4 tips for installing energy-efficient windows

As you probably know if you've been trying to find ways to improve your home's energy efficiency, one of the main culprits in home energy loss is the windows. Switching out your windows with ENERGY STAR-certified energy efficient models can save you a large amount of money each year, and will also help you decrease your carbon footprint. Here are some things to know when making the switch to energy efficient windows:

  • Try working with your current windows first. A lot of heat loss can be prevented by weather stripping, caulking or sealing ordinary windows. Before buying a whole new set of windows, it's prudent to test whether your own windows might be able to save you as much money as new ones.
  • Use the ENERGY STAR climate zones. It's relatively easy to find the proper windows for your region by consulting their ENERGY STAR climate zone ratings. Basically, the country is divided into northern, north-central, south-central and southern zones, with more detailed maps available at the ENERGY STAR website. 
  • Collect any rebates and tax credits that apply. In many regions, local utilities provide rebates on ENERGY STAR-certified products, and in some cases, you may be able to claim federal tax credits for making these purchases as well. These programs are intended to encourage energy conservation by promoting home energy efficiency.
  • Hire a professional. If you're installing a whole new set of windows, unless you're trained in carpentry, it's probably a better idea to hire a contractor to take care of this task for you. 

If you're interested in finding out more about how your home can benefit from energy efficiency, schedule a home energy audit with Alban Inspections today. 

Housing Virginia study confirms value of energy-efficient housing in the state

Our Virginia customers will be happy to learn that an independent study has confirmed the financial and environmental benefits of energy efficiency standards. The study, the first of its kind in Virginia, was conducted by the Virginia Tech Center for Housing Research and aimed to verify whether electricity usage and energy bills were actually lower in apartments that meet green building and energy efficiency standards. 

The study's results, while perhaps not surprising to people who have installed energy efficient appliances in their homes, were decisive. The researchers found that on average, residents of energy-efficient apartment buildings in Virginia save $54 per month on their electricity bills, which adds up to $648 per year.

This constitutes a significant increase in housing affordability for low-income people, especially families and seniors. A household making 30 percent of the Virginia median income, or about $23,250 for a family of four, would find energy efficient housing nearly 10 percent more affordable, according to the researcher's calculations.

Executive Director Robert Adams of Housing Virginia commented in the organization's announcement of the study, "Virginia has been a leader in encouraging energy efficiency in the affordable rental housing market and this study verifies the effectiveness of this strategy. The energy efficient design and standards add to the economic benefit that these lower income families and seniors receive. Every dollar not paid for utilities can go to other important family budget items, including food, transportation and healthcare."

However, people at all income levels can benefit from the savings associated with energy efficiency standards. To learn how you can make your home more energy efficient, contact Alban Inspections for a home energy audit. We will provide personalized suggestions for ways to decrease your home's energy use and save yourself money. 

4 common winter home problems

You may be warm and cozy inside, but in the winter, your house is taking a beating. The snow, ice, slush, salt and dirt combine to wreak havoc on the outside of the home, and the cold temperatures don't leave the interior unscathed either. Being vigilant during this season will keep these common problems from developing into bigger issues for you to deal with.

Here are some of the things you should watch out for:

  • Water line leaks and breaks. These create a serious problem and are often caused by a simple mistake: leaving a garden hose attached to an outdoor faucet in freezing temperatures. The water freezes inside the hose and causes pressure to build up in the water lines, eventually causing a break.
  • Ice dams. This common winter roofing problem occurs when snow melts at the top of the roof, then trickles down and re-freezes into a large clump of ice surrounding the bottom of the roof and the gutters. As more ice accumulates, it can wrench the gutters away from the house and pull shingles from the roof, causing roof leakage.
  • Condensation under the roof. If your attic is improperly insulated, warm air rising from the living areas of your house will condense when it comes in contact with the cold inside of the roof. This can cause mold and mildew to form, which can in turn cause health problems in the people who live in the home.
  • Water heating issues. There is perhaps nothing more frustrating than going to take a hot shower on a freezing cold day, then realizing your water heater isn't working. Having your water heater serviced ahead of time is a good way to prevent these problems.

If you're buying a home this winter, contact Alban Inspections for a home inspection to check for these problems and more. 

