STARTING IN ‘09,
ENERGY EFFICIENCY WILL COUNT WHEN BUYING OR SELLING
If you’ve been ignoring air drafts or differences in
temperature in areas throughout your house and are
thinking of selling after December 31, 2008, you may
want to start paying closer attention to your home’s
energy efficiency.
- The Montgomery County Council passed legislation
in April requiring that before signing a contract for a single-family
home, the seller must provide the buyer with: Information on home
energy efficiency improvements, including the benefit of conducting
a home energy audit.
- Copies of the electric,
gas and heating oil bills or cost and usage history for the single-family
home for the immediate prior 12 months, unless the home was unoccupied
for the entire prior 12 months. (If the home was unoccupied, the
seller must provide the buyer with the required information for
the period when the seller occupied the home. If the home was not
owner-occupied, then the seller does not have to provide the buyer
with copies of the utility bills.)
In addition, new construction homes must meet ENERGY STAR guidelines
(www.energystar.gov),
a national program from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
and U.S. Department of Energy, that offers a comprehensive, whole-house
approach to improving energy efficiency and comfort at home.
According
to ENERGY STAR, an audit can help you assess how much energy your
home uses and evaluate what measures you can take to improve efficiency.
But, audits alone don’t save energy.
You need to implement the recommended improvements.
There are simple
do-it-yourself fixes or you can hire a professional to conduct
an assessment. Suggested modifications may include simple repairs
from caulking tops of window frames to closing the fireplace flue,
to more expensive changes such as new windows and appliances. Repairs
can be costly and may only return a small savings in energy costs,
so it is important to consider energy efficiency upgrades carefully
and consult a professional regarding meeting the new County requirements.
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