September 29, 2009
With the Keystone HELP® Energy Efficiency Program, most Pennsylvania homeowners who meet the program’s eligibility guidelines can get a low cost loan for ENERGY STAR®rated and high efficiency heating, air conditioning, air sealing, insulation, windows, doors, geothermal and “whole house” improvements using Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®. These lower rates can save consumer thousands of dollars over the life of the loan, further enhancing the energy saving from the improvements being made and minimizing out of pocket costs. Read More
June 18, 2009
Did you know that your home can be a greater source of pollution than your car? In fact, 16 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from the energy used in houses nationwide.
Energy used in our homes often comes from the burning of fossil fuels at power plants, which contributes to smog, acid rain, and global warming. Simply put, the less energy we use in our homes, the less air pollution we generate.
June 18, 2009
This tutorial will ask you questions about your home’s location, windows, ducts, and insulation. Based on your answers, it will generate an air conditioner sizing recommendation (smaller than, larger than, etc.) and a list of your answers that you can use to work with your contractor.
Some contractors will use rules of thumb to size your air conditioner, but rules of thumb can overestimate the size needed. A good contractor will use a design load calculation to size a central air conditioner to your home. The contractor will need to check the following six factors.
- How well your house is insulated? ~ By adding the proper amount of insulation to your walls and ceiling or attic, your house will require less cooling. By insulating before you purchase an air conditioner, you’ll save twice- once when your energy bills drop and again when you need a smaller, less expensive air conditioner.
- How well air leaks are sealed?~ A well-sealed house limits the amount of hot, humid air that gets inside. In many homes the air leaks can add up to as much as an open window. Sealing air leaks and adding insulation can reduce heating and cooling cost by 20%.
- How well your ducts are sealed and insulated? ~ Ducts carry cooled air from your air conditioner to where it is needed. Under-insulated ducts actually heat up, which reduces the amount of cool air that gets to you. Leaky ducts can cause your heating and cooling system to work harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature.
- The size, type and number of windows and the direction they face ~ The size, type and number of windows are huge factors in determining your cooling needs. Thoughtful landscaping and overhangs can greatly decrease the temperature in your house by affecting the amount of sunshine that comes through your windows.
- Shading provided by overhangs and landscaping ~ Leafy trees can reduce unwanted heat in the summer, but allow the warmth of the sun to come in when they drop their leaves in the winter. Well-positioned overhangs will also block the sun’s heat in the summer, but allow the sun light to come in during the winter to warm your home.
- The size, layout, and orientation of your house ~ The size of a house’s walls and roof and their positions in relation to the sun are important factors in sizing an air conditioner.
May 18, 2009
30% tax credit for homeowners who install geothermal heat pump systems in 2009 and later years. For systems placed in service in 2008, the $2,000 lilmit still applies So, for example, if a homeowner pays $15,000 for a geothermal heat pump system installed in 2009, a tax credit of $4,500 could apply.http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5695.pdf Line 18 on the form is where you enter “Qualified geothermal heat pump property costs”, Line 19 is where you multiply costs by 30%, and Line 20 displays the $2,000 “Maximum credit amount” for 2008.If you use TurboTax, look for the “Home Energy Credits” topic under Personal Deductions and Credits for Your Home. TurboTax provides an input box to enter the amount you paid for Geothermal heat pump property in 2008. As usual, contact your tax professional for applicability to your specific situation.
For systems placed in service in 2008, use IRS 2008 Form 5695 for the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit to claim the $2,000 tax credit for Energy Star geothermal heat pumps. You can view and download the form at the following link:
May 18, 2009
Outside House
A/C Unit
When buying new heating and cooling equipment such as a central air conditioning unit, proper sizing and quality installation are critical to your home’s energy efficiency and comfort. Remember: Bigger doesn’t always mean better. Oversized equipment can cause reduced comfort and excessive noise. Oversizing also can shorten the life of the equipment by causing it to cycle on and off more frequently than a properly sized unit. However, undersized equipment can reduce the efficiency and accelerate wear on system components, leading to early failure. For more information about sizing, use our Central Air Conditioner Sizing Tutorial.
Porch Light
The outdoor porch or post lamp is one of the highest used light fixtures in a home, and is the perfect place to install ENERGY STAR qualified lighting products. Many compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) will fit easily into existing porch lights. Or install a new ENERGY STAR qualified outdoor fixture that saves energy through advanced CFL technology, a motion sensor and/or a photocell that turns the light on only when someone is present or on at night and off in the morning.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Car/Garage
Give your car a break. Combine trips whenever possible. Use mass transit, walk or bike whenever possible. Leaving your car at home just 2 days a week will save 1,590 lbs. of greenhouse gas emissions each year! Keep your car well-maintained to maximize its fuel efficiency, safety, and reliability. Check your tire pressure regularly to avoid the wear and tear and decreased gas mileage that can result from under-inflated tires.
