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 Arlington, TX

Latitude: 32.705033 -- Longitude: -97.122839

ZIP Codes for Arlington, Texas	76001 76002 76003 76004 76005 76006 76007 76010 76011 76012 76013 76014 76015 76016 76017 76018 76019 76094 76096
Area Code for Arlington, Texas	817
Time zone for Arlington, Texas	CST

Other Area Cities: De Soto, TX Fort Worth, TX Arlington, TX Bedford, TX Euless, TX Forest Hill, TX Grand Prairie, TX Hurst, TX Mansfield, TX North Richland Hills, TX Colleyville, TX Southlake, TX Irving, TX

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Arlington is a city in Tarrant County, Texas (USA) within the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 332,969 (though a July 1, 2004 estimate placed the city's population at 359,467). Arlington is the seventh-largest city in the state and the fiftieth largest city in the United States. Located approximately 12 miles east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles west of downtown Dallas, Arlington is home to the Texas Rangers' Ameriquest Field in Arlington and the theme parks Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor. The Dallas Cowboys' new stadium will also be located in Arlington. The city borders Kennedale, Grand Prairie, Mansfield and Fort Worth, and completely surrounds the smaller communities of Dalworthington Gardens and Pantego. -- Source: Wikipedia.com

Texas 2000 Census Population Profile Map

	Arlington	Texas	United States
Population	332,969	20,851,820	281,421,906
Median age	30.7	32.3	35.3
Median age for Male	30.2	31.3	34
Median age for Female	31.2	33.4	36.5
Households	124,686	7,393,354	105,480,101
Household population	330,521	20,290,711	273,643,273
Average household size	2.65	2.74	2.59
Families	85,000	5,247,794	71,787,347
Average family size	3.2	3.28	3.14
Housing units	130,628	8,157,575	115,904,641
Occupied units	124,686	7,393,354	105,480,101
Vacant units	5,942	764,221	10,424,540

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November 20, 2008

Local Information for Arlington, TX

Latitude: 32.705033 -- Longitude: -97.122839

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