Edison Rebates

In continuing with my list of rebates and specials regarding energy use/air conditioning etc. The next on my list is Southern California Edison. The electric company has a page dedicated to the residential rebates that they are currently offering in a variety of areas. That page can be found here: http://www.sce.com/residential/rebates-savings/ (last access 9/29/09.)

Currently they are listing rebates for lighting, appliances, pool and heating and cooling as well as multi-family and solar/generated energy.

While the best way to save money and live energy efficient, is to combine all of your resources and make a bunch of small changes in different areas, It is also important to remember that your heating and air conditioning take up over 50% of your yearly energy bill. In which case, if you reduce your energy use in heating and cooling, you can save a substantial amount of money.

So, according to the SCE rebate page for heating & cooling (here: http://www.sce.com/residential/rebates-savings/heating-cooling/heating-cooling.htm#xD;NRMODE=Unpublished&wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished) there are several things you can do to lower your electricity bill.

Edison advertises five different heating and cooling related ways to save money. The first is their Energy Star qualified room air conditioner rebate. Now as a whole, room air conditioners do not cool as effectively as central air conditioning systems do. However, they are less likely to be energy efficient, and so Edison is providing a rebate for those that are efficient.

The second program Edison offers is the Summer Discount Program. With this, Edison installs a switch in your air conditioner that allows them to turn your air conditioner off at peak times. This in turn, saves you money.

They also provide rebates for installing a whole house fan, which can pull all the hot air out of your home, once it cools down in the evening. Or also for installing evaporative cooling.

They also provide the AC quality program, where if your air conditioner is serviced, they will give you an incentive. This allows the condenser to run at tip-top condition (like a car) and lets out less pollution into our environment.

These programs and the others they offer help to save you money and give back a little to the environment.

There's a Heat Wave Coming!

This weekend is supposed to be rediculously HOT! Here are some summer tips from the California Science Center to help make that weekend more berable!

Source: http://www.californiasciencecenter.org/GenInfo/NewsAndEvents/CAlifestyleTips/EnergyConservation/WarmConserve.php last access 9/17/09.

"Fast and Free Cutting back unnecessary energy use is an easy way to reduce energy consumption while saving money. Here are some suggestions you can do at home, at absolutely no cost to you.

Use your appliances wisely. To help prevent electricity outages, avoid running your appliances during peak hours—from 4p.m. to 6 p.m.—or anytime an electricity emergency is declared. Do your laundry efficiently by using the warm or cold water setting for washing your clothes. Always use cold water to rinse clothes. (Savings: 4%). Line dry clothes whenever you can. (Save up to 5%) When you need to use the dryer, run full loads, use the moisture-sensing setting, and clean the clothes dryer lint trap after each use. (Savings: 0.5%) Conserve energy by running your dishwasher only when it is fully loaded, and turn off the dry cycle and air dry dishes instead. (Savings: 1%) Inexpensive Energy Solutions Make a quick trip to your local hardware store to purchase inexpensive energy saving tools and equipment. Replace air conditioner filters. Dirty filters restrict airflow and can cause the system to run longer, increasing energy use. Replace filters monthly for maximum benefit. (Savings: 1-2%) Good Energy-Saving Investments Planning to do some remodeling soon? Time to replace old appliances? Consider these energy efficiency suggestions when you make purchases. Install a whole house fan. A whole house fan is permanently installed in your attic and draws cool air into your home through the windows while forcing hot air out through your attic vents. Use after sundown when the outside temperature drops below 80 degrees, and in the early morning to cool your house and help reduce your air conditioning use. (Savings: up to 5%)"

Low Cost, No Cost Tips

This weekend was just a taste of the warm weather, but let's not start getting too worried about our high energy bills - there are easy (& FREE) things you can do to lower your bills.

Source: http://www.energyhog.org/adult/checklist.htm Last access 7/13/09. (Please note: energyhog.org is primarily a web resource for students and teachers to teach about energy use and reduce it's use. Our schools spend more on energy bills than on books and computers combined, so schools are now trying to cut back and save energy to save some of that badly needed cash. If you have a child, this site has fun games etc. for them to enjoy as well.)