Thermal Boundary
The thermal boundary, also called the “envelope” or “shell,” is made up of the outer walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floors of the house. Air leaks through the envelope and inadequate insulation are two common problems in many homes and can lead to discomfort and to high energy bills. When the home envelope is performing well, it will help keep you comfortable and keep your energy bills low during the hottest and coldest times of the year. Use our Guide to ENERGY STAR Home Sealing to get step-by-step instructions for sealing common air leaks and adding insulation to the attic. Learn more.
Attic
The attic is one of the places where you often find the biggest air leaks, which can increase your energy bills and make you uncomfortably hot in summer and cold in winter. It is also a place that is generally accessible, making it easier to air seal and insulate to improve your home’s comfort and overall energy performance.
Heating & Cooling
Attic Ventilation
Proper ventilation of the attic with natural air flow keeps the roof deck cool and dry, extending the life of roof shingles and preventing ice dams without using the energy needed to run an attic vent fan. Be sure attic soffit vents and gable vents are not blocked so air flows freely through them. Some homes have ridge vents or vents through the roof deck instead of gable vents. Learn more in the Guide to Home Sealing 
(2MB).
Home Sealing
Ducts
Seal duct connections and seams with duct sealant (also called mastic) or foil-backed tape to reduce leaks. In unconditioned areas, like attics and some basements, wrap ducts in insulation (R-6 to R-8 is recommended). If your ducts are in the attic, you also can cover them with blown insulation. Learn more.
Chimney
Seal hidden air leaks to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Always find and seal air leaks before adding more insulation. Chimneys or furnace flues that penetrate your attic floor have holes or gaps around them that can allow the air in your home to escape through the attic, increasing your energy bill and causing more drafts. Around chimney and furnace flues that can get hot, cover the gaps with metal flashing and caulk small gaps with high temperature caulk. Learn more in the Guide to Home Sealing (2MB).
Plumbing Stack
Plumbing stacks, vents, ducts, or electrical wires often have holes or gaps around them that can allow the air in your home to escape through the attic, increasing your energy bill and causing drafts. Seal small gaps with caulk and seal holes up to 3 inches in diameter with spray foam. Cover spaces larger than 3 inches with a piece of foam board and seal with spray foam. Learn more in the Guide to Home Sealing (2MB).
Attic Hatch or Door
Weather-strip and insulate your attic hatch or door to prevent air from escaping out of the top of your house.
Air sealing is simply using caulk, spray foam, or pieces of rigid foam insulation to cover or seal holes, cracks, and gaps where air can pass into or out of your home. Sealing those air leaks will help reduce drafts and help get the full performance from insulation. After air sealing, check if you can see the tops of your attic’s floor joists (insulation is not covering them). If so, adding more insulation will likely help lower energy bills. Insulation is designed to resist heat flow-that is, if it is hot outside, insulation greatly reduces the amount of heat you can feel inside a house. Or, if it is cold outside, insulation helps reduce heat losses through the ceiling. Insulation works best when air is not moving through or around it. Therefore, it is very important that air leaks be sealed to ensure that you get the full performance out of any insulation installed. To get the most savings, the easiest place to add insulation is in the attic. Get our Guide to Home Sealing (2MB) and learn how to seal and insulate your attic and reap benefits for years to come.
Bedroom
Your bedroom can be both comfortable and energy efficient.
Lighting
Bed-Side Lamp
Replace fixtures and bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified lighting products.
Lighting is one of the easiest places to start saving energy. Replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lights can save more than $65 a year in energy costs. ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures feature stylish designs and are available in a variety of models of lamps and fixtures. ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) provide high-quality light output, use less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement costs.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Light Switch
Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room.
Heating and Cooling
Room Air Conditioner
Considering purchasing a room air conditioner? Consider an ENERGY STAR qualified model. They use at least 10 percent less energy than standard models.
Additional Tips
- In the winter, be sure to insulate room air conditioners from the outside with a tight-fitting a/c unit cover, available at your local home improvement center or hardware store. This keeps heated air from escaping outside. Alternately, you can remove the window unit in the winter months to prevent energy losses.
- Be sure the window unit fits tightly in the window so outdoor air is not getting in.
- Large window a/c units should have their own separate electrical circuit so the system is not over-loaded.
