Lower Energy Bill

Looking for ways to save some money on your electricity bills?

The Energy Providers in Indiana have got together to provide local homeowners with tips and tricks to save energy. These tips are useful in all areas of the country and are available in 10 simple steps. If you are looking for more understanding about furnace filters etc. They have an excellent walk-you-through video on their mainpage: http://www.lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com/. The 10 tips I'm using can be found here: http://www.lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com/tips.aspx.

10 tips to lower your monthly energy bill from lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com:

1. Install (AND USE) a programmable thermostat - I say this and say this and say this...programmable thermostats are seriously 100% more useful than manual thermostats. They save you money, control the temperature and operate consistantly to keep your pipes from freezing or your home from boiling. What's not to love? The tip to lower your monthly energy bill is:

   turn your thermostat down 10 degrees while you are sleeping.

2. Wear socks and a sweater inside

   During the winter of course, and in the summer wear comfortable, light weight and colored materials. This will regulate your body temperature and allow for a less agressive tempearture required in the home.
3. They suggest putting a humidifier in frequently used rooms. Humidifying options are available on many of the newer ac and heating units. However, in California, where we don't have too much of a humidity problem - this shouldn't be too much of a concern unless there are respiratory issues.
4. They also suggest closing off rooms that aren't used. While this isn't going to save you any actual energy, it can help to ensure that the rest of the house is more comfortable. So if you can close off a room, it might be worth it.

5. Keep your garage door shut

   . Keeping the door shut blocks out blasts of hot or cool air. If you think about it, the garage door is large, and most garages are attached in some way to the house. If the garage becomes stifling hot - where do you think that air is going to move to? Scientifically through the process of heat transfer heat always moves from the warmer to the cooler. So if your home is cooler (through running of the ac) and your garage is warmer, the warmer air will try to get to the cooler air, effectivly ruining the nice inside temperature of the home. Keep the garage door - and for that matter, all other doors and windows CLOSED!
6. Consider adding insulation. In Indiana they require at least 12 inches. California is somewhat less, but there can never be too much insulation right?
7. Unplug appliances when they are not being used. Switching the "off" switch only turns off a certain amount of energy. Try squids or powerstrips! Once again, I say this and say this...
8. Common sense: Turn off the lights when not in a room.
9. Turn off the water when you are: brushing teeth, shaving...etc. etc. Especially in the winter, when you are utilizing the hot water heater to make the water a nice temperature. Avoiding heating water you may not be using will also bring your energy bill down.
10. This last one, I found a bit confusing? I use the iron all the time...but it's hot and capable of burning through things...I don't know why one would leave it on and unattended...but their #10 sugestion was to turn off the electric iron when taking a break from ironing. Go figure? But I guess every little bit helps.

Use these and other tips to lower your monthly energy bill. Also check out their video on furnace filters!

Summer's Comming...

Can you feel it in the air? Summer's creeping up. Before you know it, it will be 400degrees and 80% humidity.

Well, not exactly. But it CAN feel like that if you have no air...or sometimes if you do. If your air system was installed in the 90s or before, the air pressure is probably lacking and your home is probably not as cool as it should be.

Things to know about new systems:

1. The mechanism to even out humidity levels are much more refined in newer units. That means that in the summer more humidity will be taken out of your cooled air, and less humidity will be taken out of heated air to ensure the optimum degree of comfort.
2. The refrigerant is environmentally friendly. That means that you can flip the switch and not worry about contaminants getting into your environment.
3. Newer units save energy - that means they save money.
4. Ductwork is also getting more refined. That means that contractors take more time planning how they lay duct (making paths straight) and connections are better insulated preventing leaks. This keeps your home more comfortable as more air can get where it needs to go! Think about having your ducts replaced when you start looking into a new unit.
5. The filters on newer units catch more dust/pollen AND are easier to clean/replace. This makes a big difference in the air quality of your home. There are even newer add-ons that you can attach to units to increase the quality of air even more - by using electrical charges to gather particles.

These are just a few of the newer amenities available with newer installs. If your home isn't comfortable, don't wait another sizzling summer to get a unit that works. Take advantage of the tax credit, economic stimuls and sales!

Drafty Rooms

Source: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_solutions.hm_improvement_draftyrooms

Drafty Rooms Diagnosis: Cold air leaking into your house around windows, doors, electrical outlets, light fixtures, and gaps in corners, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable. As cold air is coming in through leaks, warm air is escaping through other leaks. The biggest leaks for escaping air are often found in the attic, and recessed lights are a common location. Prescription Checklist: Air sealing (Home Sealing) can help stop drafts and improve the comfort of your home. The most important leaks are often in the attic. You can do some things yourself, but for the best solution you need to hire a contractor. Ask your heating and cooling contractor to check ducts for air leaks and balanced airflow. If you have a fireplace, close the damper when not in use. You may also be interested in: Home Sealing Cold Floors Hot or Cold Rooms

How should one go about "sealing" their home? First, check to see what areas might be in need of sealing. If you notice one room particularly cooler (or hotter) than the others, I would start there.

