Cut Your Energy Bills in Half by Building an Energy Efficient Home!

Energy! This 6 letter word has easily become one of the most popular words in the world as oil prices, gas prices and energy prices have sky-rocketed! As I write this, oil is over 0 a barrel, gas prices where I live are hovering at .00 a gallon and electricity rates are roughly $.19 kwh. Now more than ever people are looking for ways to cut or slash their energy costs!

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Back in late 2004 when I was designing (14) semi custom patio homes, I felt very strongly about energy efficiency and I knew that one day real soon, everyone would be concerned about energy efficiency! During this time, way before it was popular, I was building my homes with radiant barriers, energy efficient cooling systems and managed water systems. At that time these technologies were viewed as expensive alternatives to the standard construction procedures and products generally offered by builders, but the sentiment has now changed. These once overlooked technologies are quickly becoming the standard.

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With this increased attention on energy efficiency, the real question is how can you build an energy efficient home without busting your budget! Most builders and contractors are charging premiums for outfitting homes with energy efficient products and it is seems that overnight a whole new cottage industry has been created offering a host of high dollar energy saving solutions! Despite the glossy brochures, impressive sales presentations and overly accommodating sales representatives I think some of these products are overkill and their claims of costs savings in many cases are exaggerated at best!

So what is an Owner Builder to do? For starters, the first step in properly planning the construction of an energy efficient home is to consider what your overall budget is for the home you are building and within that budget how much (as a percentage) are you willing to invest in reducing your energy costs. In many cases, this figure could be as high as 10% however the average is anywhere from 5-8.5% of the overall cost of the home.

The first thing you want to consider is the climate for the area you are building in and the building envelope materials. Most homes throughout the United States consist of brick, Hardi-plank© siding and/or concrete. Concrete is green and energy efficient however it can be costly and there are several additional factors to consider such as lead times, renting pump trucks and higher labor costs. With that said, in places like Florida due to hurricanes concrete homes are the standard in many cases so there are exceptions. Brick on the other hand is a low maintenance product that offers several energy saving benefits when installed properly. Ideally you want an exterior product that will insulate your home from the forces of nature and contribute to your overall plan of lower energy costs.

The next step in building an energy efficient home is outfitting your home with the proper sized heating & cooling system AND choosing a qualified reputable contractor to install it. To ensure you have the right sized system, I suggest you invest in a Manual J analysis on your home plans. This analysis will give detailed suggestions on the type and size of heating & cooling system for your home based on its size and location. The small investment you make in performing this analysis will produce huge dividends in energy savings and reduced maintenance expenses.

Another important thing during this stage of planning is to have an Electrical Technician design an electrical plan for your home. This electrical plan will insure that you have the proper amount of outlets throughout the home and it will insure they have the proper voltage to ensure that you never overload a circuit or exert unnecessary pressure on any part of your electrical system. These (2) steps by themselves will produce a home that will save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars a year on your electrical bill and produce a more enjoyable living experience for you and the other occupants of your Dream Home.

The next energy saving feature to consider is the insulation system you will use. Recently there have been several foam based products that have grown increasingly popular due to their ability to create an air tight building envelope. This is great for those climates that have extremely fierce winters and moderate summers but for humid climates like Houston, Texas where I live, these products can create HUGE problems because of mold issues! If you live in the Midwest or upper East coast then these foam products will work great and by themselves they will cut your heating & cooling costs in half!

However if you are like me and live in the Southwest, I suggest using a batted fiberglass solution in most cases with facing on the side that faces the sheetrock and a blown-in insulation for your attic applications. I usually suggest that you use a razor and cut lines in the facing before covering them up with sheetrock to allow the walls to breathe. This one minor step prevents mold growth as it allows air to freely move through the walls prohibiting moisture.

My next recommendation has become commonplace in the homes of the finer custom homebuilders and in many cases is offered as an upgrade by the tract homebuilders and that is radiant barriers! Quite simply, a radiant barrier is the foil like surface that is on the underside of the plywood-like material that you see in your attic that your roof is nailed to. The purpose of the radiant barrier is to prevent the heat from the sun from coming into the home via the roof.

Usually a radiant barrier blocks as much as 50% of the suns ultraviolet rays thereby reducing your attic temperature by as much as 30% or more in some applications. This feature is not very costly and usually costs .00 - .00 per 4x8 sheet in comparison to the non radiant barrier sheets which generally cost .00 - .00 per 4x8 sheet. Again, this small investment will produce huge gains via the lower energy bills and increased comfort and quality of lifestyle it will afford you and your family.