View our purchasing tips.
And remember, proper sizing is important for room air conditioners too!
Home Sealing
Window
During the winter months, replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier to the cold outside air. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and door frames that leak air. If replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified models designed for your area, and save $20–$95 each year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps are sealed around them, ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
Besides your windows, sealing your home’s entire envelope is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy bill and improve your comfort. Home sealing reduces uncomfortable drafts and helps avoid moisture problems by sealing holes, cracks, and gaps. Done right, home sealing could save you up to 10 percent on your home energy bill. You can seal your home yourself with help from our Guide to ENERGY STAR Home Sealing, or hire a contractor for professional services.
Ducts
Keep air registers and vents clear to allow air to flow freely throughout the room.
Electronics
TV/DVD Combo
Look for the ENERGY STAR on consumer electronics products. Qualified products use less energy without sacrificing quality or performance.
Consumer electronics play an increasingly larger role in your home’s energy consumption, accounting for 15 percent of household electricity use. Many consumer electronics products use energy even when switched off. Electronics equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR help save energy when off, while maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings, and remote-control functions.
Learn about the environmental impact of consumer electronics and what you can do to help.
Outlet
Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use.
Bathroom
There are many things you can do to save energy in your bathroom.
Lighting
Vanity Lights
Replace your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR and save more than $65 each year in energy costs.
The bathroom vanity is one of the highest-use fixtures in the average home. ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs provide bright, warm light, use less energy, and generate less heat than standard lighting. Keep in mind that high humidity can shorten the life of CFLs. To avoid moisture problems, control humidity in your bathroom by running your ventilating fan during and 15 minutes after showers and baths. You can find ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures in hundreds of popular styles, including vanity lighting, at home improvement and hardware stores, lighting showrooms, and other retail stores including online outlets.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Light Switch
Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room.
Heating and Cooling
Vent Fan
Install a properly sized ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fan to control moisture in the air while you shower or bathe, as well as control mold and mildew growth. Run your fan for 15 minutes after showering.
ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fans are much quieter than standard models. Models that include lighting use 65 percent less energy on average than standard models, saving $120 in electricity costs over the life of the fan. Qualified models can be found at many home improvement stores or from your HVAC or electrical contractor. Also be sure the fan duct leads to the outdoors to prevent moisture problems.
Learn how to prevent moisture problems.
Learn how to prevent mold, mildew, or musty odors.
Home Sealing
Ducts
Cover and seal all holes that lead from bathroom plumbing, ductwork, or electrical runs.
Improving your home’s “envelope” or “shell” is one of the most important steps you can take to maximize your home’s energy efficiency and reduce energy bills. In the bathroom, sealing around drafty windows, baseboards, and floors can help avoid common mold and moisture problems.
Window
During the winter months, replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier to the cold outside air. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and door frames that leak air. If replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified models designed for your area, and save $20–$95 each year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps are sealed around them, ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
Besides your windows, sealing your home’s entire envelope is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy bill and improve your comfort. Home sealing reduces uncomfortable drafts and helps avoid moisture problems by sealing holes, cracks, and gaps in the home. Done right, home sealing could save you up to 10 percent on your home energy bill. You can seal your home yourself with help from our Guide to Home Sealing (984KB), or hire a contractor for professional services.
Learn how to fix problems with moisture on windows in your home.
Water Usage
Shower
A 10-minute shower can use less water than a full bath.
With a new 2.5 gallon-per-minute (low-flow) shower head, a 10-minute shower will use about 25 gallons of water, saving you 5 gallons of water over a typical bath. A new showerhead also will save energy — up to $145 each year on electricity — beating out both the bath and an old-fashioned showerhead.
Sink Faucet
Repair any faucet leaks. A leaky faucet can waste gallons of water.
Hot water leaking at a rate of one drip per second can waste up to 1,661 gallons of water over the course of a year, and waste up to $35 in electricity or $35 in natural gas. Fixing drips is a cost effective and easy way to save energy.
Home Office
Many people now work from home. While this saves time and money on commuting, it can increase home energy bills.
Lighting
Desk Lamp
Use ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures and light bulbs. Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room.
Home office lights are often used for many hours a day. ENERGY STAR qualified desk lamps or compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) provide high-quality light output, use 75% less energy, and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs, saving money on energy bills and replacement costs.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Home Sealing
Ducts
Keep air registers and vents clear to allow air to flow freely throughout the room.
Electrical Outlets
Seal holes around outlets with an inexpensive outlet gasket.
Office Equipment
Power Strip
Use a power strip as a central “turn off” point when you are done using equipment.
