Growing up in a large farmhouse in Maine,
I have many warm and cozy memories of the Crawford woodstove in the kitchen on
snowy winter days and the wicked chill in the air upstairs where my bedroom was
located. My parents and older siblings spent many summer afternoons gathered
around the wood splitter preparing for cold months and in the winter when the
coal truck would come to make it’s delivery I would press my face to the single
pane glass spanning from floor to ceiling and listen to the ruckus of the coal
tumbling down the chute into the cellar beneath me.
For the past decade as a Realtor, I have
visited many different style homes of all ages and unlike a typical visitor to
a home, I have the unique privilege seeing areas which are often not seen
including basements or crawlspaces, attics and unfinished areas.
When considering home improvement projects,
it may make sense for you to place cosmetic upgrades on hold to make energy
upgrade investments a priority. It does not matter if your home is relatively
new or centuries old, rapid advances in money saving technologies has cultivated
an entire industry whose focus is to improve the overall health and energy
efficiency of buildings.
Financing, rebates and incentives may
also be found locally or through Efficiency Maine’s Residential Programs. Having
guidance through the process is the key to making sure that your money is being
spent wisely, so don’t run out and replace all of your windows without first
taking a closer look at the entire home. Integrate the kids on your energy
saving journey by borrowing an easy to use electricity monitor from the Windham
Public Library so everyone can see just how much electricity each appliance and
device uses to help create a discussion on energy saving habits, as well!
The first important step is to hire an
energy advisor to conduct an energy audit of your home.
Through procedures and
tests using door blowers, infrared cameras and combustibles safety testing, they
will be able to identify opportunities for savings and point out areas where
improvements addressing moisture, radon and mold may be made to improve overall
air quality in the home. When selecting a company to work with be sure to ask them
what they charge for different types of assessments, and if they provide a
computer generated “model” of your home, a report or a checklist of
suggestions. Buyers may request a seller to allow them to conduct this type of
investigation during the contingency period as well, if energy consumption or
having a clear plan of home improvements before purchasing is pertinent or of
concern.
You may be surprised at the
recommendations you receive from your energy advisor which can range from recommending
new energy saving appliances or lighting fixtures to air sealing or adding or
replacing insulation. Other recommendations could be weatherization, upgrades
to the heating system or water heater, or how to convert to different types of
fuel or install solar panels to produce electricity or hot water. To find a
list of local resources to help you get started, or to learn more, visit www.efficiencymaine.gov.
After having an energy audit on your
home you will be in a better position to create a plan for the upgrades and
home improvement projects which should be done first, to both protect your home
and largest investment from the harsh elements of Mother Nature, but to also add
value to your property and overall savings to your monthly household expenses.
Now that’s wicked smart!
Nicole Foster is a Broker with ten years
of experience working with buyers and sellers specializing in single family,
residential and new construction at Regency Realty. She lives in Windham with
her husband and four children. To learn more about Nicole visit nicolefoster@mainelistings.com
or email her at ndayfoster@gmail.com
.
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