Erie Construction Co., Erie Construction Mid West
Category: Energy Savings
Add Light To A Room – Add A Syklight!
| February 8, 2012 | 12:22 PM | Energy Savings, Home Design | No comments

If you’re dying to add some light into a room, skylights are a great tool. Everyone enjoys walking into a room with good natural lighting. The light of the sun seems to bring the outside in for a nice warm feeling.

It’s also quite beautiful when a morning sunbeam shines down into a living room through a skylight placed high up to emphasize the beauty of a room. It also makes a great impression when guests enter your home.

Just the same, a couple of skylights placed in bathrooms and master bedrooms seems to be all the rage these days both for added effect, and natural lighting. Skylights provide up to 30% more natural light than your existing windows, and they can make a small space seem larger.

A few decades back, adding skylights became extremely popular. Unfortunately, the problems resulting from poorly designed skylights started flooding in. Problems included, leaks, faded carpet and fabrics, heat loss, and condensation. Skylights seemed to open a can of worms maintenance-wise.

The good news is that today’s skylights aren’t what they used to be. They’re a ton better! Today’s modern skylights have addressed many of the faulty design problems that plagued earlier skylights. This has made skylights a popular choice in modern homes once again. With improved designs and factory-manufactured flashings, the improved weather-tight ability has, in most cases, made leaks a thing of the past.

Energy-efficient Low E glass has addressed the faded fabric and heat loss issue. Bottom line is that today’s skylights are loads better than the one’s years ago, and can really add a level of class and beauty to your home!

Benefits of Energy Star Appliances
| October 1, 2011 | 7:00 AM | Energy Savings | No comments

If you have old, inefficient appliances it’s time to consider replacing them.

There are so many benefits to replacing them.

The most significant benefit of energy efficient appliances is that it preserves the environment. This is based on the fact that the energy we use to run our homes comes from power plants. Power plants burn fossil fuels to power electric products. The burning of fossil fuels causes air pollution and is the main cause of acid rain, smog, and global warming.

Experts say, we could remove the need of 25 power plants if every American home used energy-efficient major appliances. Another benefit of energy efficient appliances, it saves money. Lots of money. By using energy efficient appliances, you can save up to $400 per year on utility bills.

Plus energy efficient appliances have an extended working life. By buying energy efficient appliances, you qualify for an energy tax credit on top of saving on your monthly utility bill. Happy saving!

Going Green Starts in the Bathroom
| August 2, 2011 | 9:54 PM | Energy Savings | No comments

Are you trying to go green? Experts say if you want to start living a “greener” lifestyle, your bathroom is a great place to start! Some simple adjustments to a bathroom can reduce its impact on the environment.

Here are a few tips to green it up:

  • Installing aerators on the faucet and showerhead will reduce the amount of water used.
  • Faucets and showerheads with aerators use half the water flow with twice the power. If they were used nationwide, aerators could save 250 million gallons of water a year.
  • Using a low-flow toilet will use less water.
  • Replacing a tanked water heater with a tankless model will reduce the amount of energy consumed and the cost to heat water.
  • A tankless water heater will heat only what is needed, when it’s needed.
  • Compact fluorescent bulbs use less energy than incandescent bulbs and last much longer.
  • When redecorating, look for paint with a low volatile organic compounds (VOC) label. These paints are less toxic.
  • Even little things like selecting all-natural fabrics can help make your bathroom more green. Plus all your friends will think you are so hip and ahead of the times!