Even when turned off, electronic and IT equipment often use a small amount of electricity. For home office equipment, this stand-by or “phantom” power load can range from a few watts to as much as 20 or even 40 watts for each piece of equipment. Using a power strip for your computer and all peripheral equipment allows you to completely disconnect the power supply from the power source, eliminating standby power consumption.
Power Adapter
Unplug battery chargers or power adapters when equipment is fully charged or disconnected from the charger.
Multi-Function Device
Save energy and space with an ENERGY STAR qualified multi-function device that combines several capabilities (print, fax, copy, scan). Make sure power management features are enabled for additional savings.
Computer/Monitor
Enable power management features on your home computer and monitor. And look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing products for your home office. They use less energy without sacrificing quality or performance.
Most home office equipment is left on 24 hours a day. Remember: Office equipment that is set automatically to switch to sleep mode not only uses less energy, it runs cooler and helps the equipment last longer, allowing for savings on air conditioning, as well. In addition to power management, you can save more energy with your office equipment by doing the following:
- Avoid using a screensaver when your computer monitor is not active (let it switch to sleep mode or turn the monitor off instead).
- Turn off machines when not in use (fax machines, printers, scanners, copiers).
- Learn about the environmental impact of consumer electronics and what you can do to help.
Living Room
The living room is a gathering spot for family and friends to spend quality time. It’s also a place where you can take simple steps to be more energy-efficient.
Table Lamp
Replace your highest-use fixtures or the light bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR models.
Living room table and floor lamps are two of the most used light fixtures in a home. Conventional torchiere lamps also can be the highest wattage light fixtures in the home. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures and replacement bulbs can be found at home improvement and hardware stores, lighting showrooms, and other retail stores, including online outlets.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Ceiling Fan w/ Lighting
Depending on when and how you operate them, ceiling fans can provide comfort and help you save on your energy bills.
In the winter, your ceiling fan can help improve your comfort. Most fans have a switch that allows you to reverse the motor and operate the ceiling fan at a low speed in the counter-clockwise direction. This produces a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the living space.
In the summer, run the blades clockwise (downward) to cool more efficiently. On hotter days, dialing up the thermostat by only two degrees and using your ceiling fan can lower air conditioning costs by up to 14% over the course of the cooling season. Use low wattage CFLs in the ceiling fan light fixture for cooler light bulbs and more energy savings. And remember: Ceiling fans cool only people, not the room, so when you leave the room, turn the ceiling fan off.
Light Switch
Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room.
Drapes
During cold weather, take advantage of the sun’s warmth by keeping drapes open during daylight hours. To keep out the heat of the summer sun, close window shades and drapes in warm weather.
Power Strip
Use a power strip as a central “turn off” point for electronics, video games, and computers when not in use.
Air register
Make sure all air registers are clear of furniture so that air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.
Home Sealing
Window
During the winter months, replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier to the cold outside air. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and door frames that leak air. If replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified models designed for your area, and save $20–95 per year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps around them are sealed, ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
Going beyond your windows and sealing your home’s entire envelope is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy bill and improve your comfort. Home sealing reduces uncomfortable drafts and helps avoid moisture problems through sealing holes, cracks, and gaps in the home. Done right, home sealing could save you up to 10 percent on your home energy bill. You can seal your home yourself with help from our Guide to Home Sealing (984KB), or hire a contractor for professional services.
Learn how to fix problems with moisture on windows in your home.
Fireplace Damper
Close the flue damper tightly when not in use. Otherwise, warm or air-conditioned air can easily escape from the house.
A chimney is designed to remove by-products from a fire by creating a draft. The draft also pulls air from your home up the chimney-air that you’ve paid to cool or heat. Even without a fire in the fireplace, there still will be a draft in the chimney as long as there’s a temperature difference between indoors and out. Closing the damper will keep air conditioned (or warmed) air in the living space where it belongs.
Electronics
Home Theatre System
Look for the ENERGY STAR on consumer electronics products. These products use less energy without sacrificing quality or performance. Seal any holes with caulk or spray foam where pipes or TV/cable wires and vents enter or exit your home.
Consumer electronics play an increasingly larger role in your home’s energy consumption, accounting for up to 15 percent of household electricity use. Many consumer electronics products use energy even when switched off. Electronics equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR help save energy when off, while maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings, and remote control functions.
Learn about the environmental impact of consumer electronics and what you can do to help.
Outlet
Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use.
Kitchen
From appliances and lighting to home sealing, there are several areas to improve the energy efficiency of your kitchen and save on energy bills.