NO-COST WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY & MONEY * Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers, etc. * Check the furnace or air conditioner (AC) filter each month, and clean or replace it as needed. Dirty filters block air flow through your heating and cooling systems, increasing your energy bill and shortening the equipment’s life. * During hot months, keep window coverings closed on the south, east, and west windows. In winter, let the sun in. * Glass fireplace doors help stop heat from being lost up the chimney. Also, close the fireplace damper when not in use. * Activate "sleep" features on computers and office equipment that power down when not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during longer periods of non-use to cut energy costs and improve longevity. * When cooking, keep the lids on pots. Better yet, use a microwave oven instead. * Dress appropriately for the weather, and set your thermostat to the lowest possible comfortable setting. On winter nights, put an extra blanket on the bed and turn down your thermostat more. * In summer, use fans whenever possible instead of AC, and ventilate at night this way when practical. Using fans to supplement AC allows you to raise the thermostat temperature, using less energy. Fans cost less to use than AC. * About 15 percent of an average home energy bill goes to heating water. To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher. * Switch to cold water washing of laundry in top loading in top-loading, energy-inefficient washing machines to save energy and up to $63 a year–detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean. * Lower the temperature on your water heater. It should be set at "warm," so that a thermometer held under running water reads no more than 130 degrees. * Only heat or cool the rooms you need–close vents and doors of unused rooms. LOW-COST WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY & MONEY * Install low-flow showerheads and sink aerators to reduce hot water use. * Seal and weatherstrip your windows and doors to ensure that you're not wasting energy on heat or air conditioning that escapes through leaks to the outdoors. * A water tank insulation wrap costs about $20 and helps hold the heat inside. Add pre-cut pipe insulation to exposed pipes going into your water heater–it is cheap and easy to install. If you’re starting with an uninsulated tank, the energy savings should pay for the improvements in just a few months. * Duct tape works well on lots of things, but it often fails when used on ductwork! Use mastic (a gooey substance applied with a paintbrush) to seal all exposed ductwork joints in areas such as the attic, crawlspace, or basement. Insulate ducts to improve your heating system’s efficiency and your own comfort. * Storm windows can reduce heat lost by single-paned windows by 25–50 percent during the winter. As an alternative, you can improve your windows temporarily with plastic sheeting installed on the inside. * When buying new products, look for the ENERGY STAR® label, found on more than 40 different products such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators, air conditioners and more. * Incandescent light bulbs are outdated; 95 percent of the energy used goes to heating the bulb, adding unwanted heat to your home in the summer. Replace your five most used light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent bulbs to save $60 each year in energy costs. These light bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer. Use dimmers, timers, and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting. * Consider safer, more efficient ENERGY STAR torchiere lamps rather than halogen torchieres, which can cause fires. Halogen bulbs are expensive to use.

They continue to provide a more extensive list that will help homeowners to weatherize and replace key energy guzzlers (like poorly insulated windows that hit direct sunlight). If you are seriously interested in saving money and energy, I would definatley check out their more in-depth suggestions. On the very bottom of the page they also have a "mythbusters" section which was pretty interesting. So enjoy your AC without worrying about those end of summer bills.

Decrease Your Energy Use

Today's tips come courtesy of the Massachusetts Municipal Association.

source: http://www.mma.org/public-works-energy-a-utilities/3856-tips-to-decrease-energy-use-in-summer-months Last access 7/8/09. This summer is going to be HOT! Hotter than normal, in fact, so your air conditioner is going to be feeling the strain of constant use. How can you avoid a breakdown in the middle of summer?

1. Clean your filters!

I cannot stress this one enough. In the summer, you should be looking at your filter about once a month. If your filter is dirty - it can shut down your unit completely. Dirt and dust accumulation block air flow and make the unit strain to work. If the unit strains too much (picture someone skinny trying to lift a car) it will eventually break. Before calling for summer time service, make sure your filter has been cleaned.

Raise your thermostat temperature to 78 degrees and use a programmable thermostat if possible!

If you raise your thermostat by only a couple of degrees *(health permitting) you can save large percentages off your bill. If you utilize a programmable thermostat, you don't even need to be home to control your savings. If you work during the day, your home should be warmer than when you're home, but it's still a good idea to keep the AC running. Why? Because it's much easier to keep a home cool than it is to cool down a home that has been baking in the sun all day.

Tips from MMA:

Efficient air conditioning will make an impact on municipal electricity costs. The most common causes of degraded air conditioning performance are dirty filters and fans, improper belt alignment and adjustment, air leaks in equipment cabinets and ducts, improper air damper operation, dirty condensers and evaporator coils, and improper refrigerant charge, according to a report prepared for the Department of Energy.
Some other common-sense savings measures include using window blinds, keeping doors and windows closed when the air conditioning is on, and adjusting the thermostat after hours.

Thermostats Upgrading thermostats to programmable models is a smart investment for the summer months. A programmable thermostat may cost $50 to $200 initially, but the investment will typically pay for itself within the first year by decreasing energy bills. The pre-setting capability ensures control over building temperature and improved comfort for workers. Office equipment When purchasing office equipment, cities and towns should look for energy-efficient options from Energy Star, which may offer tax breaks as well as electricity savings. Energy Star copiers, for example, can use 40 percent less electricity than standard models. For fax machines, look for models with the lowest available power level in “sleep” mode, because most fax machines are in standby mode most of the time. Municipalities can also realize savings by using their current equipment wisely. All office equipment should be shut off at night and on weekends, when not in use. Even for PCs with a low-power sleep mode, shutting them down at night will save energy and possibly extend the life of the computer. Computer monitors typically consume about two-thirds of the total energy used by a computer, so shutting off the monitor is a good idea when leaving a computer, even for a short time. Screensavers should be avoided, as they require a lot more electricity. (Modern displays have largely eliminated the burn-in problem that screensavers were designed to resolve.)

Saving energy saves money, so take a look at these simple home changes and start saving on your monthly bills.

Toys that save energy

It's important to save energy where ever possible. Especially, since now, many children prefer to play with electronic/battery operated toys and don't really know how to function if they are taken away from them. Here's an interesting twist that will help save energy - AND create a unique opportunity for children to experience kinetic energy (and good ol'fashioned fun - with the flashing lights and do-hickies they are so accustomed to). source: flex your power monthly email newsletter & http://www.inhabitots.com/2009/02/17/fastronauts-action-figures-powered-by-play/ last access 6/17/09. These new "green" toys are powered by "play" (seriously, if you have children...or a child-like spouse, you should totally check out the webpage - the toys are "awesome" and really unique.) The "Fastronauts" are powered by biking, or rolling them. Once powered up, they show how much power the child has created "playing" and talk to the children. AWESOME idea. Really. Even if you're not so "Eco-tastic" that you're trying to educate everyone, this idea is super cool.