San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes » Going Green

10+ home winterization musts

Arnie Levine — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:05:59 +0000

Have you checked your furnace filter, insulation lately?

It’s been a mild winter throughout most of the country so far. That means we still have time to run through a foul-weather checklist. Here are 10 “must do’s” to have a warm, cozy and safe winter.

1. Check attic insulation. A foot of blown-in or batt insulation (R-38) in the attic reduces heat transfer from heated interior space to the great outdoors. This is a do-it-yourself job. If your attic is not insulated, blow in or roll out 12 inches of loose or batt insulation. If the amount of insulation is less than 12 inches, simply roll out unfaced fiberglass batts over the existing insulation to create a heavier thermal blanket. This is a case where more is better. Make sure to leave soffit vents unobstructed.

2. Install or replace weatherstripping, if necessary. Check the rubber threshold gasket at the bottom of exterior doors and replace if worn or torn. Next, make sure the top and sides of the door are weatherstripped and fit tightly. If there are gaps, replace the weatherstripping.

3. Check exterior doors and windows for gaps. Modern windows are probably OK, but older windows may need some help. To reduce air leakage, casement windows might need some weatherstripping at the joint where fixed and movable panes meet. Old double-hung wood windows are notorious air leakers. Place pieces of narrow self-adhesive rubber weatherstripping on the bottom sides and at the joint where the top and bottom panes meet.

4. Check the outside of doors and windows for voids, and caulk any gaps you see.

5. Change the filter in the heater. In older furnaces, filters should be changed monthly. Change or service newer, more efficient filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

6. Replace your old thermostat with a new programmable model. This allows you to regulate the heater to warm the house when you’re there and to reduce the temperature when you are at work or asleep.

7. Have your heater inspected by a licensed heating and air conditioning contractor. An inspection ensures that the heater is operating safely and efficiently. In many cases an inspection can alert you as to whether the unit is at the end of its life. It’s nice to have the option to replace an old heater before it quits and becomes an emergency on a cold January day.

8. Check the carbon monoxide (CO) detector. If you don’t have one, get one. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas that kills. An operating CO detector can prevent a tragedy. While you’re at it, check the smoke detectors to ensure they’re operable.

9. Clean gutters and downspouts so fallen leaves won’t clog them. Make sure that downspouts discharge away from the foundation and that soil is graded away from the foundation and at least 6 inches below the siding.

10. Clean the fireplace of ashes; visually check the chimney for loose or missing mortar. Also consider having the chimney professionally inspected and swept by a licensed and bonded chimney sweep.

Even in these days of belt tightening, installing replacement windows remains a virtual mania among homeowners. Take a walk through any suburb built before 1980, and you may find that half the houses no longer have their original windows. Alas, the usual replacements — extruded PVC or “vinyl” windows — are dismayingly easy to spot, what with their wavy, cellophane-like glass and glaring white plastic frames.

Considering the impact window replacement can have on your home’s appearance, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. To wit: The last big window-replacement fad happened during the 1960s, when that era’s perceived “modern” upgrade — sliding aluminum windows — were retrofitted to countless traditional homes, from Victorians to bungalows. The aesthetic fallout from this campaign is still painfully obvious in many old neighborhoods.

In retrospect, of course, aluminum sliders installed in a traditional home are rightly seen as a glaring anachronism, and frequently bring a penalty in resale value over homes with their original windows.

Today, thanks to the same kind of offhand, insensitive and often just plain unnecessary ways in which vinyl windows are installed in older homes of all eras, they’ve essentially become the modern-day version of the aluminum slider. And with a little historic distance, the aesthetic results will be just as regrettable.

Window replacement is often cannily advertised as a great energy-saving investment, which is probably why so many well-intentioned homeowners choose this route. And it’s true enough that switching from single-glazed windows to double-glazed ones will save roughly half the energy lost through the glass. But here’s the catch: In the average house, windows typically make up a relatively small fraction of the total heat loss. Hence, dollar for dollar, there are far more cost-effective ways to improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Upgrading attic insulation ranks first among them, since ceilings are typically the single greatest source of heat loss. The current standard for attic insulation is R-30; so if your house has appreciably less than this, adding insulation will be far more cost effective than replacing your windows.

