Author: Amanda Mills

Designing your landscape can not only help you with your energy costs but also with water conservation. During drought seasons in all areas of the country, maintaining a good quality water supply is crucial to the health and well-being to the home owner. Xeriscaping is an innovative method to landscaping where quality design is effective, attractive and promotes water conservation in landscaped …

Beautifying the landscape of your home can also cut energy costs significantly through a well-planned thoughtful design.  Planting trees, shrubs, vines, grasses and hedges can help your home’s energy efficiency through reducing the effect that wind, rain, and heat have on your energy bills. Smart landscaping can: significantly cut your seasonal costs, protect your home from the elements, reduce the consumption and …

So you want to make your home more energy-efficient but you don’t know where to start.  There are several checklists, recommendations, and products out there to get you started, but what gets done first? Here is a simple basic list of items to examine and then repair or replace at very little effort and cost to you: Install Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent bulbs …

‘Green’ is the way to go amid the flailing economy and environment alike. Both are threatened more right now than they have been recent history. ‘Going green’ means being environmentally conscientious while improving efficiency in the home, saving money and maintaining current comfort levels. The first step to doing a green remodel is to ask several questions as to why a …

When one thinks of home, usually it brings back memories of being clean, fed, well-loved and warm and fuzzy all over.  It brings waves of good feelings and a place to go when you don’t feel well or when you feel great. However, most people do not look at the actual “health” of a home. There are seven principles to a healthy …

Prior articles have addresses what to do ‘today’ to make your home more energy efficient.  This article will look at more in-depth, time-consuming activities for the homeowner to do over a weekend. According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy here are some bigger steps that you can do today what can lead to big results: Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and …

Looking to sell your home? In today’s declining housing market, home owners are constantly looking for ways to increase the value of their home while saving money. Increasing your home’s energy efficiency can increase your home’s values and make it much more marketable. Home values in the economic slump are constantly decreasing on a daily basis. While shopping for a new …

Checking your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost effective ways to use a whole-house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars. There are several factors to consider when evaluating your insulation options: Thermal Performance R-value per Inch and Weight Limits Air Infiltration Cathedral Ceiling Ventilation Fire Resistance Health and Safety …

OK, so you may not have an actual caped, pale-faced being in your home ready to suck your blood, but what we are talking about is vampire power. What is vampire power? It is electronic devices that still suck away at energy (and your wallet) even though you have hit the “off” switch. These can include TV’s, VCR’s, DVD players, …

The stimulus package of the Federal government and the Obama administration will generate millions of dollars for the Ohio economy in the form of environmental clean-up and Energy savings. What it means to you is saving money in these key areas. The information is posted in an area of U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY’S WEBSITE EXCLUSIVELY FOR OHIO. Here are some recent articles …

Which do you believe is healthier: indoor air quality or outdoor air quality? Most believe that indoor air is healthier than outdoor air; unfortunately this is not always the case. Many pollutants can actually be produced inside the home. These pollutants can come from your home’s structure, paint, carpet, furnishings or many other sources. To make things worse, if you fail …

In the current economic crisis of the country, everyone is looking at ways to reduce costs on everything. One of the easiest and free ways to do so is to start making your home more energy efficient. It not only saves you money but also better for the environment, healthier living for you and increases your home’s value. According to the ALLIANCE …