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BuyNewBuyNow™ wants you to know all the facts about new home ownership to help you make an educated decision when it comes time to make the biggest purchase of you life. We are here to help you make your home more than just a house. Buy new and buy now. It's the smart thing to do for people looking for equity, appreciation and money saving tax deductions. While some naysayers point to a softening of the new home market, the reality is that there has never been a better time to buy a new home. |
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Learn more about why a new home is right for you, and about the home buying process. |
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New Construction Homes that Meet Today's Stringent Energy Efficient Standards Are Less Costly to Operate Than Most Existing Homes The question of energy efficiency - the cost of heating and cooling and operating the appliances in your home - most likely never arose when your grandparents and even your parents purchased their homes. But today as the cost of energy continues its upward spiral with no end in sight, buyers expect, and have a right to know upfront, just how much it will cost to enjoy a comfortable indoor environment in their homes year round. If you're considering an older home that has not undergone an energy retrofit, hang onto that extra thick wool sweater. You're going to need it. Typically the ceiling, wall, flooring and window insulation in older homes do not meet the minimum energy-efficiency standards required for new construction today. This means large amounts of heat and cool air flow out of the house and are wasted. Poorly insulated windows especially can be thermal thieves that are responsible for at least thirty percent of heating and air conditioning energy loss in a house. Also, an older furnace that is ignited by a pilot light was not designed for efficient use of fuel. The result is a higher cost to produce a given amount of heat and higher gas and electric bills year round. But thanks to today's superior building techniques, more effective insulation products and energy-efficient heating, cooling and ventilation systems cold, overheated and drafty homes are a thing of the past for buyers who choose a new construction home. New homes are also healthier to live in as mechanical ventilation brings in fresh air from the outside and gets rid of stale air. And insurance rates are usually lower for new homes equipped with all new mechanical systems. Consider just some of the energy-efficient products that are part of every new construction home. Today homebuilders install double-glazed low-emissivity (low-E) windows in all their new homes. The initial higher cost of these airtight windows is offset by the smaller and less expensive heating and cooling system that the house will require. Simply put low-E windows have a transparent coating of silver or tin oxide that permits light to pass through the window but reflects heat back into the room in the winter and prevents the ultraviolet rays of the sun from penetrating in the summer. Furnaces installed in new homes today are given an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating which is a measure of seasonal performance. The minimum federal AFUE standards require new furnaces to have an AFUE of 78 percent; however most new condensing furnaces are rated as at least 90 percent efficient. In contrast, many old furnaces with pilot lights have an AFUE rating of only 55-65 percent. Central air conditioners are also rated according to a seasonal energy-efficiency rating (SEER). This is the cooling output divided by power input for a hypothetical average U. S. climate. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the air conditioner. Federal efficiency standards require a minimum SEER of 13. But many units installed in older home achieve a SEER rating of just six or seven. The energy efficiency of refrigerators and freezers has also dramatically improved over the last three decades thanks to improved insulation, advanced compressors, better seals and more accurate temperature controls. A typical new refrigerator uses less than 500 kWh per year; while a similar model sold in the seventies uses over 1,800 kWh. New toilets have redesigned bowls and tanks that use less water, but function more efficiently than first-generation low-flow models. And advanced shower and sink faucet aerators also save water by providing the same flow regardless of pressure to reduce water use. Finally, all of these new energy-efficient systems also include something that you'll never find in an older home, however well-maintained: the peace of mind that comes with the limited time warranty on all major systems in your new home that will protect you against unexpected and costly repairs. Buy new and buy now. It's the smart thing to do for people looking for equity, appreciation and money saving tax deductions. While some naysayers point to a softening of the new home market, the reality is that there has never been a better time to buy a new home. BuyNewBuyNow wants the consumer to know all the facts about new home ownership to help them make an educated decision when it comes time to make the biggest purchase of their life. We are here to help you make your home more than just a house. Submitted 9/8/2006 11:15:19 AMBack to Press Room |
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