Opening Doors – Blog for home buyers and sellers.
written by Amy Le on Monday, October 6, 8:49AM
I’ll tell you one thing, there’s nothing pretty about watching your utility bills go up during the colder months. With energy-costs expected to skyrocket this winter, I’m making a conscious effort to find more efficient ways to reduce my heating bill.
Just last week I was sitting in a meeting with our Homescape sales team, when one of our account executives, Mike Consoli, told me about how much money he has saved since installing a pellet stove in his home. My initial reaction was, “What the heck is a pellet stove?”
Wood pellet stoves
Wood Pellet Stoves are a new and very popular way to provide heat in homes. A pellet stove uses wood pellets as its primary heat source. These wood pellets are tightly compacted and dense, which allows the stove to burn powerfully yet very efficiently. Pellets usually come from the byproduct of sawmills and are very easily transportable due to their small size (about half and inch) and light weight. These days, the prices of stove-burning sources such as fossil fuels, chopped wood, natural gas and electric gas are gradually going up. Wood pellets, on the other hand, are inexpensive and easy to manufacture and cause very little pollution.
Mike lives in North Andover, MA, just outside Boston, in a 1930’s farmhouse that’s just over 3,500 square feet. So as you can imagine with the brutal winters in Boston, it takes a lot to heat his entire home.
Mike tells me that when the first floor in his home is heated the second floor is only “lukewarm.” The way his home is laid out, there’s a separate addition consisting of a large family room on the first floor and large bedroom on second floor. Both rooms have three exterior walls with six windows in each room (which acts as a conduit for cold air).
“I think that the number of windows really made it difficult to keep the rooms warm,” Mike said. “So, knowing that I’m pretty handy — he ran a small construction company for a couple years — I decided that installing a pellet stove would be economical and something I could do myself.”
Mike said he doesn’t have propane gas coming into the house, and wood stoves need much more venting than a pellet stove. In an effort to heat mainly the two rooms he had the pellet stove installed in February 2007. After getting the necessary permits, it only took him a single day to install it.
“The final result is that the two rooms I was concerned with are much warmer, actually too hot sometimes on the first floor. Depending on which doors we keep open or closed, we can heat most of the house, especially at night, with the heat from the stove rising up to the second floor all day long.
The following comparison shows the years, gallons of oil used and actual costs of heating Mike’s home before and after he installed the pellet stove:
Without pellet stove:
• 2005- 2006: 1,500 gallons of oil costing $4,050 = $2.70/gallon
• 2006-2007: 1,200 gallons of oil costing $3,104 = $2.59/gallon
With pellet stove:
• 2007- 2008: 890 gallons of oil costing $3,451 = $3.88/gallon
“Assuming the consumption of 1,500 gallons and having to pay $3.88/gallon last year, I saved over $2,300,” Mike says.
Cost savings
Prices for pellet stoves range from about $1,700 to $3,000 for the stove and from $150 to $400 for installation. When comparing prices of pellet stoves with those of wood stoves, remember that pellet stoves offer a substantial savings. They don't require installation of a full-height conventional chimney or flue, the most costly part of some fireplace and wood stove installations.
How does the cost of pellets compare with the cost of wood? According to Hometips.com, on face value, pellets are more expensive at $130 to $200 per ton, compared with firewood, which runs from $100 to $175 per cord. But comparing a ton to a cord is a bit like comparing a pound to an inch.
It’s better to evaluate usage. Wood stove users burn from 3 to 4 cords of wood per year. An average pellet stove will use from 1 to 3 tons of pellets per year. Figuring in the costs above, pellets are often less expensive than cord wood.
Thanks Mike for your helpful recommendation!
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
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After attending numerous home building and design shows this year, it’s safe to say that eco-friendly appliances and green home products are more than just a passing trend. If you’re thinking about sprucing up your bathroom and want to trade in your conventional home furnishings for something a little more earth-friendly, I’d recommend checking out kitchen and bath manufacturer, Native Trails’ fall inventory.
Tatra sink
When it comes to creating an eco-chic bathroom, there’s more to greening than water conservation. California-based, Native Trails’ handmade sinks, tubs and home accents are all crafted from recycled cooper. Their new Tatra sinks are an eco-friendly and striking alternative to porcelain or ceramic sinks. The textured surface and deep glow of cooper add warmth and a unique finish to any bath décor.
Aurora bathtub
Give your bathroom a cozy cottage look with Native Trails’ cooper tub. The Aurora is an oval tub made from 100 percent recycled cooper. Because cooper is highly conductive, it’s great material for a bathtub. When hot water starts filling the tub, the tub’s surface heats up, allowing it be nice and warm when you climb in.
Old World vanity
The Old World Vanity from Native Trails is a unique piece with a past. Built of reclaimed wood salvaged from barns, fencing and other sources, the vanity’s weathered texture and hand-washed finishes create a tranquil, earthy ambiance in your bathroom. Similar to the cooper sinks and tubs in the Native Trails line, the vanity is handcrafted.
Native Trails products are available at top kitchen and bath showrooms in the U.S. and Canada. Visit www.nativetrails.net to view the collection of sinks, tubs, tiles and home accents—all made from recycled materials.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
Habitat ReStores are retail outlets where quality used and surplus building materials are sold at a fraction of normal prices. Proceeds from ReStores help local Habitat affiliates fund the construction of houses within their community. Many affiliates across the United States and Canada operate successful ReStores — some of which raise enough funds to build an additional 10 or more houses per year.
Materials sold by Habitat ReStores are usually donated from building supply stores, contractors, demolition crews or from individuals who wish to show their support for Habitat. In addition to raising funds, ReStores help the environment by rechanneling good, usable materials into use.
