Energy & Water Conservation

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Is Your House Ready for Winter?

Every house is affected differently by winter weather. Where does your home stand?  Preparing your home in the comfortable fall weather is far easier than taking action in the cold, snowy or icy conditions winter may bring.

Water Infiltration

Water is the number one destroyer of homes. The following steps can help you to avoid water problems this winter:

• Check the caulk around every window, door, electrical and plumbing penetration and every other penetration through your siding.
• Make sure flashings are properly employed above each protruding wood trim or molding.
• Look at each section of your roof to make sure water that will run down that section will run into the gutter and not behind it, or into un-flashed gaps at roof-to-wall joints, skylights or other roof penetrations.
• Make sure downspouts are connected and in good condition. Make sure there are splash blocks or other drains directing the water away from your foundation.
• Clean your gutters. Depending on the type and size of the trees around your home, you may want to wait until their leaves have all fallen before doing this.
• Make sure your bath & kitchen fans are operating properly. Check that they are vented all the way outside, not just into the attic. Check your dryer vent too.  This should also be vented all the way outside.

Pest Infestation

Another big destroyer of homes are small animals and birds. The following steps can help assure that they are not "moving in" to your home:

• Check that screens are in place on attic ventilation openings. Close any openings that you find and clean up any mess that has been left behind. Replace insulation that has been fouled, as this can be a cause of serious disease. Make sure all re-sealed openings and any similar openings nearby are fastened securely with durable materials. Birds can be very persistent if they believe their home has been stolen!
• Check crawl-space openings and ventilation for evidence of rodent intrusion. Call a professional if you find evidence of continued habitation in your crawl space. Rats and other vermin are also very persistent and will chew through almost anything to get back into what they perceive as their home.
• Take steps to eliminate sources of water that might attract rodents or other vermin under or around your home.

Saving Energy

Now that your home is less likely to be destroyed, look for energy savings in the following areas and remember that air infiltration is the largest single cause of heat loss in the average home:

• Air-seal every available exterior opening. Start with the big ones, like around doors and windows. Do the existing seals need replaced? If they have not been replaced in the last ten years, they are more than likely worn out.
• Caulk every penetration. See item #1 under Water Infiltration above.
• Seal from the inside all electrical boxes on the the exterior and the interior walls.  Interior walls are usually open at the top to the attic or at the bottom to the basement where wires and pipes protrude. These can be major sources of heat loss.
• Caulk every plumbing penetration beneath kitchen sinks and bathroom vanities. Make sure you check behind the chrome escutcheon plates - you will most likely find a large hole there.

Almost Done!

Last but not least are the obvious maintenance items:

• Have your heating system professionally serviced every year. Typically, you can save more than the cost of the service and it will help assure that your system lasts as long as it should. Additionally, it may help to avoid that system failure that always seems to happen on the coldest night of the year.
• Change all your smoke detector batteries. It's a lot more convenient to do this on a Saturday afternoon in the fall than trying to figure out which one is beeping at 3 a.m.

 

Where Your Money Goes

Powering electronic devices can cost you almost as much as powering your kitchen appliances. Half of U.S. homes have three or more TVs, 39% have multiple
computers and 44% have four or more rechargeable devices. Then there are
roughly 160 million set-top boxes, each consuming substantial power, more than a refrigerator in some cases when used with a high-definition digital video recorder. Electronics and appliances account for 30 cents of every dollar you spend on electricity. Appliances have become more efficient, but increased use of electronics has offset those gains, according the Energy Information Administration.

Install an Energy Saving Smart Surge Protector

Some electronics use energy even when they're off.  Energy efficient smart surge protectors feature 8 total outlets and 4 energy saving outlets that work in sync to efficiently power your electrical devices.  This "Smart Strip" automatically switches devices on and off and uses less than one watt of power when fully energized!  Pick one up at the CBPU for $20 while supplies last.