Lighting
Light Fixture
Install ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures or replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that have earned the ENERGY STAR.
Kitchen fixtures are some of the most used light fixtures in a home. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting fixtures are available in popular styles that may be just right for your kitchen, such as cabinet-mounted, ceiling-mounted, and recessed can models. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while using 75% less energy, generating 70% less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than standard lighting.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Light Switch
Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room.
Heating and Cooling
Floor Vents/Radiators
Make sure all air registers or floor vents are clear of furniture so that the air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.
Range Hood
Install an ENERGY STAR qualified kitchen range hood to help control moisture and remove odors from cooking.
ENERGY STAR qualified ventilation fans are much quieter than standard models. Models that include lighting use 65 percent less energy on average than standard models, saving $120 in electricity costs over the life of the fan. Qualified models can be found at many home improvement stores or from your HVAC or electrical contractor.
Home Sealing
Window
During the winter months, replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier to the cold outside air. Caulk and weather-strip around windows and door frames that leak air. If replacing windows, choose ENERGY STAR qualified models designed for your area, and save $20–$95 per year in energy costs. With proper installation to ensure all gaps are sealed around them, ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help improve your comfort, cut drafts, and reduce fading of interior furnishings.
Going beyond your windows and sealing your home’s entire envelope is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce your energy bill and improve your comfort. Home sealing reduces uncomfortable drafts and helps avoid moisture problems through sealing holes, cracks, and gaps in the home. Done right, home sealing could save you up to 10% on your home energy bill. You can seal your home yourself with help from our Guide to Home Sealing (984KB), or hire a contractor for professional services.
Learn how to fix problems with moisture on windows in your home.
Home Electronics
Cordless Phones
Look for ENERGY STAR qualified cordless phones that feature switch-mode power supplies and “smart” chargers for added energy savings.
Appliances
Dishwashers
Save water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them before loading in the dishwasher. Run your dishwasher with a full load and use the air-dry option if available.
Rinsing dirty dishes before loading your dishwasher uses a lot of water and energy. Most dishwashers today can thoroughly clean dishes that have had food scraped, rather than rinsed, off — the wash cycle and detergent take care of the rest. To make the most efficient use of your dishwasher’s energy and water consumption, run the dishwasher only when enough dirty dishes have accumulated for a full load.
Replacing an old dishwasher? Appliances account for as much as 20 percent of your energy bill. Newer, more energy-efficient models save energy and water. If replacing your dishwasher, consider an ENERGY STAR model, which can save over $25 a year in energy costs.
Refrigerator
Look for the ENERGY STAR when purchasing a new refrigerator. Be sure to recycle your old refrigerator. Think twice before you put the old refrigerator in the garage or other room of your home.
If your current refrigerator was made before 1993, it uses twice as much energy as a new ENERGY STAR qualified model. Many homes have older refrigerators in their garage or basement for overflow storage. These units can cost $90 or more per year to operate. Replacing an older model with a new ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerators can save $45–$65 per year.
Find out how much your old refrigerator is costing you.
Range
Use the right sized pot on stove burners. A 6? pot on an 8? burner wastes over 40 percent of the burner’s heat. Also, cover pots and pans to keep heat in.
Using the right sized pot on stove burners can save about $36 annually for an electric range, or $18 for gas. Covering pots and pans also helps you cook more efficiently and keeps your kitchen cooler.
Have a gas range? Keep the burners clean to ensure maximum efficiency. Blue flames mean good combustion; yellow flames mean service may be needed to ensure the gas is burning efficiently.
Microwave
Use your microwave or toaster oven to reheat or cook small portions.
You can reduce cooking energy by as much as 80 percent when using your microwave for small portions This also helps save on a/c costs in summer, since less heat is generated when compared to using your stove or oven.
Water Usage
Kitchen Sink
Repair any faucet leaks. A leaky faucet can waste gallons of water. Learn more.
Hot water leaking at a rate of one drip per second can waste up to 1,661 gallons of water over the course of a year, and waste up to $35 in electricity or $35 in natural gas. Fixing drips is a cost effective and easy way to save energy.
Dining Room
There are many things you can do to save energy in your dining room.
Lighting
Light Fixture
Replace light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lighting.
Conventional chandeliers with many lights can be one of the highest wattage fixtures in the home. There are now more stylish and decorative options in energy-efficient light fixtures available. Look for ENERGY STAR qualified chandeliers, torchieres, ceiling mounted and wall sconces at most home centers, lighting showrooms and specialty stores. ENERGY STAR qualified lighting provides bright, warm light while using 75% less energy, generating 70 percent less heat and lasting up to 10 times longer than standard lighting.
