1) What are the five easiest ways to cut down on energy costs?
2) How can I save money and energy in the kitchen?
3) Where are cost savings with my refrigerator?
4) How can I save money and energy in the laundry room?
5) How much of my bill is lighting?
6) How can I save money and energy in the summer?
7) How can I save money and energy in the winter?
8) Is it okay to leave my computer on?
9) What uses the most hot water in my home?
10) Is a front-loading washing machine better than a top-loading model?
11) When should I replace my air conditioning unit?
12) Should I pay more for appliances with the Energy Star® label?
13) How does air escape?
14) What uses the most energy in my home?
15) What is an energy audit and should I get one?
16) How do I perform an energy audit?
17) Should I read my electric meter?
Conservation represents an investment and operational decision to use less energy in our daily lifestyles. While not advocating "freezing in the dark," we all need to be mindful of how our behavior and purchase decisions influence our energy use. Our home purchase and utilization are the most significant ways we can each make our mark on our nation's energy use. Consider your options carefully and be especially mindful of a first cost bias - we seldom consider adding the investment in home efficiency options. Remember that adding insulation and upgrading to more efficient heating and cooling systems may be covered by increasing your home mortgage to include these higher costs. The savings on utility bills for appropriate enhancements will more than offset any increases in monthly mortgage payments and will add to your home's resale value.
1) What are the five easiest ways to cut down on energy costs?Adjust Your Thermostat
In the summer, set your thermostat to 78 or the highest comfortable temperature. Each degree cooler than 78 will increase your bill as much as 3 percent. If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, set your air conditioner to 80 degrees or higher.
In the winter, set your thermostat for 68 degrees or the lowest comfortable temperature and leave it there. Each extra degree of heat above 68 will add approximately 3 percent to your heating bill.
Seal Air Leaks and Duct Work
Caulking and weather-stripping are the keys, and here are some of the biggest offenders to look for:
- Fireplaces. Caulk everywhere the brick or stone meets the walls and ceilings. Cover the opening with tight-fitting glass doors.
- Attic Fans. If you have an attic fan that you don’t use, seal the opening with a temporary or permanent cover.
- Recessed Lights. A lot of heat can escape through the openings cut for recessed lights. Newer models can be covered with insulation. Older models require a makeshift cover like a bucket turned upside down in the attic.
- Windows and Doors. Install weather-stripping on any that do not fit tightly.
- Attic Entrances. Insulate and weather-strip any entrances from your home into the attic. With a little detective work, you may find a lot of other leaks. Feel for air coming in through cracks and around windows and doors. For a more sensitive test, hold a lighted candle near cracks.
In eight out of 10 houses in the South, leaky ducts waste more energy than any other problem. To stop this energy loss, your ductwork should be made airtight - everywhere ducts attach to vents, each other and the heating/cooling unit. Use mastic (preferred) or foil tape. Some do-it-yourselfers can handle this job; other homeowners may want to hire a professional.
Install Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs
Every home has lights, and new compact fluorescent light bulbs can save a lot of energy. They cost more, but they last much longer than regular incandescent bulbs. In fact, compact fluorescents can save enough energy to pay for themselves twice.
Add Attic Insulation
About half of all homes have attics with insufficient insulation. A good rule of thumb is that if you have less than six inches of insulation, you need more. In general, you would benefit with up to 12 inches of attic insulation. Insulation is rated by "R-values." In the attic, you should insulate at least to R-30. R-30 usually requires 10+ inches of the typically used fiberglass or cellulose insulation. Insulate walls as much as their thickness allows, and floors to at least R-19, or six inches. Cellulose or fiberglass insulation is most often used.
Wrap your Water Heater
In most homes, insulating your water heater and the pipes that lead to and from it is the single most cost effective improvement you can make, especially if the unit is located in the attic or outdoor utility room or garage. A water heater jacket can be purchased for as little as $10 to $15 and you can install it yourself. Also take this opportunity to turn your water heater temperature setting to 120 degrees, if possible.
2) How can I save money and energy in the kitchen?Follow these cost-cutting ideas for the kitchen.
- Select flat-bottomed pans that fit the heating unit. And use lids to retain heat and reduce cooking times.
- Baking defrosted food uses one-third less energy than starting with frozen food. Where possible, defrost food items in the refrigerator; this will take longer but is more energy efficient.
- Do not pre-heat if your dish requires an hour or more to cook.
- Use your oven rather than the range whenever you can, especially for larger and longer cook time items. Insulated ovens retain heat and use less energy.
- Plan meals so several things can cook at the same time in the oven.
- Use a timer. Remember, opening the oven door lets up to 20 percent of the heat escape.
- Microwaves use less energy and cook food faster than conventional ovens. They also produce much less heat.
- Use a pressure cooker to save time and energy.
- Use smaller kitchen appliances, like toaster-ovens and electric fryers, when you can.
- Lower the heat once boiling begins. High heat will only make the water evaporate faster.
- Ceramic, glass and stainless steel cooking vessels conduct and retain heat better, therefore when baking with these type vessels, the oven setting can be lowered by 25 degrees.
