Customer Reviews (1)

Book pays for itself
This is a practical do-it-yourself- guide for homeowners to save $$$ on heating/cooling bills. It covers from the top to the bottom - the roof to the floor, and the windows to the wall. It will help you find opportunities for improvements. Topics include insulation, ventilation, energy-efficient heating systems, and contain lots of pictures on: how to insulate your loft, tanks and pipes, roofs, walls, floors;how to draftproof windows and doors; and how to select heating appliances and controls. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (16)

Good info for technical types
This book has a lot of good info for technical types. Lots of formulas and theory.

Also has maps showing heating and cooling days around the country (get a magnifying glass if you want to read them), pictures of various water-heating setups showing many pipes with little description, and the like.

If you want to know a lot about the theory and basic technology of energy efficient homes, this book is has a lot of info.

If you are an average person who wants straightforward suggestions on how to save energy and money in your home, I suggest checking out The Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs (Consumer Reports: You Need to Know).

Home Energy Diet, How to Save Money by Making Your House Energy SmartExcellent book
Excellent book for anyone that wants to learn how they can conserve energy & help the environment. The author Paul Scheckel, does a good job explaining why/how something should be done in easy to understand language. Great tool to have around if your planning a remodel or new home; so your on somewhat of an even playing field with your contractor.

Not for older homes
The book is much too thorough in some ways and not thorough enough in others. It is too through because the author will go on for pages about Ohms and Btus and Watt hours to the point where my eyes glazed over and I found it a very good sleep aid. He doesn't know how to get to the point and put his suggestions in an easy to understand synopsis. Other topics are covered in an almost off hand way or not at all, for example, we own a house built in 1912, and for us this book was nearly completely irrelevant. There is no discussion of the issues facing a homeowner with an older home. So if your looking for an easy to understand, easy to apply book that will help you make your home more efficient and save money, look elsewhere. There is certainly lots of information in this book, if you like sitting down at night with your hot water heater's manual, this book is ideal - but I didn't find it easily understandable or useful and can't recommend it.

Very informative!
I was so happy with this book. I learned so much from it and the author is very good at explaining things to you in easy to understand terms.
The author also did an excellent job of making good energy saving suggestions and ideas for home improvements.

This is a book I would give to family and friends. Highly recommended. ++

Consider "Insulate and Weatherize" Instead
Consider starting with "Insulate and Weatherize: Expert Advice from Start to Finish" by Bruce Harley instead which is a more practical "Go Do It" book with lots of photographs. ... Read more

Product Description
Hands-on, practical solutions to save money by making smart energy changes

One of the best and most affordable strategies people can employ to combat global warming is to improve the energy and water efficiency of their homes. Energy Efficient Homes For Dummies provides homeowners with advice, tips, and projects to reduce costs, increase energy efficiency, and cut down on waste and pollution. After performing a do-it-yourself home energy audit, readers create an action plan based on their personal goals. Readers are presented with a wide range of potential solutions, from making better use of blinds and awnings to exploring geothermal options in order to reduce household costs and their impact on the planet.

Rik DeGunther (Rescue, CA) is the founder of Efficient Homes, an energy consulting firm that focuses on home energy audits and the design of efficient heating and cooling systems. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good for basics, not for experienced energy savers
This was excellent for the basics, and gave some good info on various energy efficient ways to heat your home such as solar power, radiant heat, etc, but otherwise pretty basic.
The last chapter gives 30 ways to be more energy efficient. Of these, the least helpful was to skip the dishwasher drying cycle, and the most helpful was a tie between sealing the HVAC ducts and getting a solar hot water heater and going DIY to save $$.
Good if you need a basic reference, not so good if you're already well on the path of saving energy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Solid and practical book for home owners
If you own a home, not an apartment, and you're willing to do a little bit of home improvement this book will pay for its self very quickly. The ideas aren't new, this is a booklet originally published in 1991, but most of the practical applications are still valid.
Not an exciting booklet, the information is available elsewhere and you may already know some of it.
10 bucks.. worth it. ... Read more