The same holds true if your furnace and ductwork predate 1980 or so. Modern furnaces now have thermal efficiencies in the neighborhood of 95 percent, versus typically dismal efficiencies in the 70s and even down into the 50s for some older gravity furnaces). Because a furnace upgrade addresses the root of inefficiency rather than just nipping at the leaves, the resulting energy savings can be truly dramatic.

One more thing to consider: Aside from offering double glazing, there’s very little that’s green about vinyl windows. Vinyl is, of course, the plastics industry’s more euphonious name for polyvinyl chloride, which a number of environmental authorities consider to be the most toxic plastic in the environment. Bury it in a landfill, and it just sits there. Burn it, and it produces dioxin, a toxic chemical compound that’s a known teratogen, mutagen and carcinogen.

The bottom line? Think twice about replacing your current windows with vinyl ones for energy-efficiency reasons alone. Chances are you’ll get more bang for your energy buck with simpler upgrades that don’t even show on the outside.

10+ home winterization musts is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Saving money on going green tips

Arnie Levine — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:20:30 +0000

When the new year arrives, promises and resolutions abound, but few include home improvement. Here are resolutions every homeowner should make.

Cut energy use: Sealing and insulating ductwork can improve the efficiency of a heating and cooling system by as much as 20 percent, saving $200 per year or more, according to Energy Star.

Budget for home improvements: Creating a yearly budget for home improvement and maintenance helps prevent overspending, and encourages homeowners to put aside money for major replacements — such as new roofing or a kitchen appliance — that come up every few years.

Curb water use: The average household uses about 400 gallons of water each day, or almost $700 per year in water and sewer costs. Making a few simple changes, such as installing EPA-certified WaterSense products, could trim up to $200 annually from the water bill. Add to that energy savings from reduced costs to heat water, and the yearly savings could reach $300 or more per year.

Saving money on going green tips is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

How loose-fill fiberglass can create moisture issues

Arnie Levine — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:30:01 +0000

Q: I’ve had loose-fill fiberglass (insulation) in my attic since 1975. I have some new insulation with brown paper covering on one side so I need to know if that is called batts? If it is called insulation batts, then can I put them on top of loose-fill fiberglass? Which side would I put the batts: at bottom or at top?

In your article you wrote about “using unfaced batts only so that you don’t create a double vapor barrier and trap moisture between the layers of batts.” What does that mean? I want to understand about it clearly before I put them in the attic. –Becky F.

A: The type of insulation you describe, with the paper facing over the insulation, is indeed what is known as batts. The paper facing is the vapor barrier.

Here’s a quick explanation of how it all works: Inside the house, you create moisture from cooking, bathing, etc. That moisture vapor in the air wants to move from a warm area to a cold area, so it’s naturally always moving toward the ceiling and exterior walls of the house.

Vapor barriers are used to prevent that moisture from getting into enclosed areas where you don’t want it, because once it gets in there, if it can’t escape it can do a lot of damage.

For that reason, batt insulation often comes with a vapor barrier on one side. The vapor barrier is always installed facing the heated side of the wall or ceiling, because that’s where the moisture is coming from.

Now let’s look at your situation, which is a little different. You have loose-fill insulation in the attic, which doesn’t have a vapor barrier. The theory is that part of the moisture vapor in the house is actually blocked by the drywall and paint on the ceiling.

Any moisture that does enter the attic will pass through the loose-fill insulation and exit the attic through the roof vents, so it won’t cause any damage.

It’s fine for you to install your batt insulation over the existing loose fill. However, you want to remove the paper vapor barrier first — simply peel it off and discard it — then lay the batts on top of the loose fill as gently as possible, so that you don’t compress the old insulation.

If you don’t remove the vapor barrier, you run the risk of trapping moisture vapor that passes through the loose fill against the vapor barrier, where it can’t escape from the attic.

Q: We have the “new insulated window,” and after 10 years we have had major condensation problems. Any thoughts? –Wilson R.

A: If the condensation is appearing between the panes of glass, then you have a broken seal in the insulated glass unit. Insulated glass works by trapping a layer of dead air between two panes of glass. If the seal is broken, moisture can get between the panes and condense, and it’s very difficult to get rid of.

The only solution is to replace the insulated glass unit. You need to call a local glass company, and the company can make a site visit and measure your window. They’ll order a new sealed glass unit — just the glass, not the entire window — that will be made to fit your particular window. Once the new glass unit arrives, on-site installation is fairly simple for most types of windows.

