Buying Green - Or Greenish

November 20, 2008

This year’s energy scare is a taste of what will come. Experts all agree that our use of energy in this country has to change. So if you’re looking to buy a home, how do you choose a home that has a moderate appetite for energy? Although “green” homes are becoming more popular, they come at a price. But there are alternative choices that will provide savings if you are aware when you go looking.

The first thing to look at is the orientation of the home. Passive solar homes are designed to work with the sun. The ideal home is one with most windows facing the south. During the hot summer months, the sun moves over your house but will not directly shine into the south facing windows. During the winter months, the sun is lower and will shine into your south facing windows, providing solar warmth to your home. A home with a lot of west facing windows will have much higher cooling bills as the hot afternoon summer sun will penetrate even double glazed windows.

Next take a look at how the house conserves energy. The existing homeowner may be able to tell you what the energy efficiency rating is on the house. Are the windows double or tripple glazed? Is there insulation in the attic and under the floors (not all areas of the country need insulation under the floors). Do the built-in appliances have an ENERGY STAR rating? Is the home leaking energy? Sealing air leaks is the quickest and cheapest energy improvement you can make. Actual savings vary for each home, but it is possible to reduce energy costs by one-third. Sealing air leaks can save money in other ways, because a tighter home envelop allows for smaller-capacity heating and cooling equipment. The best way to reduce air leaks and implement the right ventilation strategy is to hire an energy analyst to run a blower door test.

Bear in mind that once you buy a home you there are other things you can easily do to increase the energy efficiency of your home. Unplug appliances when not in use, especially chargers. Switch to using energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs). Look for ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs by choosing the right lumens (not watts). Use cold water to wash clothes, line dry items, use air dry instead of heated dry on your dishwasher. Invest in thermal shades or drapes.

So with a little forethought, your next home could be a partner in your effort to save both money and the earth’s natural resources!

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Local Information for Coon Rapids, MN

Latitude: 45.171032 -- Longitude: -93.307785

Other Area Cities: Edina Maplewood Anoka Coon Rapids Richfield Fridley Robbinsdale Saint Anthony East Bethel Brooklyn Center Andover Arden Hills Blaine Brooklyn Park New Brighton New Hope Saint Louis Park Spring Lake Park Golden Valley Minneapolis Ramsey

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The name "Coon Rapids" was from "Coon Creek Rapids" a turbulent part of the Mississippi River nearby the mouth of Coon Creek. These rapids were removed as a consequence of the construction of the Coon Rapids Dam in 1913. The Dam operated until 1966 when it was closed and later opened to the public as the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park in 1978. Originally founded as a part of Anoka Township in 1857, Coon Rapids became a separate village in 1952. In 1959, it became a city. It retains its original boundaries, except for the part that became the City of Anoka. The city has a council-manager form of government, and its current mayor is Tim Howe. While mayoral elections in Coon Rapids are nonpartisan, Howe has been endorsed by the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. Since 1967, Coon Rapids has been the home of the main campus of Anoka-Ramsey Community College. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Minnesota 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Coon Rapids	Minnesota	United States
Population	61,607	4,919,479	281,421,906
Median age	33.3	35.4	35.3
Median age for Male	32.3	34.4	34
Median age for Female	34.1	36.3	36.5
Households	22,578	1,895,127	105,480,101
Household population	61,245	4,783,596	273,643,273
Average household size	2.71	2.52	2.59
Families	16,574	1,255,141	71,787,347
Average family size	3.15	3.09	3.14
Housing units	22,828	2,065,946	115,904,641
Occupied units	22,578	1,895,127	105,480,101
Vacant units	250	170,819	10,424,540

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