Should We Get a Home Energy Audit?

Question

Winter's coming, the weather's getting colder, and already we're feeling drafts coming from around our windowsills and outer doors. My neighbor suggested we get a home energy audit. What do you think? (Armon from Urbana, IL)

Answer 

Thanks for your question, Armon. We went to our friends at casaGURU, Canada's home remodeling experts, and this video talks about home energy audits with Kai Milliard of Green Communities Canada and offers some tips for working with a home energy advisor. If you have a home energy audit, make sure it's conducted by a licensed and reputable firm; check out local contractors online at a service like Angie's List or CasaGURU. A good audit could help you save money in the short and long run. Also look into the Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency and any energy rebates and incentives offered by your community and state. An energy audit can often be a great first step towards making your home greener and more energy (and cost) efficient. Here's a helpful video from Planet Green.com on how an energy audit works in a home.

How Can I Hide the Thermostat Box in My Living Room?

Question

I hate staring at a thermostat box in my beautifully redecorated living room. It's unsightly and looks like a big pimple on the wall. Please help me with an alternative! (Marcia from Juneau, AL)

Answer

Marcia, we feel your pain. The last thing you want after spending money on an updated decor is to see a chunk of technology hanging on your wall. Read on because we think we have your solution.

 

In the past, homeowners have had to put up with staring at unsightly thermostat boxes mounted on the wall. The boxes contain controls that allow you to adjust the heating or cooling of a room. An internal thermostat takes the temperature in the room and turns the systems on or off, keeping your indoor climate just right.

Flush-mount remote temperature sensors are now making those ugly, interior-design-wrecking thermostat boxes a thing of the past. On the surface, these are flat metal disks that you flush-mount into drywall or any other wall surface. Add them to key rooms of your house, and paint them to match your wall cover or even hang pictures over them. They'll allow you to install the master thermostat box hidden away somewhere, like in a closet, utility room, or at the top of your basement stairs.

We shot a short video clip of Irwin Weiner ASID showing these remote temperature sensors in action. Marcia, good luck eliminating that "pimple" from your living room wall!