Q: Are brick-construction homes colder than a wooden home in the New England winter? –Glenn D.

A: If you’re talking about a true brick construction, as opposed to a brick veneer over a standard insulated, wood-framed wall, then the answer is yes. You have several problems with full-brick construction when it comes to keeping them warm:

1. Brick has an R-value of approximately 0.2 per inch (which would equal 0.8 for a standard 4-inch brick). So if you have a typical double-brick wall that’s 8 inches thick, you have an R-value that’s less than R-2. On the other hand, a 6-inch wood-frame wall has an R-value that’s more than 10 times that much.

2. Brick homes tend to have more air infiltration problems, due to the number of joints between the bricks. Even tiny gaps can add up to a lot of infiltration heat loss when multiplied over the size of the entire home.

3. Conventional brick homes don’t have wall cavities, so there’s no place to add insulation. The only way to improve the thermal performance is to add a layer of rigid foam to the face of the walls.

4. Brick has a lot of thermal mass, so it takes time for heat to penetrate it and warm it up. Therefore, it takes more time for a brick house to respond to temperature changes. When you get home from work and turn on the heat, it’s going to take a lot longer for a brick house to “feel” warm than for a conventional wood house.

How loose-fill fiberglass can create moisture issues is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Energy Efficiency Homeowner Tax Credits Update

Arnie Levine — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 17:20:04 +0000

The Alliance to Save Energy urges American consumers to give themselves the gift of energy efficiency this holiday season—and reap the benefits when they file their 2011 federal tax returns—by taking advantage of tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements. The tax credits of up to $500 are set to expire on December 31, and Congress may not renew them for 2012.

“The outlook for renewal of federal energy efficiency tax incentives is uncertain at best,” stated Alliance President Kateri Callahan, “so we encourage homeowners to complete those upgrades before the ball drops in Times Square at midnight on New Year’s Eve.

“Making efficiency improvements this year will lower home energy bills and improve home comfort for years to come, while also reducing 2011 federal income tax bills,” Callahan added. “Energy efficiency is truly the gift that keeps on giving!”

The specific home improvements that qualify for tax credits fall into a number of categories:

• Exterior windows, skylights and storm windows.

• Insulation, exterior doors, roofs, storm doors and products to seal air leaks such as caulking, weather stripping and foam sealants.

• Highly-efficient heating and cooling equipment, including central air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, boilers, water heaters and biomass (e.g. corn) stoves.

• Each product category also must meet specific energy efficiency requirements, which are spelled out on the Alliance’s tax credits web page.

• Percentage and/or dollar limits on particular energy-efficient upgrades include:

• 10% of the cost of insulation and sealing materials, exterior doors and roofs.

• 10% of the cost, up to $200, of exterior windows or skylights.

• Up to $300 for electric heat pump water heaters, electric heat pumps, central air conditioners, biomass stoves and natural gas, propane or oil water heaters.

• Up to $50 for advanced main air circulating fans.

• Up to $150 for natural gas, propane or oil furnace or hot water boilers.

And to see what energy efficiency can do in your home, check out the Alliance’s home energy tips videos produced with energyNOW!

For more information, visit http://www.ase.org/.

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Energy Efficiency Homeowner Tax Credits Update is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Value Estimator for Existing Solar Systems

Arnie Levine — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:56:18 +0000

The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently developed and released SAVE to evaluate existing solar systems placed on real property.

SAVE has been designed to be used by appraisers, REALTORS®, and others in order to provide a means for evaluating existing solar systems and to determine their expected capacity (i.e. this system, can, on average, generate this much electricity).

SAVE will provide appraisers with a tool that can place an actual dollar value on solar systems, and will help to provide prospective purchasers with information on the average energy savings that can be achieved by the system. The information contained in the tool is derived from information obtained by the CEC through coordinated efforts with utilities, installers of solar systems, property owners, and their respective agents. Properties not included within SAVE can manually input property information and solar system specifications in order to obtain an estimated capacity valuation.

Solar Advantage Value Estimator (SAVE) is a tool designed to estimate the Present Value of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system including the estimated value in annual energy savings. The results provided by SAVE are estimates only and do not take into consideration real estate market factors that may affect the overall valuation of the property and/or solar installation. We recommend that you contact us your real estate professional when determining the value of your solar installation.

If you are considering investing in your own solar PV system, we recommend using the Clean Power Estimator

For more information about the Solar Value Estimation Tool. Please access online Help System.

