Homeowners should understand that many properties that are currently used for vacationers were once used as permanent homes, so they may not have been constructed to withstand harsh winters without regular use. Unless an owner hires someone to monitor their property during the winter, he or she needs to take special precautions involving winterizing.

In the summer months, even if homes are kept open, humidity can build up. When moisture condenses, mold and mildew are formed inside walls and in nooks that may not be immediately visible to residents.

As effectively as moisture stimulates mold growth, regular air circulation can create an environment in which mold struggles to take hold. At the end of the summer, homeowners may set up a fan system that runs on a timer, in order to promote air flow without wasting too much electricity. Another do-it-yourself remedy is to place containers of charcoal throughout the home to absorb moisture and odors from mold.

If odors persist despite these solutions, a homeowner may need to solicit the help of a home mold inspection service. The presence of mold is not always readily obvious, but a professional inspection for mold can identify most of these problems. A Washington, D.C. home inspector may not be able to perform all the necessary repairs to a home, especially if more intricate work needs to be done.

The NHBC Foundation has found that most homeowners, instead of reinvesting money saved through energy-efficient products into additional green enhancements, prefer to use those savings to go on a family vacation or purchase some other product that would not directly improve home energy use.

The survey also suggests that homeowners are not being properly educated as to the full benefits of embracing energy efficiency. Even though 96 percent of respondents claimed they cared about the cost of their energy use, many were unclear as to how exactly they can go about achieving energy efficiency.

"The research suggests that parts of the new home supply chain could be making the topic of energy efficiency too complicated, from the range of terminologies used, to the technologies themselves," NHBC Foundation director Neil Jefferson told to GreenWise.

The NHBC suggests in its findings that homebuilders must be more proactive in promoting green qualities of energy-efficient homes. Homeowners need to be educated as to what specific improvements can best help them to slash their energy bills significantly.

Homeowners can also receive this information from a qualified home inspection service in the Tri-State area. This Washington, D.C. home inspection service can be hired to conduct an energy audit in order to reveal potential savings areas for heads-of-household. This professional can also suggest potential remedies for energy waste and set a homeowner on a path toward smarter energy use.

Making Paterno's diagnosis even worse was that he suffered from an aggressive form of the cancer – metastatic small-cell carcinoma – only observed in 15 percent of all cases. His family announced his battle with the disease in November 2011, but it is unclear when exactly doctors diagnosed him.

Some news outlets have speculated that Paterno's cancer may be at least partially attributable to radon gas exposure. According to Northville Patch, Paterno lived in a high radon risk area – the Pennsylvania Appalachians.

Exposure to radon gas is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, behind smoking. Each year, radon gas contributes to the deaths of 21,000 Americans. Because the gas is invisible and odorless, if homeowners have not established radon detectors, they are unlike to know that unhealthy levels of radon have infiltrated their home until lung cancer has already developed.

"Lung cancer doesn't have real symptoms until it's too late and at an incurable stage," Luzerne County pathologist Dr. Mary Pascucci told the Scranton Times-Tribune. "There are no screening tests for lung cancer like we do for breast and prostate cancer, so the problem is that it's found at a very late stage."

The best way for homeowners to avoid exposure to radon gas is to hire a home inspection service to conduct radon testing.

The 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) mandates that new homes reduce energy consumption by about 30 percent from the levels observed five years ago. USA Today reports that Maryland is the first, and thus far, only, state to require new homes meet the requirements of the 2012 IECC.

Homes must meet several new standards, including achieving higher standards for heating and insulation efficiency, passing an air infiltration test and having ducts tested to ensure no leakage exists.

Some municipalities, like Durham, New Hampshire and Houston, Texas have embraced this IECC, but not entire states, many of which still follow prior iterations of the code. Some homebuilders have expressed frustration with the 2012 code because it limits the types of homes that can be built and raises construction costs.

"This [2012 code] is a train wreck," Tom Marston, from consulting firm Energy Services Group, told the newspaper. "The industry in Maryland will be in a pickle. … I don't think the consumer today is that interested in energy efficiency."

Whether homeowners wait to achieve home energy efficiency by installing energy-efficient insulation and other similar products in their new homes, or they choose to upgrade their current properties, they should have the assistance of a professional on their side.

Maryland homeowners who want to keep up with their energy-conscious neighbors who are building new homes should request a home inspection from a local inspector. This D.C. home inspection company will analyze a home's energy consumption through an energy audit that will inform homeowners of areas they can improve.

Construction companies seem to be following the lead of consumers when it comes to the green energy services they may provide. While some construction professionals currently engage in remodeling that helps promote home energy efficiency, the number of services that do so in the coming years is expected to surge.

A study by McGraw Hill Construction anticipates that the market for green homes will increase substantially from $17 billion to up to $114 billion by 2016. By that year, about one-third of remodelers anticipate that the majority of their services will be related to green energy improvements to existing homes. Energy efficiency in homes is also being promoted by the U.S. government, so growth is certain to be fueled.

"This study demonstrates phenomenal growth in green building and indicates that we can expect even larger increases in the coming years," National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) chairman Barry Rutenberg said. "In a sample of NAHB…members, nearly 90 percent reported building green at some level. This is a powerful testament to the importance of green home building – and transforms the way we think of homes overall."

A Washington, D.C. home inspector can be sought to conduct an energy audit to help consumers understand areas they can enhance with the help of a remodeling service. This professional can advise whether new heating and insulation need to installed, since these areas can be the most profitable for homeowners.

Obama unveiled the details of his fiscal year 2013 budget on Monday, February 13, during a speech in Northern Virginia. The budget, which is available in full on the White House website, comprises $3.8 trillion for a variety of initiatives that the president believes are an integral component of economic recovery.

