Florida Homebuilder Centerline Homes | Real Estate Blog

Darn, I forgot to Change the Filter again!

Ever said this? Maybe darn isn’t the word that you used. We all know how important it is to change our A/C filters on a regular basis. Dirty filters have a negative impact on our interior air quality and also cause your air conditioning equipment to work harder than it should. Some experts recommend changing your filter(s) every thirty days. Maybe an easy way to remember to make the change is to get into the habit of switching filters every time you pay your power bill. That’s a fairly consistent 30 day cycle with the added benefit of allowing you to get more knowledgeable about your monthly power bill, and other ways that you can reduce that monthly expense. Things like turning off fans, TV’s and radios off when leaving a room may not seem like a lot of effort, but can make a visible difference in lowering your monthly power bill. For additional power-saving ideas and suggestions, visit Florida Power and Light’s web site at www.FPL.com

Household Heating Systems

Although several different types of fuels are available to heat our homes, more than half of us use natural gas.  Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 43% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What's more, heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, adding to global climate change. They also generate about 12% of the nation's sulfur dioxide and 4% of the nitrogen oxides, the chief ingredients in acid rain.

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Saving Energy while beautifying your home is easy these days.  Switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs is a great investment savings because you have to replace them less often than incandescent ones. Solar lights are even better because you won't have to pay for any energy at all! As we all know, energy costs are on the rise and more people are now trying to find energy efficient alternatives to alleviate some of the higher costs which are only going to go higher. Investing in energy efficient devices, such as LED low voltage fixtures will not only help out your wallet, but will also help reduce our energy requirements and help the environment.

Another excellent ways to illuminate your own home and business is with the use of LED lighting. LED's (Light Emitting Diodes) are low voltage lighting fixtures which are available in a variety of colors from bright oranges to deep blues, however most of us still prefer white light. If you have ever visited places like Las Vegas or many of the newer stadiums you have probably come into contact with plenty of LED's without even knowing it. You will also find LED's in many newer TV's, appliances and even your car. LED lighting fixtures typically use warm white or cool white LED lamps and colored LED lamps are reserved for special devices and applications. Homes and businesses are using these low voltage devices to accentuate a space, or just add a little light in areas for viewing purposes. The benefits of LED are incredible. This type of illumination is energy friendly, long lasting and relatively safe in most conditions. Light emitting diode devices produce very little heat, so the risk of a fire is dramatically reduced. LED's are also great to use around the holidays when house fires tend to ignite due to faulty wiring or outdated fixtures. LED lights are also beautiful to look at and can add a soft brilliant touch both inside and out. Another huge benefit of LED lights is maintenance. These lights have the potential to last 100,000 hours.  LED's provide low voltage lighting for your home and business. The installation of an LED light system will save you money, energy and space. The compact size of LED lighting devices makes them great for virtually any use in your home or business. LEDs are very energy efficient producing a small amount of heat and are easy to install.  For additional Tips on saving energy visit www.centerlinehomes.com

More Tips for Living Green Around Home and on the Road

• Cook with your Microwave Microwaves are between 3.5 and 4.8 times more energy efficient than traditional electric ovens. Cooking and reheating with a microwave is faster and more efficient than the stovetop or oven.
• Use commercial car washes Getting your car washed at a commercial car wash is better for the environment than doing it yourself. Commercial car washes not only use significantly less water per wash  but they often recycle and reuse the rinse water.
• Clean your air filters Check air conditioning filters monthly to either clean or replace them. This will help the unit run more efficiently. Better yet: buy a permanent filter that can be washed and re-used. This will save you money over the long run and keep all those disposable filters out of landfills. If your unit is outdoors, check to make sure the coils are not obstructed by debris, plants or shrubs.
• Green Your PC and Electronics 90% of desktop computers are not optimized for energy efficiency. Take advantage of "sleep" and "hibernate" settings, and turn off your devices when you won't use them for an hour or more. Use a surge protector to turn them all the way off so they won't draw a "phantom load" even when shut off.
• Use rechargeable batteries It may not sound like much at first, but investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time. In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you'll burn through.
  

Here are a few tips that will help you conserve water at home and save you some cash at the same time.

• Replace water-wasting fixtures with new energy efficient products starting with your showerheads.
• Fix your leaking toilet or better yet, replace an old toilet with a new low flow model.
• Dripping leaky faucets are another source of waste, stop the drip or replace with a newer model.
• When purchasing a new washing machine, choose one that spins on a vertical axis.
• Water your lawn in the morning or evening to reduce water lost to evaporation. Water for no more than 10-20 minutes at a time allowing the water to soak in properly and avoid runoff. Follow your local water conservation guidelines.
• If you have automatic sprinklers install a rain sensor to avoid needless watering.
• Redesign your landscape with drought-resistant plants and use mulch or other ground covering to reduce evaporation.

These water saving tips are just another benefit of new home construction since most of these features are standard in newer homes.