Here is a very simple and basic list to start sealing your home:

1. Ensure the spaces around windows and doors are sealed. This can be as easy as caulking around the perimeters or as difficult as having a professional replace older windows.
2. Install dampers in chimneys to prevent air loss through the chimneys.
3. Check the amount of insulation your home requires. (There are different numbers according to the location of your home.) Pay special attention to the attic - a homeowner may add insulation or a type of radiant barrier to reflect sunlight and prevent the attic from getting overly warm during summer.

If you want to provide your home with the highest potential draft reduction, it is best to hire a contractor that specializes in home envelope testing. To test for the envelope, a contractor may use infrared tracking, air vacuum measuring and other 'new-fangled' types of figuring where your home may have leaks.

If your home is well sealed, you are not heating or cooling the outside - AND that saves you money on your energy bills. :)

AC lifespan

How long is an Air Conditioning unit actually supposed to work?

Well, cars...run for about 10 years without major problems, and so too do air conditioners. If your air system is well maintained, that lifespan can stretch to 15 years. Newer systems (those installed after 2006) should last around 15 years, maybe more with proper care and maintenance.

Why should you upgrade your unit if it is more than 10 years old?

1. There are MUCH more efficient systems on the market today! What does that mean? That if you upgrade, you will be (1)more comfortable (2) saving money on energy bills and (3) making less of a negative impact on your environment. For example, furnace (heating) units manufactured today have up to 95.5% efficiency. That means that there is only about 5% of the energy escaping as exhaust. Compared to a 60, or even 80 AFUE that is 5% waste compared to 40 or even 20% waste. That's a BIG difference! With air conditioning, it's measured in SEER - the current standard (set by the government is 13) but units are available up to 21. SEER is a little harder to understand, but the easiest ballpark way to understand it is to give each number over a SEER of 10, 10% more efficiency. So if you currently have a SEER 8 a 13 SEER would save you about 38$ off of every $100 you would previously been spending on cooling costs. That's bringing your theoretic bill down from 100$ to $60. I could think of somethings to spend that $40 on...
2. Repairs are costly! Like a car, at some point it becomes more expensive to repair the car than it does to replace the system. Especially if you already have ductwork, the change-out/upgrade process can take one afternoon. If your unit is constatnly breaking down or needing odds and ends replaced, you should really consider getting a new unit.
3. There are add-ons available with newer units. Not only are they more efficient, but they also take into consideration things like air quality and humidity control that older units don't. Humidity is what makes us feel "hot" and if your unit isn't doing a very good job of extracting humidity - you are still going to feel warm, and you are going to crank up your ac, run it for longer and spend more money in the long run. Also, if you have young children, or someone with a respiratory illness, improving the air quality in your home may make a DRASTIC difference in their comfort and medication needs.
4. TAX CREDITS & REBATES! Much of the stimulus package just passed has stipulations for increased energy efficiency. That means that if you upgrade your air system, there are a couple different places you can get money from! You can get a $1,500 tax credit for next year, Edison and the Gas company may also kick in some rebate money (depending on the SEER, small print etc. etc.) And your local city may also sponsor some upgrades that tie in with home values.
5. On that line of thinking, up to 92% of potential homebuyers are looking to buy a home with an upgraded, efficient air system. If your home has a quality system, that's one more point in your favor - and in this market, every little bit helps. It also helps to retain the value of your home if you plan on living in it for years to come.

These are just a few of the reasons...but I think saving money in energy costs is HUGE. Bringing your monthly bill downwards sounds like a great idea to me! If you are unsure of whether or not it will be worth it in your own situation, we can calculate a cost/benefit analysis for you showing how many years it will take to pay for your new unit in energy savings.

20% Vampire

Do you own a TV? a computer? a VCR...the list goes on and on. Electronics are beginning to replace the refrigerator as the leading energy-users in the residential home.

But what can you do about that energy use? First things first - MEASURE it! Source: http://www.fypower.org/news/?p=629&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eNewswire&utm_content=601417125&utm_campaign=e-Newswire+Issue+641+_+hjtkn&utm_term=Are+Energy+Vampires+Quietly+Boosting+Your+Bills%3f (please keep in mind that this is a newsletter entry and the address may change). The average home should be spending about 10-15% of their energy costs when appliances are in stand-by mode. If you have a high number of electronics this number may be considerably higher. There are measuring devices, so you can see how much your energy use is being affected by vampire appliances (appliances that use energy even while turned off.) How can you tell if an appliance is a vampire? This is really easy in the dark (This is really funny to me - vampires...coming out at night...) At night, or with the home dark check for those little red, green...or orange? etc. Lights. These little lights, like on your TV, or computer monitor show that there is POWER to the unit. If there is POWER to the unit and you aren't using the unit - that POWER is being WASTED.

