Saving Energy

Reducing energy consumption not only helps the environment but it saves you money! By making small adjustments within your home, you can drastically reduce your energy bill and feel great about living Green.

There are many, well publicized, ways to conserve energy – turn off the lights when you are not in the room, turn down the temperature on your hot water heater and make sure that windows and doors are sealed, just to name a few.

HHHunt wants you to know of some other, less publicized, ways to reduce energy use in your home, courtesy of Ladies Home Journal and www.energyhawk.com. Enjoy!!

• Keep blinds open during the day in winter and closed in the summer – this will assist in heating and cooling your home.
• Use a hard drive or USB flash drive to store information instead of printing each document.
• Use exhaust fans to remove hot, humid air when cooking in the kitchen or taking a shower/bath in the bathroom.
• Use the cold water temperature on the washing machine (there are some great detergents out now!).
• Use a nightlight in hallways rather than turning on the overhead light.
• Use the correct size of pot or pan to cook and place it on the burner that it fits on best. Make sure the pot/pan is not warped on the bottom since it will take more energy to heat the contents.
• Use glass or ceramic cookware in the oven – you can lower the temperature up to 25°.
• Leave hot food out to cool (not more than 30 minutes) before putting in the refrigerator. If a container is too hot it will cause the temperature in the fridge to rise unnecessarily.
• Once an item is charged fully (hand-held vacuum, phone, etc…) unplug the power cord from the wall.

Obviously, any tip for saving energy is a good one and many more tips can be found at:

www.savingenergy.com
www.savethewatts.com
www.energysavingtips.gov

HHHunt understands that energy efficiency begins with a thoughtful design and a well-built home and has implemented policies and procedures to ensure energy savings for our residents.

During construction our new communities exceed building codes with upgraded insulation within the walls – most code requirements are for R-11 insulation, our insulation rating is R-13. Behind the drywall, a vapor barrier is also installed to reduce air leakage and prevent moisture from getting into the apartments.

Appliances are EnergyStar rated and each building is “wrapped” with a house wrap that is tailored to the environment. In addition, HHHunt uses a 5-step installation process for windows to minimize air loss and all windows have a fixed upper pane. HHHunt, in our new communities, has also switched from using metal halide or high pressure sodium lights to compact fluorescent fixtures in all common areas.

All this to ensure that you will Live Green at HHHunt!