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!

As of 12/03/09 the Vi Fogerson RePage is ranked at 5,571 with 60 points.
The monthly top RePage owner will receive a cash prize. Help this agent by bookmarking this site and posting it to blogs and other Web pages and encourage others to visit.

Local Information for Manhattan, KS

Latitude: 39.190142 -- Longitude: -96.586818

Other Area Cities: Salina Manhattan

Enter our Photo Sweepstakes and Win $200 for your Manhattan photos!

To see random photos for other cities Click Here.

Submit your photos of Manhattan and become eligible to win $200. Click Here for details.

Manhattan is located at 39°11'25?N, 96°35'13?W (39.190142, -96.586818)GR1, or about 50 miles (80km) west of Topeka on the Kansas River. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 38.9 km² (15.0 mi²). 38.9 km² (15.0 mi²) of it is land and 0.07% is water. Manhattan is located in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. Tuttle Creek Reservoir is a lake located 5 miles (8km) north of Manhattan. While the dam which forms the lake was built by the Army Corps of Engineers primarily for flood control, the lake is now a state park, which offers many recreational opportunities. The Konza Prairie, a tallgrass prairie preserve owned by The Nature Conservancy and Kansas State University, is south of town. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Kansas 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Manhattan	Kansas	United States
Population	44,831	2,688,418	281,421,906
Median age	23.5	35.2	35.3
Median age for Male	23.4	33.7	34
Median age for Female	23.7	36.5	36.5
Households	16,949	1,037,891	105,480,101
Household population	39,037	2,606,468	273,643,273
Average household size	2.3	2.51	2.59
Families	8,259	701,547	71,787,347
Average family size	2.89	3.07	3.14
Housing units	17,690	1,131,200	115,904,641
Occupied units	16,949	1,037,891	105,480,101
Vacant units	741	93,309	10,424,540

Visit US Census