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 Grand Junction, CO

Latitude: 39.080531 -- Longitude: -108.559097

ZIP Codes for Grand Junction, Colorado	81501 81502 81503 81504 81505 81506
Area Code for Grand Junction, Colorado	970
Time zone for Grand Junction, Colorado	MST

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Grand Junction is a city in Mesa County, Colorado, USA. The population was 41,986 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Grand Junction, CO Metropolitan Statistical Area. It is the county seat of Mesa CountyGR6. The city is the largest population center on the Colorado Western Slope, unofficially serving as the capital of the region. The local television stations serve as a major media source for the region, in the way that those in Denver do for the Colorado Front Range to the east. The city is located along the north side of the Colorado River, where it receives the Gunnison River from south. The name "Grand" refers to the historical name of the upper Colorado River used by locals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The city sits near the mid-point of a 30-mile (48 km) arcing valley, known as the Grand Valley, that is a major fruit-growing region, historically home to the Ute people and settled by white farmers in the 1880s. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Colorado 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Grand Junction	Colorado	United States
Population	41,986	4,301,261	281,421,906
Median age	38.8	34.3	35.3
Median age for Male	36.6	33.2	34
Median age for Female	40.8	35.4	36.5
Households	17,865	1,658,238	105,480,101
Household population	39,806	4,198,306	273,643,273
Average household size	2.23	2.53	2.59
Families	10,549	1,084,461	71,787,347
Average family size	2.84	3.09	3.14
Housing units	18,784	1,808,037	115,904,641
Occupied units	17,865	1,658,238	105,480,101
Vacant units	919	149,799	10,424,540

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November 20, 2008

Local Information for Grand Junction, CO

Latitude: 39.080531 -- Longitude: -108.559097

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