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 Albany, GA

Latitude: 31.582273 -- Longitude: -84.165557

ZIP Codes for Albany, Georgia	31701 31702 31703 31704 31705 31706 31707 31708 31721
Area Code for Albany, Georgia	229
Time zone for Albany, Georgia	EST

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Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area. The population was 76,939 at the 2000 census.According to the United States Census Bureau, the Albany, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) had an estimated population of 164,069 and ranked 234 in the U.S. in 2007. The MSA consists of Dougherty, Terrell, Lee, Worth, and Baker Counties. As of the census[2] of 2000, there were 76,939 people, 28,620 households, and 18,889 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,385.5 people per square mile (535.0/km²). There were 32,062 housing units at an average density of 577.3/sq mi (222.9/km²).The Albany Government Center in downtown. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Georgia 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Albany	Georgia	United States
Population	76,939	8,186,453	281,421,906
Median age	31.1	33.4	35.3
Median age for Male	29.2	32.1	34
Median age for Female	33.1	34.6	36.5
Households	28,620	3,006,369	105,480,101
Household population	72,702	7,952,631	273,643,273
Average household size	2.54	2.65	2.59
Families	18,883	2,111,647	71,787,347
Average family size	3.14	3.14	3.14
Housing units	32,062	3,281,737	115,904,641
Occupied units	28,620	3,006,369	105,480,101
Vacant units	3,442	275,368	10,424,540

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November 20, 2008

Local Information for Albany, GA

Latitude: 31.582273 -- Longitude: -84.165557

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