This next energy saving feature is one of my favorite of all features and that is the tank-less water heater! Can you believe it, a water heater the size of a shoe box! These have got to be one of the coolest products on the market and besides the energy savings they provide, you will also like that they produce an endless flow of hot water! Tank-less water heaters are rapidly gaining steam (pun intended) in the custom home market despite being reasonably higher than your standard water heater, but it's a worthy investment to say the least!

Our last energy saving product is a Mana-Bloc© managed plumbing system. This plumbing system will save you money on your water bill as it will reduce the amount of water waste and it allows you to manage every single water feature in your home. So if you have a hot water leak in your half bath, you can cut off the hot water in that area without affecting the cold water or any other water feature in the home. In addition to that you don't have to worry about water leaking until you get the leak repaired which prevents water damage and mold!

These managed systems truly represent the future of home efficiency products with their ability to customize and manage every aspect of your water consumption and provide a better overall quality of lifestyle for the end user!

I can assure you that if you follow the steps outlined here and strongly consider the products and procedures outlined you will cut your energy costs by half (or more) in your Custom Dream Home! As energy prices continue to rise, this strategic energy planning and thinking regarding building a home will become a standard procedure for Owner Builders and home buyers altogether.

Cut Your Energy Bills in Half by Building an Energy Efficient Home!

Tyron C. McDaniel, author of the exclusive "How to Build Your Custom Dream Home for Less!" Owner Builder system has been in real estate since 1999. As a Construction Loan Expert, Real Estate Agent & Real Estate Developer Tyron has helped a number of clients save thousands of dollars and realize HUGE equity gains when designing and constructing their Dream Home. Tyron's expertise in Custom Dream Home Financing and Design consultation is in high demand with clients from all around the country. For a very limited time, Tyron is offering his "Owner-Builder Custom Dream Home Planning Guide" (A .95 value) for FREE (For a limited time only), so hurry over to [http://MyDreamHomeforLess.com/]

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As Gas Prices Sky Rocket, Fuel Efficient Driving Tips Can Help You Conserve Gas

Gas prices are causing quite a shock in neighborhoods across America this week. Gas prices have risen nearly 82 cents since September 2010; the average price of regular gasoline in the US has jumped 33 cents per gallon in the last two weeks. Drivers across the country are feeling the pain of record high gas prices.

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A new fuel price survey says gas prices are expected to continue rising. Diesel fuel is up 29 cents, to .88 per gallon average. In California, diesel hit .23 a gallon. The average price of self-serve regular gasoline is .51; the average price for mid-grade is .64, and premium gas is at .75.

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Why are gas prices so high? Diesel prices, like gasoline prices, are driven by the ever-increasing price of crude oil. Oil is close to 5 a barrel! Some experts say it is the perfect storm for gas price increases. There are several different reasons, including:
Intense, violent fighting in Libya is escalating. The USA and other countries have stepped in and started bombing this weekend. Libyan government forces and rebels appeared to be turning into a full-blown civil war. This raised the prospect of a prolonged cut in crude exports from the OPEC oil-producing nation. International demand for oil is very high due to rapid economic expansion in China, India and Brazil. Extremely bad winter weather in most of the US and Europe drastically increased the demand for heating oil. This can add pressure to oil prices. The BP oil spill resulted in reduced drilling offshore in the Gulf Coast, causing an increase in oil and gas prices.

Instead of worrying about gas prices, which we cannot control, we should focus on driving efficiency.The best way to reduce gas costs is by investing in more fuel efficient vehicles and developing smart, fuel efficient driving habits.

How you drive can significantly affect your fuel efficiency. Most people don't realize how much gas their driving behavior can be wasting. Here are some fuel efficient driving tips:

1. Use GPS navigation driving to unfamiliar places.

Getting lost only wastes time and gas.

2. Invest in a GPS navigation system with real-time traffic updates.

Wasting time sitting in traffic or construction delays does no one any good. A good GPS system such as the Garmin Nuvi will avoid congested roads when giving you directions.

3. Select the most fuel efficient vehicle the journey.

Don't take the family SUV or a big truck when you can drive a smaller and more fuel efficient vehicle.

4. Don't Let the Car Sit Idling

Letting a car idle when you're just sitting there is simply a waste of gas. Idling for more than 10 seconds uses more gas and emits more pollution than restarting your car. Turn the car off if you're not moving.

5. Drive slower and don't be aggressive. Obey speed limits, accelerate and stop gradually, and anticipate stops.

Smart, fuel efficient driving habits are critically important for businesses that operate a fleet of vehicles, because small changes can have big impacts on a larger scale. In the US there are nearly 15 million business operated vehicles on the road today. Fleet vehicles are driven hard, averaging nearly double the mileage, fuel consumption and emissions of personal vehicles.

