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!

About RoseAnn C. Spalt
RoseAnn C. Spalt is affliated with Re/Max American Dream, which is located in Bel Air, MD. For further assistance please use the contact information located on the right.

As of 05/23/12 the RoseAnn C. Spalt RePage is ranked at 488 with 5,075 points.

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Local Information for Bel Air, MD

Latitude: 39.473273 -- Longitude: -76.626703

ZIP Codes for Cockeysville, Maryland	21030 21031 21065
Area Code for Cockeysville, Maryland	410
Time zone for Cockeysville, Maryland	EST

Other Area Cities: Bel Air, MD White Marsh, MD Baltimore, MD Catonsville, MD Cockeysville, MD Pikesville, MD

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Cockeysville was named after the Cockey family which helped establish the town. Thomas Cockey (1676-1737) settled in Limesone Valley in 1725 at Taylor's Hall (an area now just north of Padonia Road and east of I-83). Joshua Frederick Cockey (1765-1821) built one of the first homes in the area in 1798 and built the first commercial structure (a hotel) in 1810 in what would become the village of Cockeysville. His son, Judge Joshua F. Cockey (1800-1891) lived lifelong in the village and built the train station (what would be part of the Pennsylvania Railroad) and accompanying commercial buildings in the 1830's. Cockeysville was the scene of some Civil War activity. Confederate soldiers pushed into the Baltimore area intending to cut off the city and Washington from the north. On July 10, 1864, Cavalry General Bradley T. Johnson led troops into Cockeysville, destroying telegraph lines and tearing up track along the North Central Railroad. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Maryland 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Cockeysville	Maryland	United States
Population	19,388	5,296,486	281,421,906
Median age	33.1	36	35.3
Median age for Male	32.5	34.9	34
Median age for Female	33.8	37	36.5
Households	9,176	1,980,859	105,480,101
Household population	19,259	5,162,430	273,643,273
Average household size	2.1	2.61	2.59
Families	4,447	1,359,318	71,787,347
Average family size	2.87	3.13	3.14
Housing units	9,606	2,145,283	115,904,641
Occupied units	9,176	1,980,859	105,480,101
Vacant units	430	164,424	10,424,540

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Local Information for Bel Air, MD

Latitude: 39.473273 -- Longitude: -76.626703

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