Where Are You Using Your Electricity?
Dec 27, 2008 – As our readers know the quickest return on your green energy investment in the short term is with energy conservation. And energy conservation is also valuable in the long term because the items you install and the habits that you change affect your energy usage over the long term also. As we are rapidly approaching 2009, here is a guide to the average monthly energy charges in your home [remember that although these figures are in $, they are proportional to the amount of energy used per item]:
Bathing/water heating: $18.00
Bedroom/Living Room: Fan [each] $7.00
TV $4.00 to 5.00
Lamp [each] $1.00 – 2.00
Air Conditioning: $1.10 per hour
Central Air Conditioning: $103.00-113.00
Kitchen Appliances: Microwave $3.00
Range $8.00
Oven $4.00-5.00
Refrigerator $9.00-18.00
Dishwasher $12.00
Office $8.00-15.00
Laundry Washing Machine [cold water] $4.00-$5.00
Washing Machine [warm water] $12.00-14.00
Dryer $15.00
Outdoor Area Pool Pump $27.00-30.00
Hot Tub $22.00
Outdoor Lights: $5.00-6.00
So what are the easiest ways to conserve energy? Look at the list above and decide to use a cold water detergent and save $8 to 9 per month. Replace incandescent light bulbs with CFLs. Raise the temperature on your AC thermostat 2 degrees and save 3% per degree. If you are heating move the thermostat down 2 degrees. By the way, either with heating or AC, be sure to replace or clean air filters once a month. Leave the fan switch on “auto” so that the fan is not running constantly. Dry more of your clothes by putting them on a hanger and letting them air dry. Run your pool pump for 7 hours instead of 8 hours and immediately save 12.5% of that monthly energy. Do I suggest that you shut off your hot tub? Sure, just use your neighbor’s tub while you discuss more ways to go green. Now, there are ways to save energy that will require initial investments. New EnergyStar appliances may save considerable amounts of energy and repay your initial investment in several years. New central air conditioner units may have a SEER rating of 18-20 compared to the original 9 or 10 of the unit that you have. And that number was calculated when the unit was brand new 8-15 years ago. If your unit was originally 10 and you replace it with one with a 20 rating, you will cut your AC energy use by 50%. And there are tax credits and credits from many utility companies. Many refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and dryers are also much more energy efficient and have relatively short payback periods. The earlier you make the changes in 2009 the greater will be the effect for earth and yourself. Please post and comment here on the green energy savings that you are implementing in 2009.
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[...] Vote Where Are You Using Your Electricity? [...]
How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long — the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in — costing you higher heating bills.
Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.
But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home — the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer? Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Attic Stairs
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add an attic stair cover. An attic stair cover provides an air seal, reducing the air leaks. Add the desired amount of insulation over the cover to restore the insulation removed from the ceiling.
Whole House Fans and AC Returns
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a whole house fan cover. Installed from the attic side, the whole house fan cover is invisible. Cover the fan to reduce heating and air-conditioning loss, remove it when use of the fan is desired.
Fireplaces
A recent study showed that for many consumers, their heating bills may be more than $500 higher per winter due to the air leakage and wasted energy caused by fireplaces.
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a fireplace draftstopper. Available from Battic Door, a company known for their energy conservation products, a fireplace draftstopper is an inflatable pillow that seals the damper, eliminating any air leaks. The pillow is removed whenever the fireplace is used, then reinserted after.
Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a dryer vent seal. This will reduce unwanted air infiltration, and keep out pests, bees and rodents as well. The vent will remain closed unless the dryer is in use. When the dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint and moisture to escape.
If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan, an AC return, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, you can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover, an attic access door, and is the U.S. distributor of the fireplace draftstopper. To learn more visit http://www.batticdoor.com
Totally agree that energy conservation is the fastest way to see one’s utility bills reduced month after month.
We’ve collected over 100 different energy conservation ideas different people are using to reduce their home’s energy consumption at zero cost and another 80 or so that are very cheap to do. You can see them here: http://dailyhomerenotips.com/energy-conservation/
My vote would be for the State & Federal governments to provide free home energy audits by an accredited professional. We had one done about a year ago and learned so much about home energy conservation in general and about what needed / could be done to our specific home. It would create jobs and expand an industry (energy efficiency analysis) and help to reduce energy consumption, all of which are in need right now.
Dan
Readers should check with their local utility company. Many have free energy audit programs. FPL [Florida Power & Light] has one & I am having a free audit Tuesday, Dec 30, so that I can start off 2009 with a list of items to address. Check back at this blog for my discussion of the results of the audit.
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