Natural Planet A monthly compendium of tips, thoughts, and updates about our shared home.


Adding "Green" Value to Your Home I


t's official, winter has descended upon Connecticut. The holiday season has passed and the traditional hunkering down has begun. Most New Englanders are just now start-


ing to see those first December heating bills, and oil prices are on the rise. The Farmers Almanac is calling for a long, cold, winter in 2011, and with the current state of the economy every penny is going to count. The good news is being Green in 2011 is nowhere near


as hard as it used to be. As everyone’s beloved Muppet might remind us today, it IS easy being green! Here are some quick things you can do that won’t break the bank or require you to don the tool belt, while offering an immediate return on your investment. By reducing your impact on the planet you’ll save money, improve the value of your home, and reduce your car- bon footprint. Growing public demand, government support, and technological advances in energy efficiency have come a long way. Here are the first things you should do: • Visit www.ctsavesenergy.org, (The Connecticut Energy


Efficiency Fund) to sign up for an in-home energy efficiency analysis. For a $75 one time fee, a certified energy specialist will visit your home and run a full, top to bottom analysis and make a flurry of fixes to improve your home, (insulation, caulk- ing, light bulb replacement, water reducing valves, weather stripping, etc). The repairs alone would likely cost ten times the cost if you did them on your own or hired a contractor and the types of improvements are guaranteed to pay back the ini- tial expense ten times over the life of your homeownership. • Change your electricity provider. Deregulation has


opened the flood gates for discount electricity providers. At absolutely no cost to you, and with a seamless transition (your biller doesn’t even change), you can now specify who you buy your electricity from, and brokers have entered the market forcing energy providers to offer very competitive pricing on electricity. The average savings over your standard provider is 20%. Better yet, select a supplier that offers 100% ‘green’ fuel. Some of these suppliers still offer savings over your traditional supplier! That’s a win win! Visit www.ctenergyinfo.com to see a list of the current published rates of these discount providers, or contact a licensed broker like Energy Choice, LLC, www. energychoicenow.com to sign up for a discount provider. • Solar has returned with a tour de force of options for the green conscious household. Partnering with CEEF (Connecti-


cut Energy Efficiency Fund), CT Solar Leasing www.CTSolar- lease.com will install a full solar energy system on your home for the equivalent cost of your monthly electric bill. The equip- ment is installed with lease to own terms, designed to maintain your average monthly expense, while providing earth-friendly produced hot water and electricity to your home. Any overage is sold back to the grid. After your lease expires, you are of- fered the option to buy the equipment, and all the benefits of free electricity and a potential source of income for life, add- ing tremendous value to your home. • Get right with your appliances; Do you have an old re-


frigerator in your basement? Start by unplugging the old, spare fridge and you will save energy and money - probably save close to $200 a year. If you need the extra space for a large family, consider purchasing an inexpensive Energy Star Appli- ance at a Discount Retailer or Scratch and Dent Store. Energy Star appliances have to meet two primary goals set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency; reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide significant energy savings to consum- ers without sacrificing on features demanded by consumers. By upgrading the appliances in your home, you can expect substantial and quick payback. • Most of the houses in Connecticut pre-date the en vogue


of energy efficiency, and every home can be improved upon. In 2011 there are a host of Federal Tax Credits available that in some cases can pay you back as much as 30% of the cost of the improvement right away. Visit www.energy.gov/taxbreaks. htm to get details on all available tax credits. Adding up the lifetime savings can be eye opening. Look to improve upon these trouble spots in your house; attic & wall insulation, win- dows, heating and water heater efficiency, electrical upgrades, and appliances. Ultimately, saving money and doing the right thing by our


planet earth don’t have to be painful. A few phone calls can save you big money this year, and some simple changes in your household can add up to real cash in your pocket and tremendous value on your home.


For more information, contact Matthew Miale, of Keller Wil- liams Realty, 860-416-1815


By Matt Miale


www.naturalnutmeg.com


January 2011


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