Renovating an Apartment Building: Tips

Looking for ways to save money on your energy expenses throughout the year? The following tips and tricks will help you make it happen:

Replace Your Doors and Windows

An excellent way to reduce your household's energy use and save some money on your monthly power costs is to replace your doors and windows with Energy Star rated options. Energy Star rated windows and doors will lower your household's overall carbon footprint, minimize unwanted drafts and indoor overheating, and even protect your flooring, furniture, and walls from fading due to sun damage.

After your Energy Star rated doors and windows are installed, you can optimize their performance by insulating them. Apply spray foam insulation or caulking between the frames and bases of your doors and windows, and then install weatherstripping on all the doors and any windows that get opened and closed throughout the year. Contact a door and window replacement specialist to learn more.

Plant New Trees in the Yard

Not only can landscaping with trees increase your property value by up to 20 percent, but they'll protect your home from the outdoor elements and help lower your energy expenses throughout the year. Planting deciduous trees is an effective option because they are full of large, lush leaves during the summer which will protect your home from the sun, and they lose their leaves in the winter which will help to naturally warm things up indoors. There are many beautiful options to choose from such as:

• Red Maple

• Black Gum

• Sourwood

• Black Locust

• European Beech

Plant your trees in front of windows that tend to get direct sunlight during the day as well as in front of your exterior HVAC unit.

Install a Couple Ceiling Fans

As opposed to an average of 3,500 watts of power your HVAC unit uses, ceiling fans only use about 60 watts of power an hour each. Installing ceiling fans in rooms that your family tends to spend a lot of time in will help reduce perceived heat and keep things cooler throughout the day without putting unnecessary wear and tear on your heater and air conditioner. Run your ceiling fans counterclockwise during the summer to keep a consistent flow of air blowing through your home, and reverse their direction to run clockwise during the winter to keep the cool air from separating from the warm air.

These tips and tricks should help you and your family stay comfortable all year long while reducing your household's energy usage and power expenses as time goes on.