ERA JUSTIN REALTY PROVIDES ENERGY TIPS AS WE APPROACH COLDER WEATHER

Money down the drain is not a good thing. You want your home to be comfortable, but you certainly don’t want it to cost you more than necessary. Energy efficiency is good for the environment and it’s very good for your bank account. A quick look around your property can help you plug up that money drain.

Kristen Davis, ERA Justin Realtor agent offers these tips to South Bergenite readers. “Older homes that haven’t been updated can often be energy inefficient. But they don’t have to be. Newer homes may be less likely to suffer from escaping energy but every home needs to be inspected from time to time. Look for the obvious problems, such as cracked windows, a storm door that doesn’t close properly or a split in the foundation. Cold air can seep through, costing you valuable money. Hold your hand over door and window frames to see if air is coming through. On windy days, place a piece of tissue paper next to these openings. If the tissue moves, you’ve got a problem.

It is time to take action. Caulk around door and window frames and along basement walls. There are inexpensive sweepers you can place at the bottom of your door to help keep down drafts. Weather stripping is usually easy to install and is quite effective in sealing up small areas where air leaks through. And replace any broken panes. A newer and better sealing storm door might also be an option.

In the winter, a rug or draft stopper can be placed by the door to block heat from escaping. Let the sunlight work for you by opening drapes when the sun is out and closing them later in the evening. In fact, fabric is a terrific way to keep a room warm. Remember those beautiful tapestries used in castles? They were as useful as they were beautiful. Castles were notoriously cold and damp. Hanging tapestries in appropriate places helped make things more comfortable.

Adjusting the thermostat only a few degrees can make a tremendous difference in that energy bill. If it feels a little cooler than you would like in the winter, put on a sweater. As long as everyone in the house is healthy, it shouldn’t make any difference, except to your bank account. In the summer, ceiling fans can circulate the air, making your home feel cooler without costing so much. Even in the winter, you can reverse the blades on the ceiling fan and it will move the warm air around, making the room seem warmer without turning up the thermostat.”

ERA Justin Realty has continually received the prestigious ERA world-wide ‘Commitment to Excellence Award’ throughout nearly 3,000 ERA offices. All across the nation, one of the most sought awards that can be achieved in business is the ‘J.D. Power & Associates’ award. Only outstanding business entities are honored and receive it. ERA Real Estate was the recipient of ‘Highest Satisfaction for First Time Home Buyers Among Full Service Real Estate Firms’ and ‘Highest Satisfaction for First Time Home Sellers.’ For these reasons ERA Justin Realty should be your buying and selling Realtor of choice.

The ERA Justin Realty full service real estate consultants can be reached at either of their two Rutherford offices at 118 Jackson Avenue and 57 Park Avenue. By office phone (201) 939-7500, (201) 438-0588 or (201) 438-SOLD. Also view 1000’s of homes at their website at www.ERAJustin.com and www.ERAJustinRealty.com.