The weakening economy and high energy prices have many consumers tightening their spending budgets. Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore program offers homeowners and builders a great alternative that will help them cut down on building-material costs, and at the same time, promote Habitat’s projects and encourage more eco-friendly home building practices.
Donate building supplies
If you or your company have materials to donate to a Habitat ReStore, please contact your local U.S ReStore or Canadian ReStore.
If you don’t see a ReStore located near you, you can contact your local Habitat affiliate.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
Like many new home buyers, I’m still trying to get up to speed with the ever-evolving trend of “green,” eco-friendly homes. About a month ago I attended a seminar in my neighborhood on how to make your home more energy-efficient. While I was there, I met Kirk Fox, a certified eco-broker, who was giving a presentation on searching for green homes and ways to upgrade your existing home with energy-efficient appliances and insulations.
Over the last five years or so, there’s been an emerging niche of Realtors called eco-brokers. This breed of broker and agent specializes in finding green properties for environmentally conscious home buyers and helps current homeowners connect with other energy-minded contractors and builders for remodeling projects. According to a recent McGraw-Hill “Green Residential Smart Market” national report, environmentally sustainable construction will be worth $12 billion to $20 billion in 2008, or 6 percent to 10 percent of the market. Researchers expect those numbers to double within the next five years.
While the National Association of Realtors currently doesn’t offer their own eco-broker certification program, there are independent companies that provide the training and courses for agents who want to boost their Earth-counscious credentials.
Getting certified
Fox, who became one of the first certified eco-brokers in Chicago in 2004 and is currently working for Helios Realty and Development, is among a growing class of real estate agents with the official designation. Fox obtained his certification through EcoBroker International, one of the first companies to offer this type of niche-market designation. According to the company’s Web site, EcoBroker International has certified more than 2,600 agents across the country.
The company, based in Evergreen, CO, offers online courses that teach agents how to make improvements in indoor air quality, what types of eco-friendly retrofits will be the most cost-effective, and how to piece together the state and local tax credits or grants for green projects. Agents then earn an EcoBroker Certification, along with helpful marketing materials to promote their business. Home buyers and sellers can also search for any broker or agent in their area that has been certified by EcoBroker International on the company’s Web site.
Trust an expert
Fox says the biggest advantage of using a certified eco-broker is that he or she guide the clients through what can be an overly confusing process, which can consist of layers of standards from differing green organizations. (By the way, don’t get fooled by someone pretending to be an eco-broker; always ask for their certification).
The building community is currently in the process of defining what green is. In December, the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit that rates commercial buildings on things such as energy use and indoor-air quality, introduced similar rating system for residential homes. And the National Association of Home Builders, meanwhile, is working with the International Code Council to develop a green building standard. Currently the federal government’s Energy Star program has been the main standard when rating energy-efficient appliances.
Fox tells me, while there’s still a limited number of homes on the market that are 100 percent green certified, his certification background has come in handy when he walks his clients through existing older homes and helps them find possible ways to retrofit the property to lower their energy bill or improve indoor air quality.
“Green homes tend to be more expensive than your average home,” Fox said. “Unfortunately, there are builders out there that claim to be green and try to slap on hefty price tags for appliances or amenities in a home that really aren’t going to cut down the energy bill. It’s only fair that people looking for these specialized homes get what they pay for.”
Working with someone who understands the green building certification process and eco-friendly materials can help you find the home that matches your lifestyle and maybe even prevent you from spending more money than you should.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
About a few months ago, I attended a seminar at a local park in my neighborhood on how to make your home more energy-efficient. While many people at the meeting were grumbling over the price tags on some of the latest energy-efficient appliances, they were happy to learn that they could save money through federal tax credits introduced in 2006.
In 2006 the Treasury Department and the IRS issued guidance (Notice 2006-26), which allowed consumers buying energy-saving appliances to be eligible for tax benefits. While you won’t get all your money back, the government will issue you a tax credit. To qualify, the product must meet or exceed the requirements of the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code on the certification that homeowners may rely on when they claim credits for purchases that make their homes more energy-efficient.
Unfortunately, for existing homes, the credit was made available only for purchases in 2007. If you didn’t install the energy-efficient appliance before January 1, 2008, you don’t qualify for the credits. If you’re purchasing or building a new home, you can still qualify for tax credits on products bought before January 1, 2009. Many states and cities across the country have also begun offering special tax incentives, so check with your local municipalities.
Manufacturers offering energy-efficient items, such as insulation or storm windows, can also assure their customers that their products will qualify for the tax credit if certain requirements are met.
The following items are eligible:
• Insulation systems that reduce heat loss/gain
• Exterior windows (including skylights)
• Exterior doors
• Metal roofs (meeting applicable Energy Star requirements).
In addition, the law provides a credit for costs relating to residential energy property expenses. To qualify as residential energy property, the property must meet certification requirements prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury and must be installed in the taxpayer’s main home in the United States.
Appliances that qualify for tax credits:
• $50 for purchasing an air-circulating fan
• $150 for installing a highly efficient furnace or boiler
• $150 for each qualified natural gas, propane, or oil furnace or hot water boiler
• $200 for installing energy-efficient windows
• $300 for purchasing a highly efficient central air conditioner, heat pump or water heater
The total credit for each year cannot exceed $500, and no more than $200 can be used towards windows.
Larger credits with more high-end products:
• You can receive a tax credit up to $2,000 for the purchase of solar water-heating equipment or solar panels. You cannot use this credit if you use either product to heat a swimming pool or hot tub.
• You can receive up to $1,000 per kilowatt, for the purchase of a fuel-cell power plant. The plant must generate at least 0.5 kilowatts of power.
To find out more about the energy efficiency tax credits, go to the IRS Web site.
Got hot local housing tips or a story you want to share? Contact Amy Le at openingdoorsblog@homescape.com.
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