Value Estimator for Existing Solar Systems is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Energy Savers: Rebates for ENERGY STAR Appliances

Arnie Levine — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 00:14:55 +0000

Rebates for ENERGY STAR® Appliances

You may be eligible to receive rebates from your state or territory for the purchase of new ENERGY STAR qualified appliances. These rebates are being funded with $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Under this program, eligible consumers can receive rebates to purchase new energy-efficient appliances when they replace used appliances.

Appliance Rebates in Your State

Each state and U.S. territory designed its own rebate program, and all 56 plans have been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Learn about those programs, including their program start dates and specific eligibility criteria. (Note: This Web site is the only official DOE-sponsored Web site; be cautious of “fake” Web sites or media stories that may contain inaccurate information.)

How to Apply: Visit your state’s appliance rebate Web site for rebate forms and instructions. For questions about the status of your rebate, contact your state’s program using the table or map on the next page.Program Results Are Coming In!

As of March 31, 2011, a total of 1.6 million consumer rebates, valued at $239 million, were paid to consumers. The annual energy savings resulting from the purchase of the rebated products is estimated at 1.5 trillion Btu. The bar chart, below, shows the distribution of these rebates by major appliances (88%), HVAC (10%), and Water Heater (2%) categories. Download the results fact sheet for the appliance rebate program.

Types of Appliances

More than 70% of the energy used in our homes is for appliances, refrigeration, space heating, cooling, and water heating. Replacing old appliances and equipment with those that are ENERGY STAR labeled can help American families save significantly on their utility bills. Each state and territory has selected its own set of ENERGY STAR qualified products to rebate, based on the DOE list of recommended appliances:

Boilers

Central air conditioners

Clothes washers

Dishwashers

Freezers

Furnaces (oil and gas)

Heat pumps (air source and geothermal)

Refrigerators

Room air conditioners

Water heaters

Frequently Asked Questions

Who will issue the rebates?

Each state is designing and running its own unique Appliance Rebate Program. DOE is providing funding to all states, five territories, and the District of Columbia to develop and implement these programs.

Where do I get rebate forms?

Each state runs its own appliance rebate program and publishes its own rebate forms. Please visit Rebates for ENERGY STAR Appliances where you can find quick overview information on approved appliance rebate programs. In addition, from this page you can click on your state (or the name of your state just below the map) for more information, where you will find specific details such as eligible items, fact sheets, and yo

via Energy Savers: Rebates for ENERGY STAR Appliances.

Energy Savers: Rebates for ENERGY STAR Appliances is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Combine energy improvements into the mortgage

Arnie Levine — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 00:15:56 +0000

An under-utilized program that has been in existence since 1995 can help home buyers save on their utility bills by letting them fold the cost of energy improvements into their mortgage.

The program, Energy Efficient Mortgage, can be used by homeowners with both Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and Veterans Administration (VA) loans.

In California, homes built before 1978 stand to benefit the most from such improvements, because 1978 is the year when builders were required to start incorporating energy-efficient building techniques.

To be eligible for an Energy Efficient Mortgage, the projected energy savings have to be greater than the cost of the work. The savings are calculated using the Home Energy Rating System (HERS) index, which calculates what the average energy usage would be in the home once the improvements are made compared to a similar home that did not have the work done.

For more information about the HERS index, and how it can be used to measure a home’s energy efficiency, visit the California Energy Commission’s website at www.energy.ca.gov/HERS/booklet.html.

Combine energy improvements into the mortgage is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

Free 2011 Home Energy Rating Services E book

Arnie Levine — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 19:28:16 +0000

The California Energy Commission just released an updated 2011 Home Energy Rating Services (HERS) booklet with the following changes:

Updated cover page
Information on 2011 tax credits

The 2011 updated edition of the HERS Booklet: What Is Your Home Energy Rating? is a colorful and informative publication created by the California Energy Commission to

Describe Whole-House Home Energy Rating services and their benefits, and how to find a certified professional HERS Rater.
Provide home buyers, sellers, brokers, and appraisers with information about the opportunity to invest in energy efficiency improvements at the time-of-sale.
Explain the desirability of obtaining utility bills from the seller.
Identify the potential of adding sales appeal and value to your home through energy efficiency upgrades.
Offer options for financing energy efficiency improvements and explain where to find tax credit and rebate information.

Click here to download and print the color version.