Simple fixes? Turn off the units when they aren't being used.

Even easier? Use a power strip or a squid. -- Okay, but don't just buy the thing - you actually have to trip the little power switch on the power strip to make it actually useful. That way you can turn off your entire entertainment system when you aren't using it. That makes life so much easier...it's all on one button.

Why spend money on energy you're not even using?

Beat The Heat!

Today's posting is inspired by and quoted within: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,218939,00.html

Beat the heat! According to THIS OLD HOUSE (as posted on thisoldhouse.com), it is possible to stay cool and only spend around $25!

Interested? Thinking it's too good to be true? Well, as for myself, these fixes are pretty easy and also pretty cheap.

---

10 Ways to Beat the Heat By David Dobbs

"No, it's not your imagination—it definitely is getting hotter. The eight warmest years on record occurred over the past decade. But staying cool this summer doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay a fortune to keep the air-conditioning running day and night. Here are 10 tips—most costing less than $25—that will keep you comfortable and cut the typical $1,000 cooling bill by as much as half. What's needed to get the temperature to drop? Only a little time and a few changes in your routine."

What does he recommend first? Easy - changing the setting on your thermostat. Homeowners who can bear to set their central air conditioning to 78 degrees save on cooling.

Second - Use a fan. I told you all this was a good idea. According to Dobbs,

"A fan, which costs two to five cents per hour to operate, will make a room feel 4 to 6 degrees cooler. Also, a fan works well in tandem with an air conditioner because the dehumidifying action of the air conditioner provides drier air that the fan can then move around."

Third - Use your environment:

"At night when the temperature drops, open windows and bring in cool air with window fans or a whole-house fan. As soon as the sun comes up or the air starts to heat up, shut the windows and shades and keep doors closed."

Fourth- BLOCK THE SUN - use shades, drapes, awnings...etc. Even trees.

Fifth - Install a programmable thermostat - OR make use of the one you already have. If you have a programmable thermostat, but are using it like a manual (turning it off and on whenever you want) you aren't saving any money. One of the biggest benefits for the programmable thermostat is that you can set it to any temperature. So if you aren't home from 8-5 you can run your air conditioning programmed at 80-85 degrees. Then, at 5, you can have the temperature crank up to 78 or 75, so that when you walk in the door at 5:30 your home is comfortable. Believe it or not it takes less energy to maintain a cool temperature than to cool down your home after it's been soaking up the heat all day. It can reach temperatures in the high 100s inside your closed-up home in direct sunlight. How long do you think it will take to get your home to a livable temperature after it's been baking all day? It's much better to avoid that situation all together!

Sixth - Don't add extra heat to your home - Avoid cooking in the oven, or running warm appliances like the dish washer or clothes dryer. These can add to your cooling space.

Seventh - Avoid incandescent bulbs - or turn off unneeded lights all together.

Eighth - Make sure your ducts are installed properly and maintained at a regular basis. If there are leaks or cracks in the ducts- or even if something got pulled away you could be paying to heat your attic or other semi-outside space. It is important to get your ducts inspected if you have lost force in your air flow.

Ninth - seal around windows & doors - if your home is leaky - you are inviting hot air from the outside in, and paying for it to be cooled.

Tenth - Insulate your attic - the attic can get up to 150 degrees! That air will make your entire home feel hotter. There are different ways you can prevent this from ceiling insulation to radiant heat barriers. See what would be best for you.

This old house also has videos etc. on how to install any of these items and more HVAC tips!

HOT!

As you may have noticed...weather this year has been a rollercoaster, AND it's not done yet! This summer is going to be 30-40 degrees warmer than usual...What does that mean?

It's HOT! outside. It was hot over the weekend. My friends and family gathered in a backyard for a birthday party, and in anyother April, there might have been equal chance of a nice sunny day, or a cold and rainy one. This Sunday was STEAMING hot. If you air conditioning unit hasn't been used in a while, and hasn't been serviced (regardless of whether or not you've been using your heater), your AC is WAY more likely to have a breakdown when the heat hits. That's why it is so important to schedule bi-yearly services and to turn your air conditioner on for a test before it gets really hot. Because, when it gets hot....everyone is in the same boat, and when all those neglected AC units fail, your time for service can be considerably longer than if you had taken precautionary measures. For example, you don't wait for your car to start smoking under the hood until you take it in for service, why should you wait on your AC?