One such program is a $6 billion initiative called the HomeStar program. In 2010, Obama first proposed the HomeStar program, which gained the moniker "Cash for Caulkers" as a spin-off of the popular 2009 Cash for Clunkers program related to used cars. But, instead of getting money in exchange for old vehicles, Obama proposed that consumers would be able to boost their home energy efficiency through the financial support of the government.

Under this most recent iteration of the proposal, homeowners would receive rebates for installing new, energy-efficient heating and insulation and for sealing ducts, windows and doors.

This is just one initiative related to energy reform in the United States. Obama also set aside two separate $1 billion plans that would produce institutes dedicated toward innovating manufacturing processes and promote the use of electrical vehicles.

"We will work with the private sector, utilities and states to increase the energy productivity of American industries while investing in the innovative processes and materials that can dramatically reduce energy use," Obama said in his official budget message.

Homeowners should install energy-efficient insulation and other energy improvements regardless of whether legislators embrace the HomeStar program with the same fervor Obama has. These enhancements can save homeowners money in the long term, despite upfront expenses.

California's CBS affiliate KGPE reports that homeowners in Fresno, Kern, Kings and Tulare counties could receive a free energy audit through the Home Energy Tune-up program. After the home inspection company analyzes the home, it provides residents with a personal road map toward reaching energy efficiency.

"[Energy savings could produce] hundreds of millions of dollars that would be circulating in our economy in a different way instead of paying it out on energy costs," said Fresno city official Joseph Oldham.

Fresno homeowners spend about $860 million in energy costs each year, which is both 30 percent higher than the state average and larger than the costs of energy upgrades.

TreeHugger reports that the average cost of retrofitting a home with energy improvements is about $10,000 before government incentives are factored in. If more homeowners are able to take advantage of programs like the one offered in Fresno, Americans may be able to help reduce energy waste, which has become a significant problem.

The news source also reports that the energy contained in the 2010 BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost about as much as the energy wasted annually by 75,000 American households. Of course, daily energy waste does not receive nearly as much news coverage as the spill did.

By hiring a Washington, D.C. home inspection service and listening to their advice regarding energy enhancements, homeowners can address their own energy consumption. If they then encourage their friends, family members and neighbors to institute similar upgrades, the country's energy waste issue may not be so significant a problem.

Homeowners should always be on the lookout for problems related to leaks in a bathtub or shower. If water seeps out of a shower through a glass door, for example, homeowners may be able to fix the problem by applying caulking at the seem of the shower wall and its base.

More serious problems, such as a leaky tile shower base or water dripping down through a light fixture, will probably require the assistance of a professional. Home inspection professionals have the experience, along with tools such as a shower dam, that is required to spot potential areas of concern. They can also conduct an inspection for mold if necessary. One such inspector, Reuben Saltzman, writes a column for The Minneapolis Star Tribune.

"One of the most common places to find plumbing leaks during home inspections is at the showers," Saltzman said. "Steel showers always leak, glass doors frequently leak and tiled shower floors will leak if they're installed wrong."

Most problems related to shower leaks can be solved by applying caulking to problem areas. This should help seal the shower basin and repel water away from the sub-floor. If caulking isn't installed correctly when a shower or bathtub is put in a bathroom, long-term repair costs from water damage could hit a homeowner's wallet quite hard.

If you are apply caulking yourself, be sure to allow the material sufficient time to dry before you use the shower. Premature use of the shower could compromise the new sealant and render it essentially useless.

In addition to the green mainstays observed in most energy-efficient homes, such as Energy Star appliances, Michael Yannell's Chicago home boasts features that only the greenest homes possess – fencing made out of recycled materials, low-flow plumbing fixtures, lighting provided exclusively by LED and CFL bulbs, a roof designed to collect rainwater, solar panels, dual flush toilets and even a grey water system that uses recycled washing machine water to run the toilets.

By all accounts, the market for zero-energy homes is far from reaching its peak. Outside of California, these homes are quite rare. Still, the global market for this $225 million industry is expected to climb to $1.3 trillion by 2035, according to Pike Research.

"Following the surge in LEED and other green building certifications worldwide over the last few years, zero energy building has emerged as the holy grail in green building design," research analyst Eric Bloom told BusinessGreen.

Until the market for these energy-efficient homes surges in the next few decades, homeowners should rely on home inspection professionals with energy audit experience to reveal the ways they can best save money through trimming their energy costs.

The Yannell home likely has optimal heating and insulation systems, parts of which can be replicated by average homeowners. While many of the other features are either too expensive or unlikely to benefit homeowners in certain parts of the country, proper insulation can make a difference in any home.

Foreclosed home sales in Maryland can be quite profitable to buyers, as the average foreclosed property sold for about $177,000 – 43 percent lower than the average sales price in the state. Per RealtyTrac, Maryland foreclosures were down about 66 percent in 2011. Still, the highest foreclosure rates in the state were found in Prince George's County, Montgomery County, Baltimore City and Baltimore County.

Homeowners interested in purchasing properties in these areas must be aware of just how common vandalism by previous owners has been across the country. Many current owners cease maintenance of properties and in some cases blatantly destroy part of homes, often out of spite for a lender. Sometimes damages are so substantial that homes are difficult to revitalize at all, such as cement being poured down toilets, as reported by real estate tracker Zillow.com.

"In many cases, it costs so much to rehabilitate these houses, it's just not cost-effective," mortgage industry analyst Thomas Popik told CNN in 2009. "And the properties are eventually going to be bulldozed."

To determine whether a property is damaged beyond the point of no repair, prospective buyers should contact a Washington, D.C. home inspector to uncover potential problem areas of a home. Often, damaged parts can be repaired in advance of a sale, and the cost of home inspection will likely be lower than the cost of repairs would be.