Product Description
In a tight economy, this book offers clear financial benefits: Helps homeowners immediately cut their utility bills. Fits with the trend toward smaller home improvements most of the projects require only a modest investment. Gives readers an edge when they sell their homes buyers are especially looking for energy-efficiency, but they re also tuned into green health and environmental concerns. The book s projects range from quick, easy, low- or no-cost tasks like insulating a water heater, sealing foundation cracks, or painting with insulating paint to bigger-ticket items such as installing a new energy-efficient heating system, windows, or green flooring. For each project, readers will learn: The steps required Material and installation options What the improvement will cost Payback in savings on utility bills Health, comfort, and environmental benefits More than 65 Go Green tips highlighted throughout the book give readers ideas for quick, easy, and often low- or no-cost things they can do, right away, to make their homes and lifestyles greener. Projects include: Green flooring & paint options Environmentally friendly cabinetry & countertops Whole-house insulation & weather-stripping High-efficiency heating & cooling Water conservation Efficient lighting, appliances & plumbing fixtures including Energy Star and WaterSense models Solar electric and water heating systems Eco-friendly roofing & siding Energy-efficient windows, doors & skylights Green materials for patios, walkways & driveways Landscaping & irrigation for water conservation and energyKey market and selling points: Market: Homeowners and residential contractors applies to both houses and apartments. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Unique Home Improvement Book
I really liked this book! I've read my share of home improvement books, but this one is special, not only because of its "green" focus, but also because it tells you what these improvements cost and what they will save you. ... Read more

Product Description
Green Your Home All-in-One For Dummies empowers readers to make ecologically-friendly improvements to each and every area of their home. At $29.99 and 696 pages, this package is a real value and a true source book for readers looking for a substantial breadth of information and solutions yet unwilling to invest in four, five, or six books on the wide range of content that they seek. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A great starting point...
This book is a great starting point for anyone who wants to give their life a 180 degree "eco-twist"... I'm an architect currently completing an eco-house project and this book proved to be a great resource for simple common sense knowledge that technical books leave out...

A good place to start, but not for seasoned greenies!
This book covers all the basics and then some. It's a good resource to have around for everything from green cleaning products to natural remodeling to solar power.
A good buy and worth it, however, I feel it was too basic for someone, like myself, who has been doing most of this for years already. If you've never looked into green, this is a good place to start. If you are already fairly green, this will validate your choices and give you a few new ones.

Great Value for Less than $20 on amazon
Webought this after recently purchasing the Dummies guide to Sustainable Landscaping, which was also a good purchase. Particularly strong are the "books" on green remodeling choices and the organic gardening. Also included are books on energy efficiency, sustainable cleaning choices, solar power, and yes, sustainable landscaping. A ton of coverage for a $29.99 sticker price, and less on amazon. ... Read more

Product Description
Develop an effective green home building business with the NAHB Research Center's resident expert, Jeannie Leggett Sikora. She has combed through hundreds of annual contest entries and talked to past award winners to develop specific examples and tried-and-true techniques to give home builders the inside track to create successful green building practices, for choosing products to marketing energy efficient homes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (29)

Rambling, Disappointing.
The table of contents was well ordered and some of the pictures were nice. Aside from 1 or two questions asked of a few small home owners, the author rambles on about a multitude of concepts and stray thoughts. Not concise at all, just rambling. It covers many very LARGE houses ana also covers small "non house" places (like an office)

The book covers many very large homes too. One very nice little home didn't have a bathroom in it's sketch, nor was it's absence accounted for in the text.The middle of the book has multiple pictures of rooms from various houses (some very large houses too), One caption indicates that housing the toilet/sink in a separate room from the tub, increases the usefulness of both rooms. That is hardly self evident and could use some explaining.

There are plenty of better books on the subject.

Great in some parts, really lacking in some (important) other areas
I got this book for a variety of reasons -- I wanted to learn more about making life work in a truly small place, to learn more about the ideology behind the small house movement, to see and read about real-world examples of people who made the move from conventional housing to what's typically considered teeny-tiny housing.Along that vein, I wanted to see many pictures and floor plans of how a family of two, three or four fit their whole lives within the confines of a 500 sq. ft home.