Here's what you can do as a homeowner:

• Turn your air conditioning on (even if only for about a half an hour) on a warmish day to make sure it still works.
• Be sure to replace your disposable filters or wash your washable air filters at the appropriate intervals (about three months). Some people have never changed their air filter during the duration they have had a home - if you are buying a new home ASK how to change the filter and where the filter is located. This easy change can save your air system's efficiency AND your family's breathing.
• Make sure to use your resources. Close the blinds on hot days. Add screens to the outside of windows and doors that get the sun for extended periods during the day. It takes a lot less energy to cool a warm house than it does to cool an extremely hot house. Also, avoid cooking with the oven or taking overly-hot, steamy showers.
• Try to circulate air. Make sure that none of your furniture (or drapes) are blocking air vents or creating impossible paths for air to get cut off in. If you own a small fan, it may also be a good idea to strategically place the fan to circulate cold air.
• Set your thermostat properly. Cranking the thermostat all the way up to 50 degrees isn't going to cool your home any faster. It's just going to waste excess enrgy. Leave it at a comfortable temperature and be patient - BETTER YET: Turn your air conditioning ON before the peak of the day's heat Once again, it is easier to cool a warm house than a hot house AND it's easier to keep a cool house cool.
• USE your programmable thermostat! Set your thermostat to an appropriate temperature and leave it there. Cranking the numbers up and down will create unequal cooling and be very inefficient! If you don't have a programable thermostat, think about getting one. There can be substantial energy savings and they can be left on even if you are away from the home. However, be careful when discarding old thermostats, many of them contain mercury and while it is a very small amount it is enough to effectivley poision a whole pond. Please discard the thermostat at a waste event or find another suitable solution.

If these tips aren't enough to get your unit back in running condition, arrange a service call with your local licensed HVAC contractor.

There are a select number of service duties that should only be done by a professional. For example, the refrigerant in your unit requires a license to install/carry. If your unit isn't running like it should, it is a good idea to have a professional look at it.

Hope all these tips are helpful and keep you and your family COOL!

EnergyWise House

Bob Villa, home-improvement maaven for the ages, has provided ways that you can make sure your air system is energy efficient. His site goes through the very beginning of chosing a correctly sized Air Conditioner, to what you can do to make sure your unit stays efficient.

View the original article here: http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/EnergyWise_House_Energy_Efficient_Air_Conditioning-Air_Conditioning-A1629.html Some of the highlights:

• Make sure your air conditioning is properly sized - bigger isn't always better. If your unit is too large, the air conditioner will turn on and off too quickly - and that wastes money and energy!
• Make sure you choose a contractor that takes the time to explain things to you. If there isn't a clear vision, or a precisely written contract - RUN the other way.

• "Hiring Professional Service When your air conditioner needs more than the regular maintenance described previously, hire a professional service technician. A well-trained technician will find and fix problems in your air conditioning system. However, not all service technicians are competent. Incompetent service technicians forsake proper diagnosis and perform only minimal stop-gap measures. Insist that the technician: • check for correct amount of refrigerant; • test for refrigerant leaks using a leak detector; • capture any refrigerant that must be evacuated from the system, instead of illegally releasing it to the atmosphere; • check for and seal duct leakage in central systems; • measure air flow through the evaporator coil; • verify the correct electric control sequence and make sure that the heating system and cooling system cannot operate simultaneously; • inspect electric terminals, clean and tighten connections, and apply a non-conductive coating if necessary; • oil motors and check belts for tightness and wear; and • check the accuracy of the thermostat."

• "If you are replacing an older or failed split system, be sure that the evaporator coil is replaced with a new one that exactly matches the condenser coil in the new condensing unit. (The air conditioner's efficiency will likely not improve if the existing evaporator coil is left in place; in fact, the old coil could cause the new compressor to fail prematurely.)"

Just some helpful hints...from Bob Villa. ;) Happy Home-making...

Hot or Cold Spoits?

Heating or Cooling your space is only half the battle - keeping air moving and a constant, comfortable room temperature is the other!

There are many different ways to heat and cool your residence or place of business. These range from mushy swamp coolers all the way to hard-core commercial air conditioning units that live on a roof. However, the problem, regardless of the size or type, seems to be uniform cooling or heating. If there are hot or cold spots in your house or business, your air system is not as efficient as it needs to be. There is hot or cold air that is escaping, which is then making your unit work harder (and for longer) than it would normally need to. I have previously posted about what to do if you have hot or cold spots (check your duct work, seal cracks...etc.) But there is a company in Georgia that uses strategically placed fans to keep air moving like it should.

