FOR BREaAKING tNEWS VIhSIT WWWo.QNS.COmM e MAY 13, 2021 •AT HOME • THE QUEENS COURIER 29
Five green home improvements
worth your investment dollar
Spring is in the air, bringing
with it the impulse to make
home renovations. Are you looking
for ways to upgrade your
home with the environment in
mind, but worried about the
expense? Fortunately, many
home improvements are not as
costly up front as they used to be,
and the return on those investments
- both in energy savings
and your home’s value - is well
worth the eff ort.
Here are fi ve ways to boost
your home’s energy-effi ciency
and make a diff erence for the
planet.
Choose Energy Star
certifi ed products
Have outdated appliances that
aren’t performing well? For an
effi ciency upgrade, look for the
blue Energy Star label on products
ranging from appliances
and electronics to lighting
and HVAC systems as a simple
way to save money and conserve
energy, which helps fi ght
climate change. You can even
fi nd Energy Star windows, which
can make a diff erence for the
comfort of your home as well
as lowering overall energy costs.
For added value, appliances with
the Energy Star “Most Effi cient”
designation highlights products
delivering cutting-edge energy
effi ciency along with cuttingedge
technological innovations.
Update your HVAC
Spring is a good time to have
a professional tune up your
HVAC system to ensure peak
performance and help prevent
future problems. Heating
and cooling cost the average
homeowner about $875 a year,
according to the EPA’s Energy
Star website. If you’re still using
a furnace for heat and a separate
AC unit for cooling - or
worse, an outdated system that
relies on fossil fuels - it may be
time to upgrade to something
more advanced and effi cient.
Now, manufacturers such as LG
off er a wide range of HVAC systems
that off er both heating and
cooling in a single unit, without
sacrifi cing energy effi ciency.
For times of the year like
spring and fall where you may
be on either end of the temperature
spectrum, this type of system
that can both heat and cool
can be particularly benefi cial.
For year-round comfort and
effi ciency, new technologies like
LGRED (Reliable to Extreme
Degrees) work well even if you
live in the most extreme climates.
Each unit in this product
line can handle cooling for very
hot temperatures of up to 118F
(where a conventional AC system
may fail), as well as heating
for very cold temperatures.
In fact, products with LGRED
off er 100% heating capacity
performance down to 5F and
continuous heating operation
down to -13F.
Go solar
You’ve heard about solar for
years, but now may be the perfect
time to switch to renewable
energy. Solar energy can help
power your home, saving hundreds
of dollars in utility bills
while also boosting your home’s
value and providing peace of
mind about helping the environment.
Considering installing solar
panels, but don’t know where to
start? Now you can fi gure out
what your home needs through
a digital “solar concierge,” which
can help you explore technology
and fi nancing decisions
tailored to your situation. Th e
solar concierge program from
LG helps you determine whether
going solar will meet your
objectives and, if it does, how to
get your installation fulfi lled by
a local installer. And remember
that not all solar panels are created
equal; it’s best to go with
high-effi ciency panels from a
brand you know and trust.
Reduce air leaks and
check insulation
Sealing air leaks and adding
insulation can help increase
comfort and energy effi ciency,
and may provide up to a 10%
savings on your annual energy
bills, according to the EPA.
Pay special attention to preventing
air leaks (with simple foam
insulation) when installing your
window air conditioner for the
summer.
Simple fi xes include installing
weather-stripping on doors
and caulking around windows,
while bigger jobs include sealing
leaks and adding insulation
in your attic. Replacing
aging windows and doors that
are not energy effi cient and
that may have cracks or leaks
will improve your home’s energy
effi ciency. Another upside?
Brand new doors and windows
can instantly increase your
home’s curb appeal.
Upgrade your bathroom
plumbing fi xtures
For older toilets, sinks or
showerheads in your bathroom,
upgrading to newer models can
help save on your water bill,
while also wasting a lot less
water. Generally, today’s bathroom
fi xtures use less water,
which is more eco-friendly.
Any improvements or upgrades
made to your bathroom can
also help boost your home’s
value.
Don’t know what to tackle
fi rst? Many energy or utility
companies will off er homeowners
a free energy audit. An
expert comes to your home to
determine the worst culprits in
reducing your energy effi ciency
and air leakage around your
house. Th is can help you target
your improvements to achieve
the best results in the quickest,
most cost-eff ective way. Your
home will feel more comfortable,
and you’ll know you’re
doing what you can to help the
environment.
— Courtesy of BPT
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