4 home improvement tips for spring

We're coming to the tail end of this long, cold winter, and that means homeowners will get a much-needed chance to clean up and improve their homes for spring. Spring cleaning and home improvements are refreshing and empowering — just what you need after an endless winter of watching the snow pile up. Here are some tips for freshening up your home this spring:

  • Check for loose gutters. All the ice that forms on the roof during the winter can push gutters away from the roof and cause them to become loose and start leaking. Repairing your gutters is a good first step in preparing for spring rains.
  • Clear your yard of debris. If there are any lingering rotting leaves on the ground now that the snow has melted, make sure to remove them, and prune or uproot any dead plants in your yard to make way for the new growth that spring is known for.
  • Fill in low areas near the foundation. If there are areas where your yard slopes downward toward the foundation of your home, make sure to fill them in with compacted soil to ensure that the slope won't draw rain water down into contact with the foundation, which can cause flooding and material damage.
  • Inspect your roof shingles. The winter is a common time to lose shingles. To make sure your roof is fully protected against the spring and summer sun, check to see where shingles might be missing, then have them replaced by a qualified roofer to avoid risking your safety by climbing around on the roof.

If you're selling or buying a home this spring, a home inspection is essential. Contact Alban Inspections for high-quality, reliable inspection services in the Washington, D.C. area. 

Energy efficiency offsets U.S. household growth

According to the Feb. 18 "Today in Energy" report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, per-household use of energy in the U.S. has been on the decline since the 1980s due to advances in energy efficiency. The EIA analyzed data collected since 1980 as part of its Residential Energy Consumption Survey, and found that although American homes had grown larger and more numerous during this time, there had not been equivalent growth in overall energy use across the country.

Between 1980 and 2009, the total amount of energy delivered for use to U.S. households increased from 9.3 quadrillion BTU to 10.2 quadrillion BTU, but based on the growth in household size and number during that time period, a much larger increase might have been expected. By separating out the effects of different factors, such as weather and structural changes, from the data, the researchers determined that the energy intensity of each household had declined by about 37 percent since 1980, largely due to energy-efficient home technologies.

In all, improvements in energy intensity were able to offset about 70 percent of the growth in the number and size of households since 1980, and would have been able to offset even more if consumers had not increasingly preferred larger homes and more energy-using appliances and devices. The explosion in the sale of home computers happened during this time period, as did the birth of the McMansion and the large-screen TV. Without those developments, we would most likely be using less energy, collectively, than we did in the 80s. 

If you're interested in investigating energy efficiency options for your own home, contact Alban Inspections to schedule an energy audit today. We will give you suggestions for energy efficiency updates tailored to your particular home. 

The 3 worst ‘energy vampires’ in your home

How many electronic devices do you think are plugged in in your house right now? It may be more than you think. According to CleanTechnica, the average household has 25 devices plugged in at any given time, and these constantly plugged-in devices sap energy and cause your bills to go up, even if they're turned off. The power that these devices consume while switched off but plugged in is referred to as "vampire energy", or standby power. Here are the worst energy vampires in the home:

  • Computers and printers: It takes a lot of energy to keep your computer and printer plugged in and ready to use. For older computers, it actually takes more energy to power down every night rather than using sleep mode, but this problem has been fixed in newer models, so shut down your computer every night.
  • The microwave: Your microwave actually probably uses more energy in total to power its digital clock than it does to cook food, based on how much time it spends actually cooking compared to the time it spends in standby mode. Other appliances with digital clock faces, such as coffee makers, are also guilty of this. Plug all of these appliances into the same power strip so that you can easily turn them all on and off at the same time.
  • The TV and cable box: About $2 billion is spent each year in America to pay for standby power for cable boxes alone, and television sets waste even more energy, using about 1,400 kilowatt hours of standby power annually. Connecting your TV and cable box to a power strip and turning it off when you're not using it can save you more than $150 per year.

To schedule a home energy audit to see where your home's energy efficiency can be improved, contact Alban today. 

4 common problems in drinking water

If you have a private well, you probably know that you should test the water annually for signs of pollutants that could harm your family's health. However, you should also be on the lookout throughout the year for any signs that a problem might be developing. Here are some of the more common contaminants found in drinking water and the signs that will help you identify them:

  • Bacteria: E. coli and other bacteria associated with fecal matter can get into your drinking water if it becomes contaminated by sewage. There are no visible signs of bacterial contamination, but recurring gastrointestinal problems, such as vomiting and abdominal cramps, among several family members can indicate its presence. 
  • Copper: This bitter-tasting metal causes bluish-green stains on sinks and tubs and causes water to appear cloudy. In the short term, the only negative effects are stomach cramps, but in the long term, copper contamination can lead to liver and kidney damage.
  • Lead: If any of the pipes in your home contain lead and begin to corrode into your water, you will have serious health problems on your hands, especially if there are pregnant women or young children in your household. Lead poisoning can cause damage to the brain, nervous system and blood cells, taking an especially heavy toll on young children, whose emotional and physical growth it can stunt for a lifetime.
  • Nitrate and nitrite: These chemicals, found in many fertilizers, can seep into drinking water if they are used on a lawn that slopes downward toward the well. They pose relatively little danger to healthy adults, but in children and pregnant women it can cause a potentially fatal oxygen deficiency. 

