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 Waterloo, IA

Latitude: 42.492436 -- Longitude: -92.346161

Other Area Cities: Cedar Falls Waterloo

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Waterloo is the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 68,747. It is the larger of two principal cities, by population, of and is included in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was the home of the five Sullivan brothers, who were killed during World War II. It is the location of the Tractor Assembly Division & Product Engineering Center of Deere & Company. Waterloo is also the former location of Rath Packing. Due to its history of meatpacking the city is home to the National Cattle Congress. Although located in the Midwest, which is historically and predominantly white, Waterloo and its industries have attracted a diverse population that often reflects national trends. African-Americans were first drawn to Waterloo because of the many entry-level jobs that were then available in meatpacking and other industries located in the city. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Iowa 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Waterloo	Iowa	United States
Population	68,747	2,926,324	281,421,906
Median age	35.9	36.6	35.3
Median age for Male	33.9	35.2	34
Median age for Female	37.7	38	36.5
Households	28,169	1,149,276	105,480,101
Household population	67,196	2,822,155	273,643,273
Average household size	2.39	2.46	2.59
Families	17,744	769,684	71,787,347
Average family size	2.97	3	3.14
Housing units	29,499	1,232,511	115,904,641
Occupied units	28,169	1,149,276	105,480,101
Vacant units	1,330	83,235	10,424,540

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