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Anian Tunney Comments on Kiplinger Report's Home Projects that can Save Energy and Money
Anian Tunney Piedmont CA Real Estate Agent discusses the energy and money saving home improvement projects as reported by Kiplinger Reports.
“According to the October 2015 Kiplinger Report, here are some home project ideas that can save energy and money, and possibly increase the value of your home,” comments Anian Tunney, Piedmont CA’s top real estate agent broker associate.(1)
According to the article, the average American homeowner spends close to $2,500 per year on utilities, with almost half of that going to heating and cooling of the home. The initial investment of the project can sometimes be offset by tax credits, and the length of time to pay off the investment will vary greatly, depending on climate, current electricity cost and other factors.
Seal the Exterior and Add Insulation--the cost for this project is the lowest and part of the process can be a do-it-yourself project. How do you know if you need to do this work on your home? Your house feels drafty in the winter and hot in the summer. If you live in a very cold climate, your pipes might freeze in the winter. The first thing you can do is install weather striping on the doors and windows, replace the door sweeps, and fix or replace the window locks.
Find out what's happening in Piedmontfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Replace Old Windows--this is a much more expensive project, but has the potential to add value to the home when you sell it. Double-pane and triple-pane windows are best in colder climates, or when you want to insulate for noise.
Replacing Heaters and Air Conditioners--If your furnace or air conditioner is more than 10-15 years old, and you replace them with an Energy Start qualified HVAC system, the new systems could be up to 40 percent more efficient than the old systems. Pilot lights use up to one third of the energy that you use. Older systems can also require repairs which add the cost to your energy bill.
Find out what's happening in Piedmontfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Install a Solar-Power System--You can lease a system or purchase a system outright. Be sure to do your research to determine which is best for your situation.
Create Electricity with a Wind Turbine--at an initial cost of up to $70,000, this is the most costly of these projects and suitable only for rural properties because the turbine must be a minimum of 200 feet from the nearest structure and higher than any surrounding obstacles. The area must have an annual average wind speed of at least 10 miles per hour.
In summary, there are many projects that can save energy and money, and possibly add value to your home. For more detail, see the article on Kiplinger and check with your tax professional for possible tax credits that may be available to you: http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/real-estate/T029-S002-home-projects-t...
About Anian Tunney, Broker Associate
Anian Tunney is an agent broker with The Grubb Company. According to statistics collected by East Bay Regional Data, Inc., she was the 2014 number one real estate agent in Piedmont, CA for the number of units sold and sales volume. In 2014 she was The Grubb Company company-wide top producer. Additionally, Tunney has been number 1 in yearly real estate sales for The Grubb Company’s Piedmont office for the last 8 years. Anian was also ranked 129th in the Nation by REAL Trends the Thousand in July 2015. She is known for her knowledge, experience, and network in the Piedmont community; qualities which are invaluable for finding that special home or buyers for her clients.
A fifth generation Piedmont resident, Tunney has been with the Grubb Company for over 30 years. She raised her family of four in Piedmont and is active in community projects such as the Piedmont Beautification Foundation, the East Bay Museum Auxiliary, and the Piedmont school district. Her grandmother, Amy Sutton, was a real estate agent, and now Anian works with her daughter Adrienne Krumins, making Piedmont Realty truly a family vocation. Tunney negotiates with grace and clarity of purpose. She can be contacted at 510-339-0400 ext 217, and at tunney(at)grubbco(dot)com. Her website is aniantunney.com.
Contact Information
Anian Tunney
The Grubb Company Real Estate Brokers
Oakland, CA 94611
510-339-0400 ext 217
tunney(at)grubbco(dot)com
aniantunney.com
aniantunney.com/blog
(1) http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/real-estate/T029-S002-home-projects-t...