Think about Energy in Your New house

If you’re searching to buy a new house, you’re looking at the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and the size of the family room. The area, property and neighborhood are important to you. But how much time did you spend thinking about energy?

New construction homes, such as new real estate in Commack New York, tend to be far more energy efficient than older homes . Older homes simply were not designed to be energy efficient.

When you look for a new home, you should look for an Energy Star rated house . In general, Energy Star homes are 30% more efficient than older homes . This energy efficiency can keep you warmer in the winter, cooler in the summer and save you money every month on your utilities.

Many of the energy Star features are accomplished by the builder during the construction phase. High quality insulation, for example, keeps out drafts and aids your home retain heat in the winter time. An attention to detail in avoiding gaps and cracks in the framing, walls and ceilings, will make a tremendous difference. A space of just 1/4 inch to the outside will cause your home to leak air like a balloon with a small hole. An airtight construction is extremely important.

In addition to the construction, appliance decisions can have a direct effect on your electric bills. You should find energy Star rated appliances, including the fridge, dishwasher, stove, microwave, washer and dryer. If your house includes air-conditioning, you should only select one with a high energy Star rating.

On the heating side, you’ll want a system with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency Rating of 90 or greater. On the cooling side, your air conditioning system should have a SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of 12+ to be Energy Star efficient.

Other features will also aid the efficiency in your house include digital thermostats with timers, outdoor lighting with timers or light sensors, room switches with motion sensors and other choices to help ensure that you are not wasting electricity. Of course, you could try to remember to turn off the lights, but having technology help you in case you forget will save you money and lower waste.

When it is time to resell your house, energy-efficient houses are more desirable. One of the great bonuses of new construction, such as the Emmy houses project in Commack NY, is that if you resell in five or ten years, you will be selling an efficient house as opposed to an older house which is less efficient. This can not only increase the resale price but also the ease of selling your house .