Standing in front of an open door while you decide what you want wastes a lot of energy. The refrigerator and freezer account for eight cents of every electric dollar.
- Look for energy-efficient models with features like power-saver switches and improved insulation.
- Place refrigerators and freezers away from heat sources (like the range).
- Keep the temperature between 37 and 42 degrees in the refrigerator and zero and five degrees in the freezer. If you're away for more than a couple of days, turn your refrigerator up two or three settings.
- Cool foods to room temperature before placing them in the refrigerator unless the recipe specifies otherwise. Cover all stored liquids - they release vapors that increase the compressor's workload.
- Make sure your refrigerator door closes tightly. Close it on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out, you may need a new gasket.
- Clean condenser coils (located on the back or bottom of your refrigerator) at least once a year to increase efficiency.
- Do not overcrowd your refrigerator. It can interfere with air flow and create "hot spots." On the other hand, most freezers work better fully loaded.
- Side-by-side refrigerator/freezers use about 45 percent more energy than over-under two-door models. Upright freezers use more energy than top-loading freezers.
- Defrost manual-defrost refrigerators or freezers before the frost becomes one-quarter inch thick.
- Clean the lint filter after every load to cut down on drying time. And remember, dry full loads of clothes - but do not overload your dryer.
- Dry loads back-to-back to take advantage of stored heat. Also don't over dry your clothes.
- Make sure there is an exhaust vent from the dryer to the outside of your house to allow hot air and moisture to escape.
- If available, utilize a laundry room outdoor air source (large intake vent/window) and close-off the room from the remainder of the conditioned house during clothes drying to minimize general house air infiltration.
- Utilize a clothes line, or a new horizontal axis washer that removes more water from clothing and other fabrics. This will reduce the amount of time the dryer will have to run and will use less energy.
Lighting, TVs, stereos and radios account for about 8 percent of your energy bill.
- For more light, use one large bulb rather than several smaller ones. A 100-watt bulb produces 50 percent more light than four 25-watt bulbs for the same amount of energy.
- Watts indicate how much electricity a bulb will use. Lumens tell the amount of light the bulb will provide. The more lumens per watt, the higher the bulb's efficiency. Using more efficient bulbs will help control your bill.
- Use low-watt bulbs where lighting is not critical.
- Use "longer life" bulbs in hard-to-reach places that require less light. These lights will burn longer but do not shine as brightly.
- Use dimmer switches to reduce energy use when brightness is not important.
- Clean bulbs and lampshades regularly. You can get one-third more light for your money.
- Fluorescent lamps give four times more light and last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They are also cooler, so they help reduce your air conditioning costs.
- Turn off lights, TVs, stereos and radios if no one will be in the room.
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or the highest comfortable temperature. Each degree cooler than 78 will increase your bill as much as 3 percent. If you’re going to be away for an extended period of time, set your air conditioner to 80 degrees or higher.
- Place window and central air conditioning units on the shady or north side of your home when possible. When using window units, shut doors to unused rooms, and close floor or wall registers used for heating.
- Install solar screens or films on sunny windows to reduce heat gain in your home, thus reducing air conditioning costs.
- Keep air conditioner filters clean. Aluminum mesh filters should be washed and fiberglass filters should be replaced monthly.
- Leave storm windows and doors closed when the air conditioner is on.
- Close shades and drapes on the sunny side of the house during the day to keep light and heat out.
- Do not block air vents with curtains, shades or furniture.
- Keep the cool air in your home circulating with ceiling, oscillating or box fans. Circulating air makes you feel cooler and allows you to set your thermostat higher.
- Use kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans to remove excess heat and humidity caused by cooking, laundering and bathing, but do not leave on longer than necessary.
- We recommend energy-efficient heat pumps of 11 SEER or higher. A heat pump is one of the most energy-efficient ways to heat and cool your home.
- If you have a fireplace, close the damper when it is not in use.
- Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or the lowest comfortable temperature and leave it there. Every degree higher than 68 will add approximately 3 percent to your heating bill.
- Keep all exterior doors and windows closed when the heat is on. Doors and windows should stay closed even if you have storm windows and doors on the outside.
- Open drapes to let in solar heat. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
- Do not block heat registers or cold air returns with curtains or furniture.
- Check furnace filters every 30 days, and clean or replace as needed.
- If you're gone for a few days, set the thermostat back to 55 degrees to keep pipes from freezing.
Computers have changed the way we live. They are everywhere. They make us more productive. But, they are also very inefficient users of electricity. One of the devices found in all computers is a ‘power supply’ that converts the electricity coming from the wall outlet to something a computer can use. Most homes have at least 10 power supplies. There are currently close to 3 billion power supplies in the US and increasing about 500 million each year. About 6 to 10% of our energy flows through power supplies, responsible for converting high-voltage AC to low-voltage DC. The average computer power supply converts into wasted heat 35% of the energy used to convert the power necessary for use by our computers. The ENERGY STAR 80PLUS program effective July 2007 encourages all computer manufacturers to design power supplies that are at least 80% efficient. However, today we can “turn off” those computers and monitors when not in use to reduce consumption and save money.