Read the complete article and Green News' take on it: http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2008/20080058.html Visit the Georgia company's site at: http://www.coencogroup.com

The Coenco Group's system works best for larger 'box-shaped' buildings. The company installs air conditioning systems and then does a study to see where the hot and cold patches of the room are. Then, they install fans to keep air moving and create a more even distribution in the room. With the fans installed and providing a more comfortable temperature less mainstream air conditioning (or heating) units are required to cool (or heat) the space. This has the potential to create huge savings on energy bills, while keeping the same level of comfort. Even though this technology is being used only for larger buildings at the present time, this type of fan use can be applicable to residential homes in the future. This might even be a quick fix for a homeowner. If you have a spot in your home that isn't being cooled properly, try a small house fan to circulate some of the cooled air. While a small fan isn't a permanent fix, it should at least tide you over until a better solution can be found.

Heat Pump

Heating and cooling your home is usually cheaper when utilizing a heat pump system, with new technology right on the horizon, it may be even less expensive.

A company based out of chilly, new England - Maine to be exact, believes they have the answer for both energy efficiency and comfort. I found the article on green energy news - here: http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2007/20070111.html But please also visit the company's site for more information: Hallowell International http://www.gotohallowell.com as well as the:US Green Building Council http://www.usgbc.org.

The Hallowell company has devised a heat pump that uses two different systems. The first system is for basic air conditioning. It utilizes a multi-phase condensing unit to run at the most efficient phase until the home is cooled to the set point on the thermostat. The heating, is where most heat pumps run into problems. Either they are not warm enough -(especially in cooler areas when the temperature drops below 30 degrees Fahrenheit) or their 'back-up' heating systems are using too much gas and therefore eliminating the cost efficiency. However, the Hallowell's heat pump does not use the traditional form of "extra" heating. Instead, Hallowell uses another technique:

"The company has added a second compressor in its ACHP to boost the performance of the first and primary compressor in cold temperatures. The company calls the system Opti-Cycle (tm). The company says their system does not require back-up electric heat for operation in below freezing temperatures. It will provide heat with Opti-Cycle as low as minus 30 F, according to the company website. The company also says that air flowing from registers is as high as 120 degrees: warm enough to feel warm.

If the hassle is eliminated from heat pumps - it might just be a perfect combination of staying comfortable and keeping money in your wallet.

100% Sod

As 'Green' Building techniques take advantage of newer technology, one has to wonder if the 'old' ways of doing things weren't just a little bit better?

In Serbia, a man has created a 'sod' home that utilizes soil around the house as an insulation to provide most of the heating and cooling energy needs. The layer of soil (and grass - his lawn goes up and over his home) insulates the home so well, that solar panels and reflective window panels can effectively heat and cool the home most of the time. The first one of these homes was built in the 1970s and now there are 10 of these homes in Serbia, racking up the savings in home energy costs.

Energy Disclosure

Benchmarking has been a popular way to compare your home's energy use with those around you.

And as technology increases, comparisons are easier to make and more accurate. However, the article in Home Energy Online's March/April Editorial asks what role privacy should play within growing comparisons. See their message for yourself at: http://www.homeenergy.org/blog.php?id=45

For the purposes of the article, several different types of energy measuring outcomes were discussed. The article outlines energy comparisons for:

• Real Estate - making the utility bills available to home buyers
• Benchmarking residential water use - highlighting the city of Austin Texas' bold move of "exposing the ten largest residential water users."
• The article even brings up the fact that most utility companies (with outdated billing machines)cannot provide the data to benchmark energy/water/gas...etc. within their customers.

Then, Home Energy editors even speak about the use of google earth etc. to map energy use in comparison to homes in your area.

So which is more important? Privacy or being able to gauge your energy use? While privacy is important, and name-shame techniques are harmful, I believe there is some use in being able to compare your energy use with others around you. I mean, I try and turn the water off while brushing my teeth...but I would want to know if my water bill was super high, then I could target specific areas and really make a difference.

It all comes down to you, your personal preference. Should you compare your energy/resource use with others or is it an invasion of privacy?

"We Care"

The economy today is getting everybody 'down' but even as times get tough, there are small chances of inspiration woven into daily life.

Perhaps not exactly, the 'inspiration' that other things are, BUT the southern California Gas company and other local electric/energy companies are getting together to put on "We Care" events throughout the region.

Visit their website at: http://www.socalgas.com/wecare/ for more details.

