In The Homeowner's Guide to Energy Efficiency, John Krigger and Chris Dorsi help homeowners set realistic personal goals for reducing their energy consumption. Their methods for making homes more energy efficient will also improve comfort, safety, durability, and resale value. They guide readers through the process of assessing current energy usage and predicting the benefits and estimating the costs of remodeling options. With projects ranging from simple fixes to large-scale renovations, this book offers solutions for the energy-conscious homeowner, regardless of budget, technical ability, or time.

From the back cover: Presenting the first homeowner's guide to solar water heating that is intended for both the do-it-yourselfer and the person who is going to use a solar installer. It is literally filled with the latest state-of-the-art information that gives you all you need to know to: optimize the efficiency of your present hot water system; survey all the options and select the system that's right for your climate, your house, your hot water needs and your budget; calculate in advance, the amount and value of your solar energy savings; build a high-quality solar collector; plan and execute a professional-quality installation that will heat your domestic water or your swimming pool, hot tub, or spa; use other alternatives to the common water heater, such as efficient heat pump water heaters and systems that heat water with a wood or coal stove; work with a solar installer; and locate important sources of supply for special solar components and hardware.

Discusses renewable energy resources and provides instructions for creating energy-saving and energy-producing equipment.

A complete array of solar water heating solutions.

In a clear, nontechnical language, this book explains how solar heating works and how it can be applied to your home - in active and passive space heating, domestic water heating, and pool heating.