9) What uses the most hot water in my home?
10) Is a front-loading washing machine better than a top-loading model?
A front-loading washing machine is the best option to select when replacing your washing machine. These use 50 percent less energy than standard models.
11) When should I replace my air conditioning unit?Your air conditioner is your home’s largest “appliance.”
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if your central air conditioning unit is more than 12 years old, replacing it with an ENERGY STAR® qualified model could cut your cooling costs by 30 percent. Though the upfront cost of an ENERGY STAR® qualified central air conditioner can be more expensive, the cost difference could be paid back over time through lower energy bills.
12) Should I pay more for appliances with the Energy Star® label?Energy Star® R-labeled appliances exceed federal efficiency standards often by 15 percent, and as much as 110 percent for some appliances. Buyers can be assured that a labeled appliance will have a lower cost of operation over its life than some other models.
13) How does air escape?Air leaks in and out of your home through every hole, nook and cranny. Common leakage sites include: plumbing holes through walls, floors and ceilings; around chimneys; fireplace dampers; attic access hatches; recessed lights and fans; wiring holes; missing plaster; electrical outlets and switches; moldings around windows, doors and baseboards; and dropped ceilings above bathtubs and kitchen cabinets.
14) What uses the most energy in my home?
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15) What is an energy audit and should I get one?An energy audit's purpose is to identify places in the home where energy is being wasted and prioritize the projects needed to fix them. The end result is intended to reduce the amount of energy the home needs to operate and keep occupants comfortable. While the word “audit” may sound ominous, a home energy audit is just the first step in the process of lowering energy bills by making a home more efficient. Energy audits range from simple walk-through you can do yourself, to more elaborate services performed by trained professionals. Which is right for you will depend on your situation, abilities and interest level.
16) How do I perform an energy audit?First! Find and Fix Air Leaks
The first place to focus your attention is on places where air is leaking into and out of your home. Therefore, as you walk around, make a list of all the places where such leaks could occur. The potential energy savings from reducing air leaks, also known as drafts, can be as high as 30 percent per year, and the home is usually more comfortable afterwards. That is why it is recommended as the first place to begin your audit.
On the outside of your house, inspect all areas where two different building materials meet. Pay particular attention to possible gaps at the place where the foundation meets the walls. Studies have shown that this can be one of the largest offenders in allowing air to flow in and out of homes practically unobstructed. Also inspect all exterior corners; where siding and chimneys meet; and areas where the foundation and the bottom of exterior brick or siding meet. Plug and caulk holes or penetrations for faucets, pipes, electric outlets, and wiring. Look for cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation, and siding and seal them with the appropriate material. Check the exterior caulking around doors and windows, and see whether exterior storm doors and primary doors seal tightly.
Inside, look for gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring, and where the walls meet the ceiling. Check to see if air can flow through electrical outlets, switch plates, window frames, baseboards, weather-stripping around doors, fireplace dampers, attic hatches and wall- or window-mounted air conditioners. Look for gaps around pipes and wires, electrical outlets and mail slots. Check to see if the caulking and weather-stripping are in place with no gaps or cracks and are in good condition.
Inspect windows and doors for air leaks. See if you can rattle them, since movement means possible air leaks. If you can see daylight around door and window frames, then the door or window leaks. You can usually seal these leaks by caulking or weather-stripping. Check the storm windows to see if they fit and are not broken. You may also wish to consider replacing your old windows and doors with newer, high-performance ones. If new factory-made doors or windows are too costly, you can install low-cost plastic sheets over the windows.
One creative way of finding leaks is to slightly pressurize your home using fans, then walk around and feel for air leaks. They will identify themselves if you place your hand over areas where you suspect a leak. Placing a little moisture on your hand intensifies the effect, making it even easier to find leaks. Before you begin, close all exterior doors, windows and fireplace flues. Turn off all combustion appliances such as natural gas burning furnaces and water heaters. (Remember to turn them back on when you have completed the test.) Then turn on all of your home's exhaust fans. Most homes have these in the kitchen and bathrooms. Alternatively, or in addition, you can use a large window fan to blow air out of the house. This increases infiltration through cracks and leaks, making them easier to detect.
For unheated basements, determine if there is insulation under the flooring of the living area. Minimum insulation levels between R-19 and R-25 are recommended depending on where the home is located. The insulation at the top of the foundation wall and first floor perimeter should have an R-value of 13 or greater. For heated basements, the foundation walls should be insulated to at least R-13.
17) Should I read my electric meter?Your electric bill is calculated in kilowatt-hours or the number of kilowatts of power times hours of use in the monthly billing period. By reading your meter at the same time each day, you will get an exact total of the electricity you have used. By writing each daily total on your energy diary, you can chart increases and decreases in your energy use. By noting high consumption activity, such as laundering or cooking, you will know how you are spending your energy dollar.
Remember, just reading a meter alone will not save money; however, it will help you become more aware of overall energy consumption, and being aware is the first step to making wise decisions.