This book has a huge section on the importance of spending time with your children, but falls woefully short in the main department I was looking for -- the details on HOW to make it happen.I wasn't looking for architectural-quality floor plans -- not looking to build a house from this book -- but each house I read about left me clamoring for pictures, stories, floor plans.Many of the stories of people who went small house didn't have a SINGLE picture included!Come ON!Don't tell me how deliriously happy Sally, Bob and babies Joe and Jane are in their new adobe 400 sq. ft house and then NOT SHOW ME ANY OF IT!!

So the book was cool in some parts, but INCREDIBLY frustrating and disappointing in others.I'll definitely be putting in on Swaptree from here... not holding on to this one.Disappointing.

Now Let's Get Zoning Laws Out of the Way
This is a wonderful addition to the growing library of books on living smaller. There's a quite but expanding movement of people downsizing their homes. We are finally waking up in America! This is very exciting. Now, we need to start fighting the zoning laws that block small home ownership, and the housing industry lobbyists who have gotten the laws rewritten so that it is nearly impossible to find a place to put your small home. Shay Salomon's book is a tool for fighting the restrictive zoning laws.

random, unrealistic
This book was random, with no floor plans or in some case even pictures of the inside of the houses. I can be reading about a family or house and describing the house is the last thing they talk about.Instead they talk about the life of the family or the area of the neighborhood. I had want a book that would give examples of house to build or design smaller homes.That was not this book.This is more about life style change and proving you can life in a small weird home.Most of the homes were built in areas where you could just hand build a home with mud or clay, not in cities or the real world.
Most of the homes were built by hand with little thought of getting the house proper code.These house would never be resold, let alone lived in by people who was not the current owner.Most of the house are just ideas that someone decide to try or build.I would at how efficient the house are compared other houses the same size with safer and newer technology in it.
Most of the pictures of the house are in black and white. I could not tell what or how things were built from the writing or the picture. Most of the living area is so small that average people would not be that comfortable sitting there. Our current 990 sq ft apartment is more comfortable and smaller than some of the house in the book.
There are better books.

An inspirational set of 'small living' ideas perfect for any general-interest library catering to homeowners
Enjoy a higher quality of life in a smaller living space with the aid of Little House on a Small Planet, which teaches how to make the most of living small. From remodeling and rethinking needs to living more simply and scaling down in an existing structure, case history examples of those who succeeded in increasing energy efficiency without sacrificing lifestyle make for an inspirational set of 'small living' ideas perfect for any general-interest library catering to homeowners.
... Read more

Product Description
Energy efficiency pays. For over a decade, the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings has helped people who care about their budgets and about the environment to find energy-saving products. Inside this new, 8th edition, you'll find:

- Up-to-date lists of the most energy-efficient appliances and equipment by brand name and model number

- Tips, diagrams, charts and explanations on nearly every new facet of home energy use, including insulation, cooking, windows, laundry, lighting, food storage and heating and cooling systems.

- updated information on energy-efficiency appliance standards

- expanded information on ENERGYSTAR-labeled products, including new ones such as freezers and compact refrigeratorsPLUS, learn which investments in energy pay for themselves,why energy guide labels on appliances can be misleading, and how to save hundreds of dollars by buttoning up your house!Amazon.com Review
Alex Wilson and John Morrill have assembled a comprehensive guide to energy-saving techniques and devices with two goals in mind: save consumers money and save Earth in the process. Wilson and Morrill offer consumers the latest techniques for making their homes more efficient,comfortable, and cheaper to live in, and they supply energy ratings for appliances,light bulbs, water heaters, windows, heating systems, and more. The language is clear and entertaining; you needn't to be a technician or anengineer to understand the suggestions and analyses. Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings will prove incredibly useful for people who are about to build a home or remodel, or who simply want to get the most bang fortheir buck and not waste energy or foul the environment. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings
If you want to replace your appliances in your home this is your book to find the most energy efficient products on the market. It rates the products as well as explaining how they work. Tons of information for the everyday consumer. We have used it to help us decide upon which kind of washer & dryer to buy as well as the installation of a heat pump, which replaced the 30 year old forced air furnace. It covers all the types of heating systems as well as cooling systems.
For the washer it compares vertical axis with horizonal axis right down to cost per load, electric and gas, wash and rinse cycle options and even laundry tips.
There is a whole chapter on lighting, both incandescent and compact florescent bulbs.
Hot water heaters are covered: gas or electric, storage types, demand, water pump, tankless, indirect and even solar. It discusses replacing & sizing water heaters for your home and how you use hot water, insulation and how to lower the water temperture. We went as far as to put a timer on our hot water heater so that it only heats water when we need it most, early morning for showers and evening for cooking and dishes.
It even covers windows, home insulation, energy audits and how to read the Energy Guide labels on all products.
We have found this book both informative and a keeper. We have had friends borrow it and some have even gone and purchased their own. This is our 2nd one, we almost wore out the first one which was the 7th edition. The new 8th edition brings us up to date. We gave the old one to friends who were happy to have it.

