Today’s electric tank water heaters are all well insulated to keep the water that we’ve paid to heat stay hot until it’s needed. But with just a little bit of knowledge, there are things we can do as homeowners to keep them operating efficiently long beyond the life of their warranty. Here are things I… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless Late winter and early spring are great times to think about changes to your home’s landscape. While the goal of most lawn and garden projects is to bring beauty to your outdoor space, a well-designed project can also save energy, increase the overall value of your home and provide… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless Smartphone apps number like the stars these days, it seems. Some you might want to be aware of can help you determine how energy is used in your home and provide information that helps you choose efficiency upgrades that make the most sense for your home. Here are a… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless My family is planning to remodel our kitchen in the coming months. We hope to incorporate energy efficient features to reduce our energy costs. What are some suggestions to increase our kitchen’s efficiency? Undertaking a remodeling project in any part of your home gives you the chance to make… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless Now that winter is here, I’d like to make my home more comfortable by keeping cold air out. I’m planning to have a contractor inspect and seal air leaks. However, a neighbor mentioned that I could seal up my home too much and cause ventilation problems. Is this true?… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I’m trying to make my home as energy efficient as possible. I recently installed a new heat pump and water heater, and increased the amount of insulation. A home energy audit found little air leakage. However, my energy bills still seem higher than they should be. Can you point… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless My neighbor added more insulation to his attic this summer. How can I tell if adding more insulation in my attic would be a good idea, too? When your home is not properly sealed and insulated, cold air sneaks in and heat escapes, making your heating system work harder… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I’m considering replacing my current heating system with a geothermal heat pump. It is comparatively pricey to other options. Would a geothermal heat pump be a good choice for me? Heating and cooling account for a large percentage of overall home energy use, so upgrading to a more efficient… Continue reading.

Tracking your steps, tracking your children, monitoring your banking activity or locating your parked car —these days, it seems like there is an app for everything. If you are efficiency-savvy and want to manage your energy use, there may be an app that works for you. While there are several energy use apps to choose… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I recently moved from a home with wall-mounted heaters to one with central heat and air, and a duct system. How can I ensure my ducts are working efficiently? Homes with central forced-air heating and cooling systems, like furnaces, central air conditioners and heat pumps, use air ducts to deliver the… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless We have two kids, which means we do a lot of laundry. It never ends! What are some ways we can reduce our energy use in the laundry room? The average American family washes about 300 loads of laundry per year — all that laundry uses a lot of… Continue reading.

By Patrick Keegan and Amy Wheeless I am considering installing solar, and a neighbor asked if I was going to have a “Zero Net Energy” Home. Can you explain what that is? A Zero Net Energy (ZNE), or Net-Zero, Home is one where all of the energy that is used in the home is completely offset by… Continue reading.