Hi travis5555,
Thank you for your question and clarification. Please note: You'll
find a list of all the online resources used at the end of my answer.
- Call your electric company and ask if the rates are lower during
certain "off-peak" hours. If so, plan to use your electric appliances
during those times.
- Save energy by cleaning or changing the filters to maximize the
efficiency of your HVAC system.
- Turn HVAC systems off at night so fresh air can infiltrate naturally.
- Change your air filters on your furnace and air conditioning or
heat pump once every month. Buy the proper sized filter. Take
advantage of any sales or multiple-unit pricing and stock up. Also,
consider using a pleated filter (better dust trapping) or a type
element filter that can be washed periodically, instead of being
thrown out.
- Install a new high energy efficient HVAC unit to save money on
energy bills. Designed specifically to save energy and save money,
these new systems work better. A residential gas furnace built prior
to 1992 typically has an efficiency rating of only 55%. Even heat
pumps and air conditioners that are only six years old are now
considered inefficient. The new maximum efficiency systems have
ratings of 97% efficiency a possible energy savings of over 40% each
year! With that kind of savings, a new system will quickly pay for
itself.
- Wrap your hot water heater in an insulating jacket/water heater
blanket. Lower the temperature to 120 degrees.
- If you have a dishwasher without its own heating element, set the
temperature to 140 degrees. This will save you up to 7% to 11%. Only
full loads in the dishwasher. Use the energy saver, air-dry cycle, or
if allowed, open the door and let dishes dry naturally. Turn your
water heater down as low as possible if you are not going to be home
for two days or more. Wrap the tank and pipes for additional savings.
Avoid pre-rinsing dishes before putting in dishwasher. It can save up
to $70 a year.
- Prune shrubs that may block airflow to your heat pump.
- Do not set back the heat pump's thermostat manually if it causes
the electric resistance heating to come on. This type of heating,
which is often used as a backup to the heat pump, is more expensive.
- When buying a new furnace, boiler, heat pump, water heater, or
other home appliance, consider a high-efficiency model.
- Keep vents and registers unobstructed ? Move drapes, rugs and
furniture away from heat registers and return-air vents. Free-flowing
air through the furnace provides quick comfort for less money. Arrange
your furniture with heating economy in mind.
- Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed.
- Electric lighting adds heat to a space that must be removed in the
summer by air conditioning. Turn lights off when not in use.
- If you live in an area that lets you choose your natural gas
provider shop around for the best prices on oil and gas.
- Check your ducts. Air ducts take the warm air from your furnace ?
or in summer, cool air from your air conditioner ? and deliver it to
rooms in your home. Hire a professional to seal and insulate leaky
ducts, and to ensure that the airflow distribution system serving your
heating equipment is operating at peak efficiency.
- Buy solar/sun screens to block bright light and heat to improve
energy efficiency. Solar screens on south and west facing windows
will reduce the cooling load of a building in the heat of the summer.
- Add reflective or heat absorbing glazing to windows. They diminish
the natural daylighting but can reduce the solar heat gain
substantially.
- Reduce the cooling load by employing cost-effective conservation
measures. Provide effective shade for east and west windows. When
possible, delay heat-generating activities such as dishwashing until
evening on hot days.
- Keep doors open in all rooms cooled by a central air conditioning
system so that supply air can return easily to the unit.
- Be sure the air conditioning system is fully charged with freon so
it will operate most efficiently when you need it.
- In the heating season set your thermostat as low as is comfortable
when home. Programming your thermostat from 72 degrees to 65 degrees
for eight hours a day while no one is home, or while everyone is
tucked in bed, can cut your heating bill up to 10 percent, paying for
the cost of a basic unit in less than a year.
- During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your
south facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to
enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel
from cold windows.
- Double pane the windows or purchase storm windows.
- In the cooling season, set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher
when you're at home. When you are away from home, set your air
conditioner at 85 to 87 degrees or completely off if your not home for
more than two days.
- During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during
the day to prevent solar gain.
- Tilt blinds slightly to keep direct sunlight from entering a room
and heating it up unnecessarily in the summer.
- Install a replacement roof on your home that is light in color if
the summers are extreme. Your air conditioning will work less to keep
your home cool.
- Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through
the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They are
effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler
than the inside.
- Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air
conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your
home without greatly increasing your power use. Use ceiling fans or
personal fans instead of air conditioning. Open your windows during
the cool part of the day and use ceiling fans to help circulate the
cool air. A constant air movement in home will increase your comfort
level and may result in as much as a 2% adjustment in your thermostat
setting and can be beneficial summer and winter.
- If buying a new air conditioner, be sure that it is properly sized.
Get assistance from an energy auditor or air conditioning contractor.
- In hot, humid climates, make sure that the air conditioner you buy
will adequately get rid of high humidity. Models with variable or
multi-speed blowers are generally best. Try to keep moisture sources
out of the house.
- Try not to use a dehumidifier at the same time your air conditioner
is operating. The dehumidifier will increase the cooling load and
force the air conditioner to work harder.
- Don't place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat.
The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the
air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
- Insulation and sealing air leaks will help your energy performance
in the summertime by keeping the cool air inside.
- Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units but not to
block the airflow. Place your room air conditioner on the north side
of the house. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less
electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
- Weatherize your home?caulk and weatherstrip any doors and windows
that leak air.
- Check the insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement
walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets the levels
recommended for your area.
Save Energy with Ventilation
1. Exhaust Vents
http://homerepair.about.com/od/insulatio1/ss/ventilate_insul.htm
2. Intake Vents
http://homerepair.about.com/od/insulatio1/ss/ventilate_insul_2.htm
3. Test for Air Flow
http://homerepair.about.com/od/insulatio1/ss/ventilate_insul_3.htm
- Make sure your attic is well ventilated. A well-ventilated attic is
as important as a well-insulated attic in the summer. Ventilating can
lower the temperature in your attic as much as 40%. This can result in
you're A/C running as much as 10% to 15% less to maintain the
temperature in the home. When your attic gets hot it can stay hot long
after it cools down outside. It takes as long for your insulation to
cool down as it took to heat it up. This is why you're A/C is working
sometimes long after it cools down outside. Insulate ceilings to R-30
standards, if your attic is less than R-Save up to 25% of energy used
for heating. You can save more if you also insulate walls and duct
work.
- Radiant barriers in the attic space prevent much thermal energy
from entering the occupied space and burdening the air conditioning.
- Clean out bird nests and debris from attic louvers so that air can
flow freely through the attic space. Your home will be cooler.
- Install low flow showerheads; you'll be surprised how much this
simple device can cut your hot water costs.
- Give your refrigerator breathing room, clean coils and don't set
the temperature to low. Fresh foods keep at 37% to 42%, frozen foods
at 0% to 5%. Unplug and recycle your second refrigerator. If your
refrigerator is ten or more years old consider replacing. Look for the
energy star label when buying new.
- Locate the refrigerator away from the stove, a heating vent or
where the sun will shine directly on it.
- When using your oven to prepare meals, don't preheat your oven. Try
using a microwave or toaster oven for small meals. If you must use the
oven, try cooking complete meals of several dishes simultaneously.
You can turn off the oven or stove a few minutes before an item is
finished cooking and the residual heat will finish the job.
- Clean your gutters and install gutter guards or sceens. Leaves and
debris can obstruct the flow of melting snow and ice, allowing water
to seep into the house and drip from ceilings and walls.
- Limit use of your fireplace. A roaring fire is a costly indulgence.
A fire draws air up the chimney, where it's replaced by cold air. When
the cold air comes inside, it puts additional demand on your furnace
or heat pump.
- When you use your fireplace, you can reduce the stress on your
heating system by opening dampers at the bottom of the firebox. If you
don't have dampers, open a nearby window about 1 inch. Close the doors
leading into the room and lower your thermostat to between 50 and 55
degrees, the DOE recommends.
- Plug fireplace flues with foam or Styrofoam block to stop warm air
from escaping up the chimney. Remove when fireplace is in use.
- When cooking, use your microwave or toaster oven for smaller meals.
They use much less energy than electric ranges. Pressure cookers are
also more energy-efficient because they reduce cooking time. To
prevent heat from escaping, use pans that match the size of the
burners.
- Three trees, planted strategically around your home, can save $100
to $250 a year in heating and cooling costs, the DOE says. A
well-placed tree, shrub, or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a
windbreak, and reduce overall energy bills.