Here is a copy of the schedule:

Monday, April 20 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. We CARE California Resource Fair Bakersfield Thursday, April 23 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. SCE's We CARE Resource Fair Long Beach Thursday, April 23 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. PG&E’s We CARE and Emergency Food Bank Resource Fair Stockton Thursday, April 23 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. SDG&E's We CARE Resource Fair at The Urban League of San Diego’s 20th Annual Career Opportunity Exchange San Diego Friday, April 24 2 p.m. – 8 p.m. We CARE California Resource Fair South Los Angeles Saturday, April 25 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. We CARE Resource Fair at the Imperial County Children's Fair El Centro Visit your utility’s booth and enter a prize drawing to receive a $50 gift card to a grocery or discount store.

These 'fairs' are organized to inform the public about the various ways that the energy companies are trying to help their customers and provide some relief from the economy. They will discuss low-income programs and other rebates. If you have some time, it might be a good idea to check one out near you. If you have children, this is an excellent teaching opportunity to show how 'grown-ups' try and help each other out sometimes. It is also a good opportunity to teach them how to look for resources within your own community.

Energy Measuring

Yesterday’s blog entry described the “snackwell effect” for energy use with energy “efficient” appliances. Today’s entry will go over different ways to prevent (or rather, be aware) of the energy use in your home.

There are a couple of different outside ‘measuring’ devices that a homeowner can utilize to get a measurement of how much money and/or energy each appliance is using. Then you can benchmark your energy use or decide on techniques to curb that use.

One of the ways to measure your energy use is with a PowerCost Monitor. The nice thing about this monitoring device is that it

1. happens in real time
and
2. shows you how much MONEY the energy is costing you

This helps to eliminate the ‘looking at random numbers of energy measurement’ and provides numbers in more recognizable (and perhaps concrete) monetary value. See the invention at it’s home: .http://www.bluelineinnovations.com/default.asp?mn=1.274.285.388. Or read more about the PowerCost Monitor at: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/12/powercost_home.php.

There are other devices that are fairly similar to the powercost monitor. One such device is the Kill a Watt energy measuring device. This device determines exactly how “energy efficient” an appliance is running. Regardless of the energy star label or other claims to an item’s efficiency, if you aren’t using it the same way it was tested (in laboratory conditions) there are bound to be some differences in use. The Kill a Watt, prevents misuse, because it shows the homeowner how the energy is being used and how efficient the appliance is running. See the Kill a Watt at: http://www.p3international.com/products/special/P4400/P4400-CE.html Or read a commentary about the Kill a Watt’s consumer report report: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/03/consumer-reports-energy-monitors-kill-a-watt-watts-up.php.

While there are many more energy-measuring devices, these two are tested and vouched for by many energy-compliant agencies, so I would start here. If neither of these energy detectors makes you happy, I suggest doing your own research before purchasing another brand. You want to ensure that your energy measuring device is doing what it claims to.

AND remember: Use your energy efficient devices efficiently – or they aren’t going to save you any energy or money!

the "Snackwell Effect"

Today's blog entry comes from the e-Newswire monthly newsletter from Flex your power (fypower.org) from the article "The Snackwell Effect: Consumers Sabotage Energy-Saving Efforts."

Have you ever had those sugar-free vanilla snackwell cookies?

Or I guess any of the concoctions of the snackwell variety? Well. My favorite way to have these yummy vanilla cookies is piled high with an inch of store-bought can frosting. mmMm. That's the best way...and I figure they're sugar free...so no sugar coma - until after 4 or 5 cookies. Well, it appears that I am not alone in my binging on sugar free "diet" substances.

Apparently it is pretty common for those looking to loose weight or diet to over eat products that are supposedly 'healthy' or 'diet-friendly.'

How does the "snackwell effect" affect energy or air conditioning?

Wonderful you should ask. The percentage of homeowners upgrading to energy efficient equipment is heartening. However, thier use of those same appliances...is DISheartening. Many of the homeowners who upgrade don't actually end up saving any money. Why? Because the homeowners are over-using (or binging) their energy efficient appliances. Leaving lights on...running the washer for only a sweater...

The more studies that are being done, show that to fully enjoy the benefits of energy efficent appliances, one should be just as concious about thier use as you would if they were not "efficient." This means common sense. Turn the lights off when you leave a room. Only do full loads of laundry or dishes. Don't crank the furnace all the way up because you think you're saving in energy costs. If you have installed energy efficent appliances and haven't noticed a change in your energy bills - or there was an initial change, but the bottom line keeps going up, it may be time to consider an energy monitoring device. Tomorrow, I will explain the different types of monitoring devices and how they may be helpful in reducing energy use.

Loud, Annoying Ac?

If your air conditioner is loud - rattling or sending improper air flow to your home - your living space is not comfortable. Loud air conditioning may cause your summer to be less than bearable, but how to fix the problem?

First of all, there are several reasons why your air conditioning may be loud. Look into the options and see why your air system is disturbing you, and then we can start looking for the solution.