Take the Change a Light Pledge to replace one light at home with an ENERGY STAR qualified one.
Light Switch
Remember to always turn off your lights when leaving a room. Turning off just one 60-watt incandescent bulb, that would otherwise burn eight hours a day, can save about $15 per year!
Heating and Cooling
Programmable Thermostat
Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home’s temperature settings when you’re away or sleeping.
When used properly, a programmable thermostat with its four temperature settings can save up to $150 a year in energy costs. Learn how to get this energy savings with ENERGY STAR’s Guidelines for Proper Use of Programmable Thermostats.
Save with a manual thermostat, too! Every degree you set your thermostat up in hot weather or down in cold weather will help you save on your overall energy bill.
More info on saving energy with thermostats: It’s a common misperception that it takes more energy to cool off (or heat up) a house than it takes to keep it cool all the time. Turning up the thermostat in summer (or down in winter) will always save energy. It’s best to only cool (or heat) a house as much as necessary, based on occupants and time of day.
It’s easy to forget to adjust the thermostat when leaving the house or going to bed, and it takes time for the house to cool off (or warm up) once the thermostat is adjusted, which can be uncomfortable. Here’s where a programmable thermostat pays off, because it automatically adjusts the temperature when your home is empty, and when you go to sleep. Total energy savings will depend on your climate and the efficiency of your house and heating and cooling system.
Floor Vents/Radiators
Make sure all air registers or floor vents are clear of furniture so that the air can circulate freely. If your home has radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls. In the winter, this will help heat the room instead of the wall.
Home Sealing
Sliding Door
Apply caulking around door frames and weather-stripping around doors that do not close tightly. If replacing your sliding door, select ENERGY STAR qualified doors instead of regular clear-glass double-paned doors. You can save on energy costs while improving your comfort, cutting drafts, and reducing fading of interior furnishings.
Improve your home’s “envelope” to lower your energy bill and improve your comfort. Home sealing reduces uncomfortable drafts and helps avoid moisture problems through sealing holes, cracks, and gaps in the home.
Electrical Outlet
Seal any holes around your outlets with an inexpensive outlet gasket.
Basement
The basement is a good place to make energy-efficient improvements. From appliances such as washing machines and dryers to heating and cooling equipment and home sealing, there are important steps you can take to improve your home’s energy efficiency, save on energy bills, and help protect the environment.
Retire your old refrigerator! After heating, cooling, and hot water, your old refrigerator is probably the next largest energy user in your home. New refrigerators are much more energy-efficient than older models. Get rid of the old fridge lurking in the basement. Instead, size your refrigerator to meet your needs, and recycle the old one. If you must have an extra refrigerator or freezer, buy a new, energy-efficient model. Keep your refrigerator/freezer as full as possible, and unplug it when empty. Selling or giving away an old refrigerator means that someone else will inherit an energy waster for years to come. An older model can cost, on average, $90 or more per year to operate. Find out how much your old refrigerator is costing you.
Dehumidifier
Dehumidifiers can remove excess moisture (humidity) from the air in your home. It is common to have excess moisture in the basement. Ideally, the comfortable and healthy range of relative humidity is between 30 and 50 percent. Anything above or below those levels can cause problems.
Some of the most common indications that you may need a dehumidifier are: musty smells, presence of mold and mildew, rotting wood, condensation on windows, and increased allergies (if the air in your home is too moist, it will encourage the growth of mildew, mites, and mold-common allergens). To reduce humidity in your basement, make sure the dryer is not venting inside the basement. Also, be sure to check that the ground next to the foundation slopes away and outdoor downspouts lead at least 3 feet away from the foundation. If you decide you need a dehumidifier for your home, look for one that’s earned the ENERGY STAR. They use less energy, and can save more than $200 in energy costs over the life of the unit. Learn more about what to look for when purchasing a dehumidifier.
Want other ideas on how to reduce moisture in your home?
Water Heater
Set your water heater thermostat to 120 F or lower.
Savings resulting from turning down your water heater temperature are based on two components: reduced standby losses (heat lost from water heater into surrounding basement area); and consumption (from water demand or use in your home). Set too high, or at 140 degrees F, your water heater can waste anywhere from $36 to $61 annually in standby heat losses and more than $400 in demand losses. Set at 120 degrees F, you will save energy and money.
If you have an older water heater, you can improve its insulation by wrapping it with an insulating jacket and save more than $30 per year in excess heat loss. To help keep your hot water from cooling off before it gets to the tap, you can insulate the hot water piping, leaving the water heater for additional savings. Don’t forget to turn off electric water heaters and turn down gas water heaters when going away on vacation.