- Install a bath fan to insure that humid air is removed from your
home, helping to improve indoor air quality and comfort levels.
- Adjust the water level on your washing machine to match the load
size, especially when using hot water. Always use a cold rinse.
- Dry full loads in your clothes dryer. ? You?ll use less energy per
clothing item. And when one load is done, follow up with another load
to benefit from the residual heat.
- Clean the lint screen between each load ? A clean screen allows for
quick drying cycle.
- Use the auto sensor function on your dryer, if you have one, to
conserve energy by not over-drying your clothes.
- Adding insulation to your home can reduce your heating and cooling
costs and make your home more comfortable, especially for homes built
before 1982.
- For indoor lighting use tube fluorescent and energy efficient
compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in fixtures.
- Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider
installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the
amount of time your lights are on.
- Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It
typically accounts for about 16% of your utility bill. There are four
ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down
the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or
buy a new, more efficient water heater.
- Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in
the average household. You use 15-25 gallons of hot water for a bath,
but less than 10 gallons during a 5-minute shower.
- Keep a kettle simmering on the oven to raise indoor humidity in the
winter for increased comfort. You will also be able to turn the
thermostat down a few degrees and still be comfortable.
- Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not
to cover the thermostat. When insulating a natural gas or oil hot
water storage tank, be careful not to cover the water heater's top,
bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer's
recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.
- Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected
to the water heater.
- Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to
prevent heat loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
- Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to
remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency
of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps
to take, so follow the manufacturer's advice.
- Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more
initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will
continue during the lifetime of the appliance. If your current water
heater is electric, consider switching to a natural gas water heater
if gas is available. Look for the EnergyGuide label.
- Homes and businesses can lower the temperature of domestic hot
water in the summer months and still provide adequate comfort and
service.
- A gas powered furnace or hot water heater located in the home must
have adequate ventilation so the equipment has enough combustion air
to perform at peak efficiency.
===========
When energy prices rise, so does advertising for a host of
energy-saving products and services, including some that are
overpriced or just plain bogus. Be wary of devices, gadgets and
energy-saving products that promise drastic reductions in home heating
costs or extreme energy savings.
*****
Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy
consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers
at the top of the consumption list. Consider the purchase price, the
operating cost, and maintenance costs during its lifetime when buying
a new appliance.
You'll be paying on that operating price tag every month with your
utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance.
Refrigerators last an average of 20 years; room air conditioners and
dishwashers, about 10 years each; clothes washers, about 14 years.
*****
Ask your utility or oil company about a budget billing plan to protect
against sudden or unexpected price increases.
http://www.eon-us.com/rsc/lge/budget_billing_form.asp
U.S. Department of Energy - Major Appliance Shopping Guide
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/shopping_guide.html
How to Read the EnergyGuide Label
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/energyguide.html
About.com - Before You Buy a Programmable Thermostat
http://homerepair.about.com/od/hvac/bb/bb_prog_stat.htm
Here is an Energy Quiz you can use for your customers:
http://www.bgehome.com/energy_quiz.html
=========
Resource list:
Department of Energy provides Net tips to save on utility bills
http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news/stories/20050206/localnews/74271.shtml
Expense # 1: Utilities
http://www.ducksoftware.com/get-out-of-debt/utilities.html
energy saving now
http://energy.saving.nu/tips/ventilation.shtml
U.S. Department of Energy
http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/
LG&E Seasonal Energy Savings Tips
http://www.lgeenergy.com/rsc/lge/energy_saving_tips.asp
BGE Home - Energy Tips
http://www.bgehome.com/energy_tips.html
FPL - Top 10 Tips to Save You Money
http://www.fpl.com/home/energy_advisor/top_10_tips/contents/top_10_tips.shtml
Unitil - Energy Saving Tips In Your Home
http://services.unitil.com/ceco/res_energy_saving_tips.asp
Ways to Save on Utility Bills
http://www.cynroberts.com/mywebpage/Article%2035.html
Twenty-three Tips for Keeping the House Cool
http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/218
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I used various combinations of the following keywords for my search:
HVAC energy utility save money bills tips hints thermostat air
conditioner a/c heating furnace water gas electric oil summer winter
seasonal windows insulation
=========
Best regards,
tlspiegel |
