Tag Archive for: home investments

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Why Our Solar Attic Fans Are Effective in Both Summer and Winter

If you did not have the opportunity to see or purchase one of our amazing solar powered attic fans over the summer, now is not the time to exclude these marvels from your budget. They are effective in both summer and winter. Your attic needs to breathe. In the summer, the fans move the air from sun-up to sundown off the grid keeping the air moving and the temperature down, and in the winter, the fans circulate the accumulation of moisture that builds up in an attic from the kitchen and bathroom, preventing mold growth and other expensive issues.

We are getting close to the end of the tax year. The Federal Solar Tax Energy Credit now sits at 30%. For each subsequent year, that percentage drops.  While you are planning your budget for the end of 2020, you may want to invest in a reasonably priced, high quality product that allows you to reap benefits from both a cost and comfort perspective. Your home is your greatest asset. Why not show it some well-deserved love too?

Give us a call at 856-474-2400 or visit our web page where you can fill out a simple form requesting a free inspection of your attic. We can send one of our highly qualified Attic Specialists to your home with a fan in hand. You can take a look, ask questions, and our inspector will determine what type of attic fan will do the trick.  There is never any obligation and we love meeting our neighbors who live in the communities we all share.

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Steps to a More Energy Efficient Home

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we commemorate the recent 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we can look back as a society and witness some solid victories in our quest for greater energy efficiency.

According to the Energy Efficiency Impact Report, investments in energy efficiency have significantly reduced spending on energy expenses over the past few decades.

The report notes:
“Without the energy efficiency investments made since 1980, energy consumption and emissions would have been 60 percent higher, and consumers would be paying nearly $800 billion more per year in energy costs. Efficiency’s benefits go beyond energy and cost savings, including a cleaner environment and improved public health.”

Within the average home, steps to energy efficiency can take many forms – from baby steps like switching to energy-efficient lighting to bigger steps such as sealing and insulating your attic. Of course, the bigger the step, the larger the savings.

Over the past two months of our shared “stuck-at-home” experience, it’s never been easier to take a look around our homes to see what steps can be taken to keep our nation on track for even greater savings and efficiency.

Take the LED

One of the simplest tips to save energy is by replacing inefficient lighting. From floor lamps to track lighting, your house should shine using LED technology. A light-emitting diode uses a semiconductor to convert electricity into light.

LEDs use heat sinks to absorb the heat produced by illumination. The heat sink dissipates the heat into the surrounding environment, keeping the light from overheating and burning out.

Energy Star-certified LED bulbs last 15 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Brightness is measured in lumens (light output) rather than watts (energy consumed). LED bulbs tend to be 6-7 times more energy-efficient than older incandescent bulbs. Studies show they may cut energy use by more than 80 percent. Taking a walk through your house to identify and replace inefficient lighting can save money down the road. They will cost more upfront, but the savings are well worth it.

According to a 2017 analysis by the Consumer Federation of America:

“Assuming an average $55 difference between the ten-year costs of LED bulbs and incandescent/halogen bulbs, a family may well save more than $1,000 by using LEDs during a ten-year period.”

“By using LED light bulbs, consumers not only save money, they also curb electricity use, potentially reducing the need for expensive new power plants,” said Mel Hall-Crawford, CFA’s Director of Energy Programs. “LED bulbs are a win-win-win for consumers, electric utilities, and the environment,” she added.

Tanks for the Savings

A “slightly-larger-than-baby” step you can take is to review the state of your water heater.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy: “Water heating accounts for about 18 percent of your home’s energy use. Reducing your hot water use, employing energy-saving strategies, and choosing an energy-efficient water heater for your home pool can help you reduce your monthly water heating bills.”

How old is your heater? If your water heater is more than ten years old, you may risk leaks or flooding. By upgrading to an EnergyStar-certified water heater, a family of four could save an estimated $3,500 over the appliance’s lifetime by heating water with a highly efficient heat pump. Also, many homeowners are going tankless. A tankless water heater – which heats water only when needed – can save a family of four more than $1,500 over its lifetime.

If you’re not ready to replace the whole water heater, you can realize baby-step savings by turning your water heater down. Most water-heater manufacturers set thermostats at 140⁰F by default. However, most houses will do just fine with the thermostat set to 120⁰F. Caution: Always shut off the electricity to the water heater before opening the heater’s panels to adjust the thermostat.

Energy Savings Above Your Head

What’s going on above your ceiling? If you rarely enter your attic (maybe to see if your prom dress still fits or if those old comic books are worth anything), you may be hemorrhaging dollars and cents if your attic space is drafty or improperly sealed.