Heating and Cooling
HVAC System
Check your system’s air filter once a month and replace it at least every 3 months. Have a pre-season check-up of your system by a licensed contractor in the Spring and Fall, to ensure all parts are working properly to avoid early system failure. If your furnace is more than 15 years old, or your a/c unit is more than 12 years old, consider replacing it with a more efficient and properly sized unit.
As much as half of your household energy use goes to heating and cooling. Replacing old equipment with more efficient equipment is one way to save. But equipment is just one part of an entire system that requires proper sizing, maintenance, properly sized and well-sealed ducts, insulating ducts in unconditioned spaces and more. For more information, get a copy of EPA’s A Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling (2.6MB)
Bigger doesn’t always mean better. Oversized equipment can cause reduced comfort and excessive noise. Oversizing also can shorten the life of the equipment by causing it to cycle on and off more frequently than a properly sized unit. However, undersized equipment can reduce the efficiency and accelerate wear on system components, leading to early failure. For more information about sizing, use our Central Air Conditioner Sizing Tutorial.
Appliances
Clothes Washer
Wash your laundry with cold water whenever possible. To save water, try to wash full loads or, if you must wash a partial load, reduce the level of water appropriately.
Hot water heating accounts for about 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes — only 10 percent goes to electricity used by the washer motor. Depending on the clothes and local water quality (hardness), many homeowners can effectively do laundry exclusively with cold water, using cold water laundry detergents. Switching to cold water can save the average household more than $40 annually (with an electric water heater) and more than $30 annually (with a gas water heater).
Washing full loads can save you more than 3,400 gallons of water each year.
It’s worth investing in a new, energy-efficient clothes washer if you are due for a replacement. Many new models are much more efficient than those manufactured 10–12 years ago. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washers use half the energy of standard washers to clean clothes. They also use less water, and have a better spin cycle allowing for less drying time.
Clothes Dryer
Don’t over-dry your clothes. If your dryer has a moisture sensor that will automatically turn the machine off when clothes are done, use it to avoid over drying. Remember to clean the lint trap before every load. Dry full loads, or reduce drying time for partial loads. Learn more.
It’s easy to over dry your clothes, if one setting is used for various fabric types. Try to dry loads made up of similar fabrics, so the entire load dries just as the cycle ends. Many dryers come with energy-saving moisture or humidity sensors that shut off the heat when the clothes are dry. If you don’t have this feature, try to match the cycle length to the size and weight of the load. A dryer operating an extra 15 minutes per load can cost you up to $34, every year.
lint trap is an important energy saver. Dryers work by moving heated air through wet clothes, evaporating and then venting water vapor outside. If the dryer cannot provide enough heat, or move air sufficiently through the clothes, they will take longer to dry, and may not dry at all. One of the easiest things you can do to increase drying efficiency is to clean the lint trap before each and every load. This step can save you up to $34 each year.
Home Sealing
Rim joist
Seal areas between the sill plate and foundation, in cavities between rim joists and all electrical penetrations, and around pipes (water, and gas) and ventilation ducts that pass outside of the house. Seal with either caulk or expanding spray foam.
The basement is one place where the big air leaks are hidden. Sealing these air leaks can make a big improvement in your home’s energy use — especially in the winter! For information on how you can seal your home, get the Guide to Home Sealing (984KB).
Dryer Vent
Vents, ducts, or electrical wires often have holes or gaps around them which can allow the air in your home to escape, increasing your energy bill and causing more drafts in your house. Seal small gaps with caulk and holes up to 3 inches in diameter with spray foam. Cover spaces larger than 3 inches with a piece of foam board and seal with spray foam. Learn more in the Guide to Home Sealing (984KB).
May 18, 2009
Geothermal heating and cooling is based on one simple fact: that 6 feet down in the ground the temperature is the same—between 50?F and 60?F- the whole year round. This means that it is relatively cool in the summer, and relatively warm in the winter. Geothermal heating is thus quite different from solar heating: solar heating works worst when you most need it–in the cold, cloudy, snowy conditions of winter; the source for geothermal heating and cooling is not affected by the weather.
For geothermal cooling, all one needs to do is to circulate water in a pipe through the ground to cool it, and use this cool water to cool the air pumped through the house in the heating ducts.