As Gas Prices Sky Rocket, Fuel Efficient Driving Tips Can Help You Conserve Gas

Codi David
Driving, Fuel Efficiency, and GPS Tracking Pro

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What Does Efficient Mean?

The word efficient is used quite often. The definition from Dictionary.com is "performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort." Efficient is an adjective which means it is a descriptive word. For a contractor, efficient means getting a job done quickly and with little waste. A contractor who is describing an efficient job site would say his workers and subcontractors are able to quickly complete their tasks in an orderly fashion without being in one another's way, and that the dumpster is not overflowing.

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A home builder can have an efficient job site. This is possible through careful and proper planning and by using insulated concrete forms (ICFs). An ICF concrete home is efficient to build because the foam forms lock into place fast. It really is as easy as putting Lego blocks together. The efficiency continues because the forms are marked in a way that makes installing electrical and plumbing easy. Finally, the design of the foam forms helps drywallers speedily move through the home as that hang sheetrock.

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As stated earlier, part of being efficient for a contractor is generating less waste. The plumber, electrician, and drywaller actually might generate the most waste. Building ICF concrete walls generates little to no waste. The forms are delivered to the job site in the correct size. The builders do not have to cut two-by-fours to build a wall to the correct size. The forms are simply put into place without creating any waste and then wet cement is poured into the middle of the wall.

The ICF distributor that a contractor uses is important to the efficiency of the job site. The forms need to be delivered to the site on time and in a way that uses the least amount of fuel as possible. This means the site can actually be efficient before necessary materials even arrive there.

What Does Efficient Mean?

NUDURA is a leader in insulated concrete forms. NUDURA's ICF concrete walls are efficient because they are designed to the exact specifications of a builder. NUDURA's forms are efficient because they are shipped by the ICF distributor folded together reducing the amount of fuel used by the trucks. The ICF concrete home is efficient because plumbers and electricians are able to install pip and conduit with little difficulty. We encourage contractors who are truly interested in being efficient to visit NUDURA.

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How to Install Energy Efficient Windows

Want to improve your home's insulation and to reduce your energy bills? You may want to replace your old windows with energy efficient windows! Follow these tips for the proper way to remove existing windows and to install energy efficient new ones.

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1. Carefully measure each window to be replaced. Take care to record the full height and width of each window frame. Measure twice to ensure accuracy, and then make a detailed list of the windows that you need to purchase. Next, measure all the trim pieces around your old windows. If you are careful, then you may be able to reuse these trim boards, or you may want to add new trim boards to your material list.

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2. Purchase the highest-rated energy efficient windows you can afford. New windows may seem to cost a lot, but the more you spend on windows now, the more you will cut your energy bills in the future! Your windows will eventually pay for themselves and the continue paying in energy savings. If you are purchasing new trim lumber, always buy a few extra linear feet to allow room for cutoff.

3. Tear out your existing windows. After you bring your new windows home, carefully tear out the trim pieces that you do not plan to reuse (if any) around the outside of each window. You will notice after you tear these pieces off that the nails holding the window in will now be exposed. Remove all the nails with a nail puller, except for one on each side.

From the inside of each window, carefully cut around all the edges with a utility knife to free the window from your Sheetrock, paint, and caulk. Return outside, and remove the remaining nails -- be careful not to let the window drop out and break. Once the nails are gone, remove your window carefully.

4. Begin to install your new energy efficient windows! Carefully unpack each window, being careful not to bend the flange around any window -- these bend quite easily. Next, place your window in the opening with the right side up and the locks facing inside. Find one person to hold the window while you line up the window from the inside. Your helper should also be prepared to fasten the window with nails or screws at your command.

5. Be sure to align your windows correctly. From the inside, carefully align each window frame in such a way that the little gap between the window and the window opening is the same all the way around. If your Sheetrock completely hides this gap, then the distance from the edge of the glass to the Sheetrock needs to be the same all the way around. Once the window is accurately aligned, then have your helper fasten one nail or screw in each corner and open the window to ensure its function. At this point, fasten the entire window.

6. Determine how long to cut your trim boards. Measure around the outside window frame to decide this. Carefully cut all of your trim pieces -- a chop saw may be best for this, but a skill saw with a sharp blade will work. Once you have cut all the trim pieces, fasten them in place with nails or screws.

7. Caulk around the new window inside and out. Also caulk around the seams of all your trim boards and your nail holes. Conclude your window installation by painting the trim boards to match your existing trim.

In an economy in which we all are looking for ways to save money, this energy efficient window upgrade can double your savings: You will save money by doing the project yourself, and you will reap continual savings on your utility bills! As you are installing, remember to always measure for your windows twice and to take care to be safe with your tools.

How to Install Energy Efficient Windows

About the Author

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