PATH Provides Advice on Energy-Efficient Rehabs
Home owners and building professionals can find tips on how to integrate cost-effective energy efficiency into their next remodeling project through the Energy Efficient Rehab Advisor, a resource provided by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH). PATH is publicizing the Rehab Advisor this May to coincide with NAHB’s National Home Remodeling Month. By tailoring its recommendations to the climate in which the house is located and its age, the Rehab Advisor shows how specific energy efficiency measures can pay for themselves through savings on utility bills. It lists the added cost of the energy-efficient upgrade, the resulting energy savings and the payback period for each suggestion. Following are two examples of the information that can be found through the Advisor: - Renovation of an inefficient bathroom in Burlington, Vt., adds wall and floor insulation and seals air leaks for a nearly $200 annual savings on utility bills. The $537 cost of the job will pay for itself in less than three years.
- A basement finishing job in Nashville, Tenn., insulates all exterior walls to at least R-11, seals air leaks and seals ducts to reduce leakage to no more than 10% at a cost of just under $500. Annual savings on utilities total almost $400 and the improvements pay for themselves in less than 1.5 years. Replacing an old clothes washer with a model that uses 50% less energy than standard washers saves about 8,600 gallons of water a year for an average household at an annual savings of $55. The $300 added cost is paid back in 5.5 years.
Other projects for which recommendations are provided include: adding a room, finishing the attic, renovating the kitchen, updating the plumbing, upgrading the heating and cooling system and making improvements to wiring, windows, walls, floors or the home’s exterior.
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