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 Toms River, NJ

Latitude: 39.97927 -- Longitude: -74.167512

Other Area Cities: Crestwood Village Toms River Bay Head Beachwood Brick Lakewood Point Pleasant Silverton Forked River

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Toms River is a census-designated place (CDP) and unincorporated area located within Dover Township and is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. The area is named for the Toms River, whose estuary flows through the community and empties into Barnegat Bay. "Toms River" can refer to the village of Toms River, a Post Office address, or to the census-designated place; it is not an incorporated municipality. It is common practice, however, for residents to refer to all of mainland Dover Township as "Toms River." Dover Township and Toms River (CDP) are not co-extensive but are centered on the county seat of Ocean CountyGR6. In addition to Toms River, Dover Township includes two small CDPs: Dover Beaches North (2000 Census population of 1,785) and Dover Beaches South (1,594). Thus, as defined by the Census Bureau based on 2000 Census data, over 96% of Dover Township's population is located in the Toms River CDP. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

New Jersey 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Toms River	New Jersey	United States
Population	86,327	8,414,350	281,421,906
Median age	39.7	36.7	35.3
Median age for Male	38.2	35.5	34
Median age for Female	41.1	38	36.5
Households	31,674	3,064,645	105,480,101
Household population	84,390	8,219,529	273,643,273
Average household size	2.66	2.68	2.59
Families	23,475	2,154,539	71,787,347
Average family size	3.11	3.21	3.14
Housing units	34,375	3,310,275	115,904,641
Occupied units	31,674	3,064,645	105,480,101
Vacant units	2,701	245,630	10,424,540

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