In these tough times everyone looks to save where they can. It’s very easy to save this winter with a few easy tips designed to make even the most inexperienced into thinking green and saving their hard-earned cash. Use less energy through not only reducing waste, but also through optimizing efficiencies with existing equipment! See my money saving tips below to begin spending smarter for utilities:

HEATING:
• The single-most cost-cutting measure is to replace your dial thermostat with a programmable digital model. These are widely available and relatively inexpensive (retails for approximately $20 at your local hardware store etc.). BENEFITS: through programmable times and temperatures you can enjoy a savings of about 10% per year by turning your thermostat down 10 – 15% when you are sleeping or out of the house.
• Clean your furnaces and boilers. Change filters and remove excess dust and dirt from the flute. Also, bleed radiators until all air is removed from the system.
• Check all windows for cracks and drafts. Repair any cracks with caulk (silicone outside, standard, paint-able caulk inside). If extremely drafty (and replacing the window is not in the budget) apply standard window film to keep drafts to a minimum.
• Check doors for drafts. If drafty apply weatherstripping (available at any hardware store, etc. for approximately $10) and make sure seal is snug after application for maximum benefit.
• Direct airflow into most used rooms while decreasing the flow in rooms seldom used.

LIGHTING:

• As summer comes to an end, we see less sunlight and more darkness. Our lights are used more inside our homes and thus our lighting costs increase substantially. To lower these costs we can do many little things that cost very little but make a huge impact. Aside from keeping lights turned off in rooms unoccupied, energy saving bulbs are a wonderful addition to any cost-cutting or environmentally conscious consumer. These hard working bulbs last up to 10 years and can reduce energy expenditures by up to 20%. *One note about these bulbs* When turning them on they warm up to their brightest state. Unlike traditional bulbs, they take a moment to achieve the brightest possible state.

WATER:

• Invest in an inexpensive shower-head that restricts water-flow but increases pressure – no lack of water-pressure with these heads.
• Wrap the hot water heater with a (fiberglass reinforced, water heater wrap available in home-improvement stores for approximately $30). When your traditional hot water heater need replacing, invest in an instant hot water heater that will drastically reduce residual hot water heating costs as water will be heated “as needed”. These can be moderately priced but will pay for themselves within one year through the energy savings achieved.
• Do not leave the water running when doing dishes. Use an energy-saving dishwasher when possible but otherwise, fill up a dishpan of hot, soapy water and rinse dishes with cool water.

APPLIANCES:

• Washing machines should be run with a FULL LOAD ONLY. When it needs replacing, move to a highly efficient, energy-saving model.

CEILING FANS:
• Not all ceiling fans are created equal. An economy ceiling fan will move minimal air while higher quality ceiling fans will prove to be a wise investment. A high quality ceiling fan will have a blade pitch of 13 degree or greater.
• When utilizing good quality ceiling fans, they can be of great value to you during the winter months. Reverse the blades to circulate heat (which will naturally rise to the ceiling) and push it down to the living spaces. They can reduce heating bills by approximately 10 % per season.

Very few plans without a well thought out delivery can be succesful.  Like most pojects, the plan is the foundation of any project and without it, you’ll be at the mercy to the unknown.  Take some time to think about what you want first.  Once you have an idea of the floor plan, start measuring the walls, including the rooms

The Planning Sheet

A great place to write the floor plan is through a grid sheet. You can easily find grid sheets at your local office supply store or even online.   A common unit of measurement is 1 grid = 1 square foot.  Measure the floor plan by feet and determine the square footages with the measurement.   The square footage is especially important to gauge the amount of flooring that you need (e.g. carpeting, laminate, or hard wood).

Remember, walls also have dimensions.  With design, you need to give the walls dimensions such as thickness.  Finished walls typically have 4.5 inches in thickness.  Structural add ons such as doors and windows may also affect the measurements as well. 

The plan should also contain media points like telephone jacks, fiber optic cable, cable tv, switches, and power outlets.  It’s a general rule in the U.S. that the outlets need to space out around 6 feet.  If you have the final picture, consider where the furniture will be placed.  This will give you an idea of where the cable and telephone jacks need to go.

Bedrooms

For planning bedrooms, you’ll need to make sure that it has an egress window if there’s no functional window.  Fire safety requirements demand these windows are available inc case of emergencies.  Egress windows may require a good contractor since it may not simple to place. 

Bathrooms

In some cases, home owners want to make their basements more like a fully functional floor.  An enhancement could be a full or half bathroom.  Consider carefully the dimensions of the bathroom.  Moreover, placing the bathroom near a sewage and water pipes can have its benefits.

Posts

In most basements, the posts support the floor joists.  You’ll often see the metal post that emerges from the concrete floor to the top of the basement ceiling.  Although the post has a clear function, the post could look rather dull for the end product or decor.  If you don’t want to leave them  bare, consider other options such as premade encasings.  These are cylinder-like sheets that conveniently wrap around poles.  Other options include

With a good plan, you’ll make life much easier for your remodeling project. You’ll be able to create a step-by-step process that gets you to your final vision of your remodeled basement.

For more information or help, contact brian@phillydiy.com.