Most people don't think about saving money just because they remodel. However, with all the advancements coming in today's world there are many things a person can do to improve the overall efficency of thier homes.

What are some examples of these money saving possibilities?

1. Switch from traditional light bulbs to new compact fluorescent light bulbs, this is one of the easiest ways to directly cut back on your electrical bill. Not only is only a fraction of the electricity used by these bulbs as conventional ones but fluorescent bulbs don't put of the same heat that the traditional ones do, potentially saving on your air condiitoning. These can be easily installed by a homeownere with out a need to call a professional or contractor to assist with the installation of these bulbs.  http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls                                       

2. Replacing and old caulking and weather stripping. As caulking and weather stripping gets older it can crack and fail, while many times going un-noticed this allows the outdoors to reach the indoors. Caulking like weather stripping is typically locateda around all windows and doors, however often times there are many other locations that reguire caulking around your home. Typically these are the types of small jobs that most homeowners can tackle on thier own. However, as in most cases some people just aren't comfortable doing this type work. We will gladdly come out and inspect your home for any trouble spots.

3. Replacing light fixtures, in particualar exterior light fixtures. Many times exterior light fixtures get left on accidentally, while leaving one light on a little extra time will not cost  you an arm and a leg, it all adds up. By updating to a new motion sensor or photocell fluorescent light fixture not only do you save on the difference of the bulbs but no more forgetting to turn the fixture on or off. These fixtures come a wide array of styles and many are available at  your local home improvement stores.  Due to the presence of electrical wiring it is recommended that you have a professional handle these type of jobs for you.

4. Installing window blinds in your home. There are many different levels of blinds that are available for purchase and the prices vary from very affordable to very pricey. All blinds typically help keep your home cooler, although some help more than others. The ease of installation on these blinds largely depends on the style of blind you choose. For example many home owners choose to install "mini" blinds on thier own. If you do not feel comfortable in doing this type of project or would just feel more comfortable having someone else with more experience do it for you we will gladdly assist you with this as well.

5. Installing solar screens. Solar screens are installed on the exterior side of windows and help to block some of the suns heat. These are a inexpensive way to help block out the heat, while also blocking out pests such as flies and mosquitoes. I do not recommend that you use solar screens alone if you are looking to reduce the heat load through your windows, as you will not be happy with them alone. However, installing them along with blinds or window films will greatly increase thier ability. For the best protection we recommend all three.

6. Adding proper venting and/or a power vent to your attic can help reduce the heat load of your entire home, in turn reducing the amount of air conditioning required to cool the home.              http://www.factsfacts.com/MyHomeRepair/ventilation.htm

7. Paint your attic and A/C duct work with a Radiosity radiant barrier addative. Having your attic and duct work spray painted with this addative can provide savings that average 15 to 20%. The addative can be mixed with your choice of latex paints for a relatively inexpensive way to help lower your electircal bill. This can be done by a homeowner, however due to the fact that we are talking about spray painting a attic durring a Texas summer we highly recommend you let a professional handle it. For more information on this product please visit thier website at www.radiosity.biz                                                        Take a look at some photos from an actual job that we have completed.    http://rothent.biz/page/1ggtb/Product_photos.html?mainURL=%2Fgallery%2F6wr%2FRadiosity.html%3Fview%3D6wr

8. Applying a window film treatment to your windows. Window films can reflect up to 70% of summer time heat as well as helping retain winter time interior heat. That leads to direct electrical bill savings. The film is applied to the interior side of windows. While this website says that installation is very easy and takes as little as 30 minutes I can tell you from personal experience it's not nearly as easy as they make it sound. I have installed this product on several windows in my own home and you can see a dramatic difference. Again this is a product that a homeowner can install on thier own, but by no means is it as easy as described by the company so be advised if you do try it on your own.  For more information on this product please visit thier website at  www.gilafilms.com.       Take a look at some photos from an actual job that we have completed.           http://rothent.biz/page/1ggtj/Product_photos.html?mainURL=%2Fgallery%2F6ws%2FGila_window_treatments.html%3Fview%3D6ws                  

9. Painting the interior or exterior of your home with the Radiosity radiant barrier addative, or for even better protection both! The U.S. Department of Energy has determined that savings up to 42% can be realized from homes that are fully protected by radiant barriers. Again this addative can be combined with any type of latex paint in any color with almost any schene of paint.  For more information on this product please visit thier website at www.radiosity.biz.

10. The addition of ceiling fans can also help lower the cost of heating and cooling a home. By installing and using your fan year-round, you can save up to 40% off of summer air conditioning costs, and up to 10% off of winter heating costs. A great thing about ceiling fans also is that they come in a wide variety of shapes, colors, sizes and features.  We recommend Hunter fans.

11. Proper maintance of your air conditioning system. This includes cleaning or replacing the return air filter of your air conditioning system on a monthly basis. Did you know that allowing your filter to become clogged and dirty not only can greatly increase your electrical bill but also drastically reduce the life of your air conditioning system?! You should also have your both of your air conditioning's coils inspected, there is one coil located on the unit outside and the return air coil is located in your house. Having a clogged up return air coil is even worse than having a dirty filter. A clogged up return air coil will harm your air conditioning system, with a clogged up return air coil it's not a matter of if your A/C will break but how long and how bad. Having the coil cleaned every few years costs only a fraction of what it would cost to replace the system if it was to fail.

12. Changing out single payne windows to new double insulated windows as well as replacing older exteriror doors. This is a major redo and by no means is it in-expensive. While we strongly suggest this if you are looking for some of the best ways to improve the overall energy effiencey of your home, we also recommend you do your homework and heed our warnings that this is no small project. There are many choices along these lines. If you decide to make these changes we will work with you to find the units that are best suited for you and your home.