A terrific book
I have a house under construction and I need information on windows types, heating and cooling appliance options as well as insulations. This book is over 5 stars. I borrowed a copy from a library and am planning to buy one for reference collections.

Practical energy savings information
This book covers both the house itself (insulation, windows, etc.) as well as appliances, furnaces, and lightbulbs. Written in 1999, it lists major appliances, windows, furnaces, boilers, and air conditioners by brand name and model number in table format showing the energy ratings of each one. This saves you the time of running around town or making dozens of phone calls to collect this info.

It also explains all the information contained on energy labels when you go shopping. In particular, I found the section on windows most beneficial. It details what tests are done to obtain the ratings, which tests are most relevant and which ratings you should pay particular attention to, as there are several ratings on each window.

It also was bold enough to say which things you should be spending your money on and which things are nice to have but not absolutely necessary.

Save money on energy bills with this big little book
I bought this book from amazon for research into healthy houses and I skimmed it for my deadline. I'm reading it closely now. Well written, easy to read, detailed, comprehensive. Even if you haven't a speck of money for new appliances, much less a new heating system, you can save money onenergy. It's small--you can fit in your bag to take to the appliance store,but it's packed with stuff. Well worth the price. ... Read more

Product Description
A thorough, informative, and up-to-date reference on green, sustainable and energy-efficient home construction that clarifies definitions of green and sustainable and guides builders and architects through the process of new or remodel green construction, including issues of site, landscaping, durability, and energy-efficiency. It starts with clear explanations of the concepts and fundamentals of green, healthy and energy-efficient construction and walks the reader through the entire construction process, injecting expert advice at every decision point. Construction techniques, materials, and products are thoroughly explained, making the often vaguely understood concepts cleanly understandable. The book gives builders and architects the tools to respond to growing requests from homeowners for green and energy-efficient houses, whether new or remodeled. Homeowners can use the book to understand the concepts, process, and options, whether they're doing it themselves or working with a professional. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Wonderful resource for builders and buyers who want to go green
This book is an eye opener. I'm a general contractor and have learned the traditional methods to building. This book details so many new ways to construct homes, all with an eye towards healthier and more energy efficient living. The drawings in the book are very detailed and the number of possible methods and materials for the building process are extensive. It's a great resource and has absolutely changed the way I approach my construction projects.

Excellent - a must-have for anyone doing any type of construction
This book belongs on every bookshelf of people involved in building new homes - contractors, home-owners, plumbers, electricians, architects, designers - everyone.

This is a great book with a lot of practical advice - it's all about nailing the basics when it comes to energy efficiency and having a safe and biologically nonhazardous home to live in.

Great diagram, well-organized, easy to read through even if you're not an engineer, contractor, or architect.Glossy color photos - basically, a great book.

great reference manual
Great resource for green building and remodelling. Some illustrations are a bit difficult to comprehend but the information is very valuable and is a comprehensive reference for building science.

Easily applicable ideas
We build custom homes and have been interested in building greener.I think this book is probably one of the best that I've read.It gives you several products and ideas for each section, i.e. heating, cooling.You read and decide what makes sense to you.

Great but incomplete!
Very good, except it didn't treat radiant floors and wind energy as much as I wanted. I'm going off-grid and need all the help I can get. ... Read more