Friday, October 23, 2009

We Can Easily Make Your New Home 10% More Energy Efficient

In a typical American home, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, water heating accounts for about 16% of total annual energy expenditures, a little more than for air conditioning, on a national-average basis, and twice as much as is used for refrigerators. An average American family pumps nearly 3,000 pounds of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year from heating water. New Energy Star standards are dictating that electric hot water heaters in new homes are very energy efficient and only the new Heat Pump style electric water heaters make the cut.

Rheem is one of the manufacturers of one of the new heat pump style water heaters that we really like for its efficiency and minimal cost over traditional hot water heaters. Remember, the two easiest ways to reduce your energy use for hot water are to a) use less hot water, and b) reduce heat loss in your water heating and hot water distribution systems by properly insulating your hot water pipes within the non conditioned space. Advantage Development Co. is an award winning custom home builder in Asheville NC now in our second decade of building fine custom homes. Visit us today at http://www.advdevco.com/ to learn more about us.

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Why ICFs Make for a Better Insulated Home

Homes built with ICFs look the same as conventional new homes both inside and out. ICFs, or Insulated Concrete Forms, are forms or molds that have built-in insulation for accepting reinforced concrete. ICF structures are built using conventional house plans and refined with conventional exterior finishes. So, what makes them different from timber-based ones? Several things, reinforced concrete homes have the following advantages over wood structures: constant temperatures that do not give access to drafts or cold spots, non toxic: no CFCs, HCFCs, or formaldehyde, a 2-hour fire rating, termite and pest resistant, can withstand severe storm hits, no rotting or molding, can support concrete floor and roof systems, help eliminate outside noise, and require an estimated 44% less energy to heat and 32% less energy to cool than comparable frame houses.

Building with concrete helps save trees, reduces residential heating and cooling costs, and also reduces landfill construction waste. Advantage Development Co. is a master certified green building professional here to serve all of your building and real estate needs in Asheville NC. Visit us today at www.AdvDevCo.com to learn more about why we build better homes while saving the planet.