Attic Insulation - The Most Bang For Your Buck

When it comes to energy efficiency improvements, the best thing you can do to save money is add insulation to the attic.  According to the US Department of Energy, up to 45% of a home's energy loss is through the attic. Installing additional insulation can have a huge impact on the energy efficiency and comfort of your home.  Installing attic insulation can be a do-it-yourself project.  Loose-fill insulation, (whether it’s blown-in fiberglass or cellulose) in the correct thickness (R49) will do a good job.  Be prepared - the job can be dusty and you will need two people to perform it.  If it’s not something within the realm of your capabilities, have an insulation contractor come out and do this. On the average house, if you do it yourself, you’ll spend $500 to $700 on the insulation, and if you hired a professional you’d pay $1,500 to $2,000.  The savings can be significant if you're able to do the project on your own.

Maintain Your Heating System Regularly

Have your heating and cooling system inspected and cleaned on an annual basis. A licensed contractor will be able to ensure that it’s running safely and at peak efficiency. Heating units, particularly the forced air type, move a lot of air.  Dirt and debris gets in your heating system, which can lower efficiency.  Heating systems that are not regularly serviced run the risk of failing, which if it happens in the middle of a cold January night, you may end up paying two to three times as much for an emergency service call for them to come and fix it. Furnaces and boilers are machines and machines can fail at any time, but a well maintained machine is definitely more reliable than one that is not.

Purchasing Bigger Tickets Items For Your Home

If your windows and doors are in bad shape, replace them with Energy Star rated units, if that’s in your budget.  Not only is this an energy-efficiency savings but it can also add value to your home.  If you are considering replacing your furnace, buy the highest efficiency piece of equipment you can within your budget.  The savings from a 90% plus efficiency unit versus the 80% unit can really add up in the long term. Another energy efficiency upgrade to consider might be installing a tankless on-demand water heater.  On-demand units are very efficient, make continuous hot water and when they’re off, they’re off.  When you're not using water with an on-demand unit, zero energy is being used!  Before you buy, be sure to check any and all available rebate incentives for these products.

Use the Sun!

There are great opportunities to heat your home in the wintertime by using the sun.  Open up the blinds or curtains and allow the sunshine to come in.  At night, close your window treatments to create an extra insulation barrier to hold the warm air the sun provided inside the home.

Making some small changes at home can really make a big difference on your utility bill.

There are many things that can contribute to high energy use.  Of course, the amount of heating and cooling you do can have the biggest effect on your utility bill.  Older appliances that aren’t energy efficient can also use a lot more energy than ENERGY STAR qualified appliances.

Although it may not be feasible to unplug your refrigerator or oven when you’re not using them, there are probably several appliances you can unplug when not in use.  Did you know that the average home has more than 25 electronic products and many of those devices are left plugged in 24 hours a day?  Did you know those devices continue to draw power even when they are off?

Tips to Save Energy & Money

1. Lighting is one the easiest steps you can take to start saving energy.  Replacing at least your five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified light bulbs can save more than $65 per year.  They last up to 10 times longer, use less energy and you’ll see the savings right away.
1. Before winter starts, remember to replace your screens with storm windows.  Caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors that leak air.  If replacing windows with ENERGY STAR qualified models, save $20-$95 per year.
2. Install a low-flow shower head.  Even a 10 minute shower beats taking a full bath.  This can save over $140 a year!
3. While we’re on the subject, fix those water leaks.  Leaks inside the toilet can waste over 200 gallons of water a day.  (Check for a toilet leak by adding a few drops of food coloring to the tank.  Coloring will appear in the toilet if it’s leaking.)
4. Install a programmable thermostat to control air conditioning usage or heating hours.  This is a great way to control temperatures when you’re not home or asleep.
5. At least 15% of your electricity use is due to home electronics.  Choose ENERGY STAR electronics that save energy when off, while still maintaining features like clock displays, channel settings and remote control functions.
6. Turn off the lights!  Turning off one 60-watt incandescent light bulb, that would burn 8 hours a day can save you $15 per year per bulb!
7. If your current fridge was made before 1993, it uses twice as much energy as a new ENERGY STAR qualified model.  Are you using an old fridge in your basement or garage?