For heating, there is an extra wrinkle. Most of us prefer the temperature in the house in the winter to be nearer 70?F then 60?F, so we need to raise the temperature of the relatively warm air a little. For this we use the gas equation that you may remember from High School Physics: PV=RT. Here P is pressure, V is volume, T is absolute temperature, and R is a constant. If we keep the volume constant, we see that the Pressure is proportional to the Temperature. This means that if we want to raise the temperature of the air a little, then we should increase its pressure a little. To see how much, we must work in absolute temperature, which is 273?+temperature in Celsius (centigrade) . Take an example: suppose the temperature of the water coming out of the ground were 50?F; that is 10?C or 273?+10?=283? absolute. We want to heat the air from 50?F to say 68?F. 68?F is 20?C or 273?+20?=293? absolute. Raising the temperature from 283? to 293?, means that we raise it by (293-283)*100/283 percent, or 3.5 %. That small increase in pressure can easily be done by using a compressor. 
That is the theory. Now the technology. First we have to build a trench in which to place the pipes carrying the water (actually they add some glycol to it, to improve the performance). For our installation we had 3 trenches each 300ft long, 5ft wide and 5ft deep. Each trench had four 4inch pvc pipes in it; 3600 ft in all. Typically the trenches are 5ft deep, rather than 6ft, because all kinds of safety regulations come into play in building a 6ft trench. The 4inch pipes are fed from one large pipe coming from the basement, and they are funnelled back into a large pipe as they return to the basement. The whole system is filled with water and sealed. There is a pump in the basement that circulates the water through the pipes, and brings the warm water back into the basement. The water then goes into a heat exchanger. A heat exchanger does just that: it takes the heat out of the water and heats air that runs through pipes through the water. A heat exchanger is rather like two clasped hands, with the fingers of one hand interleaved with the fingers of the other. One set of fingers carries the warm water, the other carries the air to be heated.
After being heated by the water, the air enters a compressor where it is warmed further, before feeding it into the air ducts. It is possible to have the pipes running deep down into the ground, rather than running horizontally 5ft down. If there is a lake or a deep river, then the pipes can run through the water, rather than through the ground.
Now the money matters. We live in the country. In the winter of 2004/5 we spent about $2,500 on oil for our oil furnace. If we had kept the furnace, then we would have spent about $3,000 in the winter of 2005/6. The geothermal system has four parts: the pump to move the water around the circuit, the compressor, the heat exchanger, and the fan to blow the air through the house; those cost $18,000. The trench and pipes cost $2,000, and the necessary changes to the electrical system in the house cost another $2,000. We received a rebate of $600 on the items from the Ontario Government, and another $1,400 from a government conservation initiative.
When the system is running at moderate strength it takes 1500 KWH, about the same as a single baseboard heater; when it is running at high, it uses 2200KWH, and when the fan alone is working, then it uses 500KWH. Our electrical bill has increased by about $150 per month for the winter months.
We did not have air conditioning before; the air conditioning is set to come on when the temperature in the house reaches 75?F, which is not often. The biggest difference in the winter months is in the quality of the air inside the house. There is now no combustion, so no loss of oxygen, as there is with an oil furnace. As far as conservation is concerned, we save about 8 tons of carbon dioxide per year!
A few additional points. Obviously geothermal doesn’t work for everyone. My father has a luxury of a large backyard, so he could fit all that piping easily into shallow trenches. If you don’t have that much room, as he points out, you have to dig down—and that’s obviously more expensive. I’m not suggesting, in other words, that this is going to solve the energy crisis. But surely there are lots of lots of houses—as well as commercial buildings (like malls, with huge parking lots) that could easily install geothermal systems, and even a modest application of technologies like this could begin to make a real difference in our energy problems.
I think it is also worth noting how absurdly low-tech the system is. It is pvc pipes and a compressor. My father lives in Ontario, where the winters can be vicious, and has thrown out his furnace! The other noteworthy fact is how (relatively) inexpensive the system is. For an investment of $25,000, my father saves, conservatively, $2000 a year (remember; he wasn’t running air conditioning in the summer before this, so the financial benefits of his system are substantially understated.
One of the frustrating things about the current discussion over our dependence on imported oil is the persistent notion that real solutions will require some future technological breakthrough. I think we have a lot of the answers. We just haven’t made consumers and public officials aware of them.
January 29, 2009
With the Keystone HELP® Energy Efficiency Program, most Pennsylvania homeowners who meet the program’s eligibility guidelines can get a low cost loan for ENERGY STAR®rated and high efficiency heating, air conditioning, air sealing, insulation, windows, doors, geothermal and “whole house” improvements using Home Performance with ENERGY STAR®. These lower rates can save consumer thousands of dollars over the life of the loan, further enhancing the energy saving from the improvements being made and minimizing out of pocket costs.
