STOP BURNING YOUR MONEY: The Intelligent Homeowner's Guide to Household Energy Savings

by John Rothchild ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 30, 1981

A practical, candid, and sometimes surprising body of information based on the latest research findings and wide personal experience. To Rothchild, ""energy-efficient"" means ""money-saving""; accordingly, he shows how to appraise the various products and methods, large and small, used to modify (or replace) heating and hot water systems, the shell of the house, and appliances, by weighing the cost against expected savings; also, usefully, he tells us which jobs we can reasonably tackle ourselves, and when to call in an expert. His comprehensive energy lore includes: furnaces; water heaters (the astonishingly efficient heat pump--plus a 10¢ plastic flow-restricting device that can save 50 percent on hot water bills); insulation (attics, walls, basements); storm doors and windows (with the proviso that caulking and weatherstripping is much cheaper, and equally effective); and just-about-everything on household appliances. He also compares the ""fashionable alternatives"": solar heaters (a poor investment, even with the numerous tax breaks); wood stoves (efficient if you're prepared to cut and haul the wood yourself, and tend the stove constantly); fireplaces (pretty, but hopelessly inefficient); and coal (make sure of your supplies). With plenty of comparison tables; explanations, and lists of manufacturers and suppliers--a valuable handbook for cutting those fast-rising energy bills down to size.

Pub Date: Oct. 30, 1981

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1981

Categories: NONFICTION