Possible Causes for loud or disproportionate air flow:

• Loose duct work joints. If you can hear the air seeping out (like letting air out of a balloon) or other rattling noises in only a specific area of the house, or if there is no air to one bedroom or a similar circumstance, your problem may be that a joint in the duct work has come loose and simply needs to be reattached. This should not be done with duct tape or some other temporary fix. Have your licensed contractor decide on replacing the duct-joint or ensuring a seal. This will allow air to flow more freely throughout the house and cut down on noise and rattling.
• Improperly installed duct work.If the noises in the duct work or air shortages cannot be tracked to one area of the house, it may be that your duct work was not installed properly. This may mean that the lines of the duct work are not 'straight' enough, or that the diameter should have been larger, or even that most connections were not sealed correctly. There are many different problems that can result from improper duct work installation, and the symptoms above are only a few problems. If you think you may be having problems with the duct work, it is a good idea to call in your HVAC professional, or seek advice from another licensed contractor to resolve this problem. If duct work is installed with any of the above mentioned problems, there may be extra vibrations throughout the system, which can be expressed in loud air flow. The best thing to do is have a professional examine your ducts.
• Something has become lodged in your duct work. If you have had recent work on your home, let's say roofers or a pest control issue (something where the contractor may have ventured onto the roof or into the attic), it is possible that the contractor moved something, or lost something down a duct...or tripped and dislocated a duct joint - practically anything can happen. So, if it was working, then work was done, and it is now not working, it is very important to call your HVAC technician. If something is lodged in the ducts, it will make noise until it is removed, or gets caught somewhere else. These things can do very little damage, or substantial damage. So make sure to get this one fixed as soon as possible to mitigate the costs of repair.
• Equipment is improperly installed. If your equipment was not installed properly, if the units are not level or specific installation instructions weren't adhered to, your unit may be overly loud. Most air conditioning (outside, condensing units) can be installed with a "vibration pad" which prevents the condensing unit from rocking and creating excess noise. The same goes for the heating unit. If something has become loose, or the unit was installed at a strange angle etc. It too will vibrate and those 'shakings' will go throughout the air channels and cause extra noise.
• Your unit is too old. If your unit is more than 10 years old, it is likely that there was no sound reduction technology in place on your unit and upgrading to a new unit could drastically reduce the sounds the system makes. Many units are now running at the decibels of a dishwasher. There are also sound reduction jackets and fan motors to ensure that your neighbors don't wake up every time your unit decides to "kick-on." It might be time to look into a new unit for a less-noisy experience.

To find out what more you can do to solve your loud HVAC needs, contact your contractor and discuss noise-reduction techniques with a professional.

Summer-ready AC

The best time to schedule a check up for your air conditioning is in Spring. This ensures that your unit will be ready to go for the heat of summer.

But, what needs to be checked? And how can I be sure that everything that needs to be done actually gets done?

This information is provided by Energy Star and can be found at www.energystar.gov or also in their informational pamphlet "A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating & Cooling" which is available on their website, but also on www.sinclairair.com under the Resources section.

The most important thing to know about prepping your air system for summer, is that there are things the homeowner should do, and other things only a contractor/technician should do.

Cooling specific homeowner responsibilities:

• Ensure that all furniture/drapes etc. are off of registers or vents and there is clear air flow.
• CHANGE your filter or clean it regularly. This means at most every 3 months! This is a very simple fix that will save you tons of time and energy and breathing issues. The better condition a filter is kept in, the better condition of your air flow, and overall system.
• Clean indoor coils - NOW, disclaimer: this can be difficult, I have explained how to do it before on the blog (so you can look that up should you really want to do so) but, this is a careful situation and should not be done if one is unsure of what they are doing because they might cause damage. That being said, occasionally dirt can build up on these coils and reduces the system's ability to cool the home and in some cases can even cause the system to run longer than necessary - wasting energy.

Contractor maintenance checklist:

• The contractor should check the level of refrigerant and fill according to manufacturer's suggestions. Too much or too little refrigerant can cause damage to the compressor and increase costs.
• The contractor should inspect the blower components, insuring that they are clean and airflow is properly adjusted.
• The technician may also check the thermostat settings to ensure that the cooling system is turning off and on at the appropriate temperatures. Often times, the tech will test the temperature your system is running before leaving.
• Occasionally, especially if your system is older, moving parts may need lubrication. If the lubrication wears out on these moving parts, it can cause friction, which makes the unit as a whole work harder.
• You should NEVER try this one at home: The contractor should check electrical connections and make sure that the voltage load and currents are working correctly. If there is a problem with the electrical hook-up, the life span of the system can be dramatically reduced, as well as cost the homeowner higher electricity bills.