For professional testing of your private well, contact DC home inspectors Alban Inspections today. 

Dominion Virginia Power plans large-scale solar projects in the state

The solar industry is booming everywhere, with studies revealing that solar power is now cheaper than natural gas in some cases and that solar energy systems add an automatic premium to home prices. The state of Virginia is no exception. Virginia utility company Dominion Virginia Power is planning to construct several large-scale solar projects, reaching a total of 400 megawatts of new electric capacity by 2020. At their top capacity, these installations are expected to provide enough energy to power 100,000 Virginia homes. 

The company plans to invest about $700 million in the new project and is currently in the process of selecting sites to build on throughout the state. Each site has to be carefully evaluated for environmental factors such as the slope of the terrain and the ease of connecting the site to the existing power grid. 

"If we are going to build a new Virginia economy, we must be leaders in the energy economy of the future. Dominion has shown a strong commitment to solar energy development, and I am proud to work with them to expand renewable generation in Virginia and diversify the Commonwealth's fuel mix," said Governor Terry McAuliffe in a statement. 

In addition to these projects, there is legislation coming down the pipeline at the 2015 Virginia General Assembly that would promote the growth of the utility-scale solar industry in the region. It's being sponsored by David E Yancey (R-Newport News), who commented positively on Dominion Virginia's announcement, saying it was a cost-effective and efficient way to expand the presence of the solar industry in Virginia.

If you're a northern Virginia homeowner who's looking to make energy efficiency improvements to your house, contact Alban Inspections for a home energy audit today. 

4 red flags for homebuyers

If you're on the market for a new home, you're probably aware that everything you hear about a home during the tour isn't necessarily going to be true. However, if you keep your eyes open, you should be able to spot most problems coming from relatively far away. Here are a few of the more common red flags to look out for:

  • Foundation problems. If the ground around the house slopes toward the foundation rather than away, you will be in for some flooding in the basement whenever it rains. Also, be sure to check the foundation for cracks and bulges, which can indicate structural issues.
  • Poor maintenance.  Look at the surface features of the home, such as gutters, roofing and flooring. If any of them appear neglected, this could indicate deeper neglect.
  • Smells. If any part of the house has a musty or otherwise poor odor, it could be a sign of mold or mildew in the walls. Beware of homes that have a lot of air fresheners deployed throughout the house during the viewing process. This is a sign that odors are being hidden.
  • Too many For Sale signs. If all the houses on the block are for sale, or if any of them look abandoned, it may be indicative of problems in the neighborhood that you would rather avoid. Talk to the neighbors in order to get the real deal on the conditions in the area before you make a judgment one way or the other.

In order to be sure that you're buying the home you think you are, a home inspection is critical before finalizing the sale. Contact the licensed inspectors at Alban Inspections today for more information about our services or to make an appointment. 

4 tools everyone needs in their toolbox

You don't need to be a home improvement expert to see the value in keeping a toolbox around the house. Many household repairs are relatively simple and can be fixed in a few easy steps if you have the right tool for the job. However, tools can be expensive, so it's best to keep your basic toolbox to a minimum size at first. Here are a few tools that you just can't do without:

  • A hammer. At some point, you're going to have to drive a nail into something. Whether you need to hang shelves or push protruding nails back into floorboards, a hammer is an indispensable tool. You'll want to choose a claw head hammer, which has handy prongs for prying old nails out on the other side of the head. 
  • Both kinds of screwdrivers. The major types of screwdriver are Phillips and flathead, and you will probably want to keep both around the house unless you want to be frustrated when you need the kind you don't have. Keeping multiple sizes of each screwdriver is a good way to keep your options open for a variety of tasks that may have different tool requirements.
  • A tape measure. There is almost no other domain in which exact measurements are as important as they are in DIY home projects. Get yourself a good tape measure for vertical measuring. The thicker the better, as it won't flop over as much when the material is thicker.
  • A crescent wrench. For anything involving nuts and bolts, you'll want to have an adjustable crescent wrench around. The head can be widened or narrowed to grip any width of nut or bolt.

To schedule a home inspection with Alban Inspections, contact us today. We will make sure your house is in good condition before you proceed with any major home improvement projects.