Energy Efficient Homes

Did you know that in Maricopa County you can call The Salt River Project (SRP) and Arizona Public Services (APS) and find out the untility bill for any residence? Let's say you like the home on Elm and the home on Ash. You're weighing the pro's and con's of each home and you want to know how much the electric is going to cost you. One home is larger and is a two story. You can ask the homeowner, ask to see past bills or call the utility company. They'll tell you what the high and low bill are for the year. Sometimes they'll have the average for you too.

Once you have these numbers, you then need to figure out if the home was lived in all year, how many people lived in the home and any other particulars. Now, if the one on Ash was vacant all year, the figures won't be very useful. However, if the home next door has the same floorplan you can call about that home.

SRP : (602) 236-8888

APS : (602) 371-7171

What else can you do to get an energy efficient home?

1. Look for Energy Star appliances.
2. Look for a programmable thermostat.
3. Look for dual pane windows. You can usually see a black rubber gasket between the glass.
4. Look for sun screens. Especially on the south and west windows.
5. Look for ceiling fans.
6. Look for an attic fan.
7. Look for tall trees shading the home.
8. A neighbor to the south or west that shades your home. Or, with condos and townhomes may even be attached to your home will provide a relief to your energy bill.
9. A neighbor above you (condos) will decrease your utility bill.
10. A garage on the south or west side will take the brunt of the summer heat.