest Invasion

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – Surviving winter can be an endurance marathon for the average house. After the trials of hurricane season come the bitter cold and precipitation brought on by winter. Severe winter weather can freeze pipes, cause roof cave-ins and lead to extensive water damage — all of which leave a house vulnerable to winter pest invasions.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates each winter costs the economy several million dollars in repairs and damage control. 2010′s series of epic storms cost $2.6 billion in property losses, as reported by the Insurance Information Institute.
“The destruction of Hurricane Irene was followed by September floods and October snow storms that caused power outages in several areas. If the early weather is any indication of what’s yet to come this season, we can expect snowfall similar to last winter. Now is the right time for homeowners to quickly repair damage that would otherwise give opportunistic winter pests access to their home,” advises Missy Henriksen, vice president of public affairs for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).
The most common winter pests are rodents, but a slew of insects will also eagerly warm themselves by your furnace and feast on your dry goods if given a chance. Cockroaches, ants, stink bugs and spiders are some of the usual suspects.
These tenacious insects can find points of entry anywhere, especially if winter weather results in structural damage. Issues like missing shingles, water damage to roofs or walls, burst pipes and even small cracks leave your home susceptible to infestation. Rodents are known for their ability to fit in openings as small as a coin.
“Ripped screens and broken doors or windows will admit pests faster than you can spot them. Pay attention to your home’s insulation, like weather stripping, and look for signs of mice in places near moisture or food,” says Henriksen.
Don’t wait until you’re knee-deep in ruined holiday decorations to start thinking about pest control after a storm, because a pest infestation can be costly to you and your home.
If you have an infestation, contact a pest professional to see how you should proceed. Get more pest control tips at www.pestworld.org.

Hunkering Down With Home Improvement: 3 Sensible Projects

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – With many Americans watching their budgets, heating homes has become an unwanted, though necessary, expense.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, many American homes will experience higher heating costs this winter due to increased fuel prices. Thankfully, simple behavior changes and energy-efficient appliances can help homeowners cut their heating bills and still enjoy the same level of comfort.
“Energy-efficient heating means that you use less energy to heat the same space,” said Phil Weeks, chief operating officer of Rinnai America Corporation, a company that manufactures gas heating appliances. “This saved energy translates into reduced utility costs for homeowners.”
Some energy-efficient heating devices, like Rinnai’s hydronic furnace, which works in conjunction with the company’s tankless water heater, can heat a home while still conserving energy. Featuring a high-efficiency motor that offers up to 48 percent better efficiency than a comparable traditional motor, the hydronic furnace is powered by Rinnai’s gas-modulating tankless technology, so it uses only the energy needed to maintain a room’s desired temperature. Because the unit utilizes hot water from the tankless water heater to heat air, the heat it provides is less dry than that of a typical forced-air furnace.
Another efficient heating option is to forego a traditional furnace in favor of a direct vent wall furnace. These ductless units are capable of comfortably heating whole homes or specific zones, depending on the need, and save energy by constantly adjusting heat output and blower speed to meet current demand. Rinnai’s gas-modulating direct vent wall furnace also can serve as a supplementary heat source for basements, guest rooms, room additions and generally hard-to-heat areas, thus reducing the demand placed on a home’s central heating system.
Of course, homeowners can take steps to help their current heating units operate on less energy. Consider the following efforts:
* Seal and weather strip doors and windows to prevent heat from escaping the home.
* Reverse the direction of ceiling fans (so they turn clockwise) to push warm air down from the ceiling.
* Minimize the use of bathroom and kitchen hood fans as they can quickly remove heat from the air.
For more information, visit www.rinnai.us.

Find the Top Tools for the DIYer on Your Gift List

The holidays are around the corner, and now’s the time to decide what to buy the do-it-yourselfer on your list. According to a recent survey commissioned by Kelton Research and Craftsman (www.craftsman.com), more than three-quarters (77 percent) of men plan on tackling some sort of DIY project next year.

Additionally, 69 percent of female respondents admit to having “a laundry list” of projects they’d like their spouse or significant other to take on around the house in the new year. Therefore, it’s safe to say that buying a new tool will hit the nail on the head.

Continue Reading: Find the Top Tools for the DIYer on Your Gift List

Stockpile Savings With Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Cash back. Product rebates. Tax incentives. These are phrases we love to hear when purchasing large home appliances. The real bonuses start if you purchase energy-efficient solutions, because homeowners continue to save every month by using less energy and lowering utility bills.

Carrier, a leading manufacturer of air conditioning, heating and refrigeration systems, regularly offers incentives to customers who purchase energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, such as the Infinity system.

This same equipment may also qualify for rebates from one of Energy Star’s 600-plus local utility partners, located throughout the United States, or tax incentives provided by the federal government.

Continue Reading: Stockpile Savings With Energy-Efficient Upgrades

Top 5 Weird Junk Discoveries

Five words or less(NewsUSA) – We live in a society where people buy and collect a lot of stuff. Letting go has almost become a cliché. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Founder and CEO Brian Scudamore says he’s always amazed by the odd junk people pay his company to pick up. Recently 1-800-GOT-JUNK? compiled a list of the strangest items, what they call “weird junk.” These items round out the Top 5:
5. Garage full of garden gnomes. This collection was found after some tenants had moved out of a house in Minnesota. Evidently, their extended garden gnome family didn’t make the cut.
“My initial reaction was that her teenage kids must have stolen every garden gnome in town,” said Anthony Stamson, member of the stunned cleanup crew.
4. Boxes of brand new electronic accessories. A product design office was closing in South Carolina, and they junked several truckloads full of brand new accessories for iPods, iPads, iPhones, as well as entire cappuccino machines, smart phones, HD projection TVs and more. The franchise was able to find new homes for most of the items through local charities.
3. A mortician’s closet. This oddity emerged from a California storage unit that had been abandoned — a closet used for storing dead bodies, as seen in a morgue.
“Once I realized what it was used for, I felt creeped out but also puzzled. Why was it in an abandoned storage container?” says Flo Murray, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise partner.
2. Taxidermy animals. Finding mounted animals isn’t too strange. However, an albino stuffed cobra? That’s a little odd. A stuffed baboon? Pretty unusual. A two-headed kitten fetus in a formaldehyde jar? Now things can’t get much weirder than that — especially hidden in a room in a San Francisco retirement home.
1. Frozen human stem cells. This is it, the winner of weird. The 1-800-GOT-JUNK? crew in Dallas was cleaning out the home of a family that was moving out of the country. The freezer was full of cuts of meat, which the homeowner told the truck team members they could share amongst them. Little did franchise partner Peggy Lamy realize when she froze the items that a green tea box amongst the bags contained human stem cells belonging to the family’s deceased father. The daughter phoned days later, emotional and panicked. “We made arrangements to meet them shortly after that to return the precious cells,” explains Lamy. “Strangely, the family did not turn up.” Whatever happened to the green tea box? Well it remains in the Lamy’s freezer as a great conversation piece.
For more junk-removal information, go to 1800gotjunk.com.

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