Energy tips when buying a house
Last updated on March 10th, 2024 at 03:35 pm
When you are buying a new home, here are some things to look for to ensure you keep your energy bills low:
- Look for energy efficient appliances. Most of the time they will still have the energy guide sticker on them. Check the efficiency and relative costs.
- Check the age and condition of the delivery ducts and vents
- Ask what the last HVAC job was. If someone installed central air or a new furnace after the home was built, there is an excellent chance the installer did due diligence and inspected the house to make sure it is sealed and appropriately insulated.
- Check the age of the hot water heater and the condition. Also, check to see if the unit is located in an unheated area like a basement.
- Are delivery pipes or ducts being insulated? If so, the owners were conscious about saving energy.
- Are the windows new? Are they vinyl? Newer vinyl windows are a big plus because they can reduce your energy costs since they insulate better.
- Are there door sweeps on the doors? Are the doors in good condition? If so, there are little repairs you may have to do.
- Is the house equipped with a setback or programmable thermostat? If so, you can more readily control the temperature of the room during any time of day and during any season.