Click here to download and print the black and white version.

More questions we can help you, at County Properties, 24 years of brokerage experience, trust and a Member of the local Better Business Bureau!

Want to know what your home is worth? Click here for a free market evaluation !

Free 2011 Home Energy Rating Services E book is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

CA Homeowners can get money for excess solar power

Arnie Levine — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 02:19:37 +0000

Businesses and homeowners whose solar panels generate more power than they need will be able to sell that surplus electricity to their local utility, under rules approved Thursday by California energy regulators.

Homeowners, however, should not expect a bonanza. For people and businesses in Pacific Gas and Electric Co.’s territory, the compensation rate will be roughly 4 cents per kilowatt hour. It may later rise to 5.8 cents per kilowatt hour, but that isn’t certain.

The new rules, adopted by the California Public Utilities Commission, frustrated solar power advocates, who wanted a higher price.

“These solar systems will be reliably operating at peak periods of the day,” said Adam Browning, executive director of the Vote Solar Initiative advocacy group. “The commission is severely undervaluing their contribution.”

The new rules apply to utility customers who generate more electricity than they use over the course of a full year.

A 2009 state law ordered the commission to set up a system for compensating such customers. But relatively few people will be able to take advantage of the new system.

Homeowners already receive a credit on their utility bills whenever their panels produce excess electricity. To sell electricity back to the utility, however, the total amount of solar power a customer generates over the course of a year must be greater than the total amount of electricity that customer uses during the same period.

Caution over subsidies

According to PG&E, only 2,450 of the utility’s 5.1 million electricity customers would have qualified in 2009, although the number is expected to grow. Of the few who would have qualified, more than 40 percent generated 100 kilowatt hours or less of excess electricity for the year.

Commission President Michael Peevey had argued for using a different formula to set the compensation rate, one that would have given homeowners more money. In PG&E’s territory, the rate would equal 9.3 cents per kilowatt hour.

The other four commissioners, however, argued against setting the price too high, saying it would amount to an additional subsidy for a solar industry that already receives several.

“I love solar as much as anyone,” said Commissioner Mike Florio. “At some point, I think we have to say, ‘How much subsidy is enough?’ What we really want here is a mature solar industry that can stand on its own.”

Rate to vary over time

The compensation rate will be based on a spot price for buying electricity a day in advance, and it will change over time. In addition, homeowners will also receive compensation for the “renewable energy credits” that the utilities get in exchange for buying the excess electricity. Utilities use the credits to help comply with a state law requiring the use of more renewable power.

But the California Energy Commission has not yet set up a system for tracking credits generated by small-scale solar systems. Once the energy commission takes that step, homeowners selling their power to the utilities may receive an additional 1.8 cents per kilowatt hour, bringing the total to 5.8 cents per kilowatt hour.

CA Homeowners can get money for excess solar power is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes

FHA, Fannie new refi mortgages for green upgrades

Arnie Levine — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:05:49 +0000

FHA and Fannie Mae have partnered to offer Green Refinance Plus, a program that allows owners of existing affordable rental housing properties to refinance into new mortgages that include funding for energy- and water-saving upgrades, along with other needed property renovations.

Under the program, FHA and Fannie Mae will share the risk on loans to refinance existing rent-restricted projects while permitting owners to borrow additional funds to make energy-saving improvements to their properties.

Green Refinance Plus is intended to refinance the expiring mortgages of Low Income Housing Tax Credit and other affordable projects and to lower annual operating costs by reducing energy consumption. Fannie Mae and HUD anticipate approximately $100 million in initial refinance volume with an average loan amount of $3.5 to $5 million. FHA will insure up to an additional four-to-five percent of the loan amount, or an average of approximately $150,000 to $250,000 per loan, to provide additional loan funds to pay for property improvements that save energy and water costs for owners and tenants, such as energy efficient windows and ENERGY STAR appliances, as well as other needed property renovations.

Property owners will be able to select the energy-efficiency upgrades that make the most economic sense for their properties. Borrowers will obtain a “Green Physical Needs Assessment” completed by a qualified provider. This assessment identifies property improvements that both reduce energy and operating costs and will help borrowers make rehabilitation choices that will give them the greatest energy savings for their investment.

FHA, Fannie new refi mortgages for green upgrades is a post from: San Diego Real Estate-San Diego Homes | Riverside Real Estate-Riverside Homes