You will often find some of your home’s most significant air leaks in the attic. This means higher energy bills and an inefficient home overall with hotter summers and icier winters.

If you’re ready to take an even larger and more cost-effective step in creating a super-efficient attic, now is the time to contact Attics and More for a complimentary home energy analysis by our qualified attic professional. We will make sure the attic is getting proper ventilation with natural airflow that keeps the roof deck cool and dry. This has the added benefit of extending the life of shingles and stopping ice dams.

Finally, we can insulate your attic’s entry hatch using our Attic Gator. The Department of Energy offers tips on detecting air leaks and assessing ventilation needs.

While we are auditing your attic for leaks and ventilation issues, now would be a perfect time also to analyze your insulation needs. And, many homes can benefit from solar-powered attic ventilation systems. Attics and More utilizes solar power fans that have a lifetime warranty, can withstand hurricane force winds of 150 mph, and will work nonstop from sun-up to sundown. The necessary three actions we always reiterate for the most energy-efficient home are to seal, insulate, and ventilate.

For more steps you can take towards a more energy-efficient home (from baby to big kid), check out this exhaustive guide by the U.S. Department of Energy. Whether you decide to change a few light bulbs or launch an attic-renovation project, as Confucius said, “It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” Now is the time to stop and see what Attics and More can do for you with our safe green products and our flexible financing.

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Affordable Financing Available for Insulation and Solar Power

The most significant and most important investment most of us have in our lives are our homes. Much of our time will be spent there, and it is the place where we seek comfort. When it comes to the energy efficiency of a home, energy lost equals dollars lost. A chance to invest smart dollars into your home, making your environment more comfortable year-round with the least out of pocket costs, and doing something positive for the environment just makes good sense.

The NEIF or National Energy Improvement Fund is the nation’s only certified “B corporation” energy efficiency and resiliency lender meeting the highest standards of social and environmental performance, public transparency, and legal accountability.

Loans are based on credit scores and range from 7.99% to 12.99%. A credit score of 720+ would place you in the 7.99% interest bracket. The average credit score for most Americans is 680 to 699, placing them in the 9.99% interest bracket. A credit score of 640 to 679 would put you in the 12.99% interest bracket, which is still cheaper than a credit card. Terms are 3, 5, or 10 years, and loans may be paid in full at any time without penalty. Credit scores are pulled from TransUnion. The loans are unsecured, and the percent is static and will never increase. The loans can be applied to primary residences, vacation homes, condominiums, and trailers on a fixed foundation. The amount clients can borrow ranges from $2,900.00 to $25,000.00.

To put things in a clearer perspective, 7.99% and 12.99% is only about $6.00 difference per month, and in the loan space of less than $10,000.00, 70% of the applicants will qualify. Only one loan can be taken at any one time, so we encourage homeowners to choose to perform the job wisely and seal, insulate, and ventilate. Doing one or two without the third will not provide the savings, comfort, and environmental impact you will desire. We invite you to play with the calculator on our website portal to see what your payments would be. Additionally, Attics and More does not require a down payment. This is really a win-win for the consumer all the way around.

Steps to Applying for NEIF:

1. Visit our website www.atticsandmore.com.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the page.
3. Click on the NEIF symbol.
4. This brings you to the Attics and More portal.
5. Scroll to the bottom to the Monthly Payment Estimator. By sliding the blue dots to the amount you are
interested in financing, you can compare what the monthly payment amounts would be.
6. Click on “Learn More About the National Energy Improvement Fund.”
7. Click on “Learn More” or “Apply Now.”
8. Click on “For Homeowners” at the top of the page to apply online or pay online.

Some important information for consideration:
Customers can apply individually or jointly, but if a joint application is chosen, the person with the lower credit score is the score the NEIF uses. For this reason, clients should file individually first to see if they can qualify for a better interest rate. If someone applies and the application kicks out, a message will explain what is missing. No down payment is required by Attics and More or the lender. If you finalize an application, the loan approval is good for 120 days from the date completed and electronically signed by the applicant.

After you apply for a loan, a decision is made immediately. If you are not working due to being retired or disabled, the client must choose “other income” on the application requiring additional time for the income to be verified.

We are proud to partner with the NEIF. We take your relationship with our financing company just as seriously as you do. We want our customers to feel comfortable entering into an agreement with this reputable company. Now is the time to take advantage of this fair and transparent financing relationship and show your home and our Earth a little love.

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