Just like your car gets regular oil changes, it is important to make sure your heating and air conditioning systems get regular check-ups. This helps to avoid an expensive (and perhaps HOT) breakdown, down the road. It's always better to be prepared.

Is Energy Star Real?

Seems like every time you pop into a home store or flip on the TV, there is some new and improved "energy star" item which is supposed to save TONS of energy...But how real are the energy star labels?

I am all for saving money, and if I can do that while producing less energy, while still being comfortable - hey, sounds good to me. Why not? I buy into most of the necessity for energy star savings (the room air conditioners are a little slow at cooling, but...the savings is dramatic and they do work...). Ah, but I digress. I never really stopped to think about how these various products were actually getting the energy star label, and what they had to do to 'earn' it. Apparently there is a slew of testing to go through, and some companies have been less than honest.

To read this article at its original home, please visit the "Home Energy Magazine" Blog for their January/February editorial: http://www.homeenergy.org/blog.php?id=44

Recently, the energy star label was taken off of some LG appliances. There was much discussion of the impacts of this before it actually happened. Proponents of the removal said that the way LG had been circumventing testing was tricking homeowners into thinking that they were going to be saving energy when in regular use, they wouldn't be. Those who disagreed said that the energy star label program was hard for homeowners to understand anyways and removing the stickers from some items and not others would cause even more confusion. I think, that removing the stickers was the right thing to do. It's better to air on the side of truthfulness than rely on public relations and the "public's" understanding.

But what actually happened?

The government SETTLED with LG, so all LG needs to do is reinstall circuit breakers in each sold refrigerator and pay the owners of those refrigerators $30/a year (for 5 years) in energy costs. And they get to keep the energy star label.

What does this mean? That the government and major companies may not be taking this energy thing as seriously as they want you to believe they are.

How to buy energy star - and be sure it will provide savings:

1. See what savings the government is providing in tax or other types of rebates. If your local utility companies are also providing rebates, this is also a good sign.
2. Shoot for more of the "top" of the line energy star equipment. This means try to buy appliances that are the most efficient available. Because these units are put to stringent testing, those that come out on top, are usually the better qualified ones. If the unit you are looking at buying has just barely qualified for the energy star label, it is more likely that the company did something fishy during the testing.
3. Read up on the appliance you are looking to buy. Check out the Home Energy blog, consumer reports and other third party agencies that provide testing to ensure company claims. If the appliance has passed third party tests as well, it is more likely that the companies were truthful.
4. Lastly, ask around. See if your friends and neighbors have just installed something, and how their bills have worked out. While this isn't a surefire thing - as homes are different sizes etc., it will let you know whether there was a drastic change in what the buyer expected and got.

So, while I still trust energy star - albeit much a more skeptical 'trust' - It is a good idea to do your homework before making any purchase.

Improve Your Home

If your air conditioning and/or heating system has been running a bit rough lately, you might be thinking: In this economy? I am going to wait to replace it...However, this might be the perfect time for upgrades to your home.

Why might you ask is this a good time to add value to your home? Well, the stimulus bill provides some nice, big tax breaks to homeowners looking to add energy efficiency to their home this year. If you install newer, more efficient heating, air conditioning or even water heaters (there are also some other upgrades available) the federal government will provide a tax break up to $1,500. I don't know about you, but that's pretty substantial over the $300 they were offering previously.

Then, if your local utility companies are also offering rebates, you can also save money there as well.

Reason number two this is a good time to upgrade your home: If no one is spending any money, prices are coming down. That means that contractors are more willing to lower their prices and give you a good deal. Plus, if you call before the summer heatwave (and after the frost of winter) there is a pretty good chance that you won't have to wait too long for service.

Reason number three to ensure that your HVAC system is working this summer? It is going to be HOT! Temperatures are going to soar 30-40 degrees above normal according to the national weather climate prediction center.

Another reason? Well. If you upgrade your equipment, and it is more efficient, you can save a substantial amount on your actual energy bills. If you are using less energy, that is less energy you need to pay for, and so you can run your air conditioning so that your home is comfortable and not have to worry about how high the bill is going to be. Average savings are about $40 for every $100 that would normally have been spent.

If all these reasons don't get you started thinking about an upgrade I don't know what will. Maybe as your air conditioner goes out during the peak heat of summer? That's never a good situation. If it isn't time to upgrade your system, or you aren't sure that you can afford it, it is still a great idea to make sure your system has been checked before the heat hits. A good service package with your contractor can perform yearly maintenance and ensure that everything is in working order. This will eliminate the need for emergency service calls when it's too hot or too cold, making your home more comfortable and unit more efficient in the long run. Now is the perfect time to set up a service call or upgrade your system.