GreenEnergyForEarth.com – Solar & Wind Power Products

Jan 4, 2009 – As previously noted, I scheduled a free energy audit by FPL of my residence. Well, here are the results. Overall, the energy use and expense for a house of this size is below normal. This is an all-electric house; there is no natural gas or propane service. Here is the estimated breakdown: Pool, 24%; Appliances: 16%; Water Heating, 16%; Ceiling Fans, 10%; Refrigerator/Freezer, 10%; Laundry, 9%; AC, 6%; Lighting, 5%; Cooking, 4%. In the summer, the total amount of electricity used will double and then 50% of the electricity will be for AC. The insulation in the attic is above specification and there are no major air leaks. There was a small air leak into the air conditioner where the filter is placed. This was quickly repaired with, you guessed it, duct tape. This also prevents carbon monoxide from getting into the system is you leave your car running in the garage, which you shouldn’t do anyway. The largest use of electricity in December was the pool pump because south Florida had a cool month. The auditor advised to cut back the pool pump usage to 4 hours/day in the winter & 6 hours/day in the summer. That will save me 4 hours/day in the winter [50%] and 2 hours/day in the summer [25%]. In the summer the AC is the largest electricity use in south Florida and the pool pump is #2. Thus, I will save 50% on the #1 use in the winter & 25% on the #2 use in the summer. Cut down as much as possible on sunlight getting into the house through unshaded windows. For example, the auditor checked the temperature of the west facing window: 115°F [46°C] and the floor where the sunlight was hitting, 87°F [30.5°C]. What about the ubiquitous ceiling fans that one finds in south Florida and throughout the southern states? Leave them on 24/7 as most people do and it costs you about $7 per month. The recommendation is to use them as you do lights: shut them off when you leave the room. The reason is that they don’t cool off the room. There is adequate air circulation from the AC fan. Use them only when you are in the room as the extra air movement on one’s skin helps reduce your own temperature. What about CFL bulbs? I have already installed some, but if you look above you will see that lighting is only 5% of the total in winter and probably only 2% in the summer when AC usage is up and the days are longer. Thus, even a 50% reduction will only result in a 1-2% reduction in overall usage. So, replace burned out bulbs with CFLs, but it is probably not the most efficient use of your energy efficiency investment. What about replacing your AC unit with high SEER rated new units? Again, the dollar payback stretches out probably to 7 years even with current rebates and tax credits.

What are the most cost effective energy reducers? In Florida and the southern US, AC is the biggest energy use. Ergo, raise the temperature on your thermostat. Every degree saves 9% and there is no investment cost. Raise the temperature on your thermostat every time you are out of the house for 4 or more hours, especially if go away for a weekend or vacation. Make sure you have enough cooling to prevent mold growth. Keep you AC unit clear and clean. Clean your air filters monthly. Keep sunlight out of the house by closing blinds, drapes and shades at no cost to you. Make sure that your shower head is rated at 2.5 gal/min. If it fills a gallon pail in less than 24 sec, then replace it with a flow restrictor shower head. Use a dishwasher instead of hand washing. It uses 1/3 less hot water. Don’t pre-rinse dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. You’ll save $70/year and an equivalent amount of energy. What about the laundry? Did you know that 90% of the energy used to wash clothes is from heating the water? Use a cold water detergent and always use a cold water rinse. When it is time to replace the washer get a front loading model. They use less water and also save dryer time and energy by spinning the clothes faster. While we are discussing hot water, make sure that the thermostat on your water heater is set to 120°F. Shut off your water heater if you will be away for several days. Shutting it off for shorter times only saves about $2/month. Of course, the best way to heat water is to install a solar water heater and/or a heat recovery unit. A heat recovery unit takes heat generated by AC equipment and uses it to heat your hot water instead of just discharging it. Clean the lint filter in your dryer after each use. Again, this will not cost you anything. Note that is also important to make sure that the discharge duct is clean so that you do not get a lint fire! When you replace your dryer make sure to get one with an auto-dry sensor to save energy. Make sure that all your appliance purchases for home and office are EPA “EnergyStar” rated so that you are getting the most energy efficient.

Please comment on what measures you are taking to make your home and office more energy efficient and what green energy items you are installing. What has been the impact on your carbon imprint, energy efficiency and investments and savings.