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Beneficial insects, also known as beneficial predators, can help to prevent or lower problems with insects and pest in your yard.

Most insects found in your yard do not harm plants, however others will feed on your plants and often destroy them. Beneficial insects can limit and in some cases completely prevent pest problems in your garden.

There are two main types of beneficial insect:

1. Predators, such as ladybugs, lacewings and spiders, actively search out and eat other insect prey.

Moisture, odors, and other pollutants can build up inside a home if it does not have mechanical ventilation to provide fresh air. Mechanical ventilation systems circulate fresh air using ducts and fans rather than relying on airflow through small holes or cracks in a home’s construction assemblies (e.g., walls, roofs, or windows).

A variety of mechanical ventilation systems are available to select from, based on local climate and the home’s heating and cooling system. In addition to one of the primary ventilation systems described below, “spot” ventilation fans should also be provided for ventilating kitchens and baths to remove the concentrated moisture and odors that can occur in these rooms.

To create a comfortable home, an efficient duct system is a must. Ducts—known collectively as the air distribution system—carry air from the central heater or air conditioner to each part of the home and back again. Up to 50 percent of the energy used to heat or cool air can be wasted if ducts are not sealed and insulated properly. That’s why the duct systems found in ENERGY STAR qualified homes are third-party tested for tightness and verified to be properly insulated.

Builders have many choices for the types of insulation they use. All insulation can be effective if it is properly installed and coupled with a continuous air barrier. Insulation materials are rated according to their ability to resist heat flow. This thermal resistance rating is commonly known as an “R-value.” The higher the R-value, the better the material is at resisting heat flow.

Are you tired of your bathroom? If you are like me you are probably sick of the same look. In fact, maybe you have even started looking into what it might cost to remodel your entire bathroom. There are so many options to choose from. Maybe you have been dreaming about redoing your floor with nice new tile, adding more floor space by converting the tub into a stall shower, or installing some exciting new cabinets to enhance the storage space.

Choosing more efficient light bulbs or light fixtures can make a big difference on utility bills and for the environment. Replacing the five most frequently used light fixtures in a home with ENERGY STAR qualified lighting can save about $60 each year in energy costs. The following are benefits of using ENERGY STAR Qualified lighting fixtures and bulbs.

1. Home Cost Savings: An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) typically uses at least one-third the energy of a comparable standard incandescent bulb.

HERS raters are trained to evaluate construction techniques, take key measurements, and perform inspections and testing procedures to verify a home’s energy-efficient performance. Here’s how the home inspection and testing process works:

Selection of Energy-Efficient Features: HERS raters help builders choose energy-efficient features for their ENERGY STAR qualified homes in two ways.

1. With a traditional HERS rating, a HERS rater simulates a home’s energy use with specialized computer software.

Builders can claim that their homes are energy efficient. But many of the energy efficiency features in a home are not visible, so how can home buyers really be sure? Look for homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR—these homes have had their energy efficiency independently verified by an inspector known as a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) rater.

Heating water accounts for approximately 15 to 25 percent of a home’s energy use. With a high efficiency water heater, homeowners can save money on energy bills because it uses use 10 to 50 percent less energy than a standard water heater model.