Home Energy Efficiency Tips: The Bathroom

When it comes to saving home energy, energy saving exteriors are the first link in the chain Including energy saving windows, doors and skylights in your plans to save home energy will make a big difference Windows that are double and triple paned provide insulation from the iciness of the wintertime and the heat throughout summer months. Poorly fitted and drafty entry doorways do nothing for your energy saving exteriors

Efficient storm doors that offer a quality barrier to the conditions are essential. Environment agencies now have standards such as the Energy Star Rating for exteriors windows and doors

A relatively new entrant in the struggle to save home energy is the idea of reflective roofing materials which supply another technique of creating a super energy saving exterior

Lowering roof temperatures by up to 100, this material cuts down on the amount of heat that is absorbed by your home Ask your builder to use a reflective roofing calculator and enclose an estimation of the energy saving you will make in his pro-forma

These materials are also given an Energy Star rating. Reflective roofing is most beneficial on houses in warm sunny climates and that are not already well shaded.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVbpuh6K4Bw

Save Home Energy Information - What to Do to Save Energy

The effect of the constant increase in electricity bills leads people to find ways to save energy. For some, turning the lights off before sleeping is one way of minimizing electric consumption. While there are also some who minimize their use of electrical appliances in order to reduce their energy consumption. These methods are also good, but, they are not really that effective or do not really maximize energy saving. There are many ways to save energy and minimize your electricity bills even without having to sacrifice comfort. To give you a better idea, here's a few save home energy information that you might want to consider.

Although turning off the lights can save you energy, it doesn't stop the lights from consuming energy as well as it also leads to you living in a dark place. This problem can be solved by changing all incandescent bulbs and using compact fluorescent lamp (CFL) bulbs instead. Aside from being energy efficient, CFL bulbs also produce brighter light as compared with what incandescent bulbs can produce. Doing this method can help you save energy without having to sacrifice comfort. The minimal use of electrical appliances and turning them off after using is also a good idea. But, to maximize your energy saving process, unplug them after turning them off because they still continue to consume energy when left unplugged. Also, try to buy energy efficient appliances. There many of these appliances these days that is being manufactured and sold in the market. They may be quite expensive, but in the long run, they can really help you save a lot of energy as well as lessen your electricity expenses.
Water leaks and water consumption are also one of the things that you can learn when reading about save home energy information. As you know, water and energy are related to each other. One of the largest sources of energy around the world comes from hydro power plants. This means that if there is a shortage in water, there may also be a shortage in energy. With this theory, there's a need for us to also conserve water in order to save energy. This is one of the most common things being overlooked by people when it comes to saving energy. Often, they would think that saving energy is just all about saving electricity consumption. This situation only shows the lack of knowledge when it comes to save home energy information.
With thorough research, you can surely find a lot of save home energy information that you can apply in order to save energy and lessen your electric expenses. What were mentioned previously are just a few save home energy information that you might want to keep in mind and try to apply. To learn more about save home energy information, try searching the internet. For sure, you will be able to find a lot out there.

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Why Your Home Needs a Home Energy Audit

This heating season, you probably want to save money on your energy use. This is especially true during this winter's cold snap that has affected much of the country as far south as Miami and Houston. But that might not be the only reason. You might find that your home's HVAC system is always running hard but can't adequately heat your home. Or some rooms in your house seem cooler or hotter than others. Maybe you noticed a mold or mildew problem in a room other than your bathroom. Perhaps your water heater can't keep up with demand. You can fix these problems by starting with a home energy audit.

How does a home energy audit work?

An energy audit looks at several specific features of your home. First, it lists the characteristics of your home's thermal envelope: walls, ceilings, floors, doors, windows, and skylights. Each of these features has a specific R-value, which is a measurement of the resistance to heat flow. The higher the resistance (or R-value), the better the insulative quality. Another factor is the leakage rate or how much outside air infiltrates into your home. Drafty doors and windows are the primary culprits here, however, other features of your home's construction, age, orientation to the sun, and physical condition will have an effect. A third area to look at is your home's mechanical system - the heating/ventilation/air conditioning (HVAC) as well as the heating water.

Energy Star provides a Home Energy Yardstick website so you can compare your household's energy use to the rest of the country. The site is a good place to start and gives some basic recommendations about making home energy efficiency improvements.

Generally, performing your own energy audit will help you discover most of the major energy usage problems in your house. For example, locating and sealing air leaks will help you save money and make your home more comfortable. An easy way is to wet your hand and then feel for drafts around:

* Electrical outlets
* Switch plates
* Window frames
* Baseboards
* Weather stripping around doors
* Fireplace dampers
* Attic hatches
* Wall or window-mounted air conditioners.

Look and feel for gaps where pipes and wires enter a wall. Also check where your floor meets the foundation. And don't forget mail slots. Check to see if caulking and weather stripping are applied properly and in good condition.

Every house and lifestyle, is different. It's safe to say that climate and location are primary factors in how your home performs. The other major factor is how you use energy in your home. When combined with information about local weather, the home's thermostat settings, as well as energy bills for a 12 month period (24 is more accurate), an energy audit can render a more accurate picture of how your home uses energy.

Unless you already have a few years experience of belly-crawling the dusty, cramped spaces of your home to weather-seal it, you should consider having a professional visit and perform an energy audit. Now you might think all an energy auditor does is seal a fan onto your front door and then prowl your house looking for drafts. Sure, they might perform this test, but not only do you get the benefit of their years of training and experience, you also gain from a fresh perspective.

Professionals can often see things you have overlooked that can help you save on your energy costs and be more energy efficient. For example, a slight discoloration along a corner of your living room wall might indicate an unsealed gap in your home's framing that lets in cold air and moisture. This and other hidden heat loss can also be detected with heat-sensitive cameras, a tool most homeowners don't own.

A qualified energy auditor can also give you an informed choice of options. Some fixes might just require a tube of $4.00 caulk to save you $100.00 in energy costs. Some fixes might be more expensive but can be done over time. An energy auditor can make recommendations for improvements and solutions based on what they learn about your living habits, needs, and budget. This can include efficient low-wattage lighting fixtures, getting the best insulation for your buck, as well was Energy Star rated appliances and upgrades so you can take advantage of both Federal and State rebate offers.

Remember, not only will an energy audit show you where to start saving money to heat your home this winter but it will identify cooling problems that cost you during the hot summer months. But whether or not you decide to do it yourself or consult a professional, you should do it as soon as possible so you can identify your home's problems and develop a plan of action. After all, making your home energy efficient not only saves money, energy, and natural resources, it also makes your home more comfortable and enjoyable for you and your family.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/531597/why-your-home-needs-a-home-energy-audit.htm

A Home Energy Audit Is A Good Thing

The concept of energy efficiency has become a trend in recent times, as it is geared towards saving you money and helping the environment. In order to upgrade to a whole-house energy efficient home, one should first schedule a home energy audit.

The use of the word "audit" is not your typical application of the word. A home energy "audit" is designed to save you money by pinpointing the exact areas in your home that are prone to be energy deficient. This is achieved by a team of professionals evaluating the inside of your home with advanced technologies like infrared cameras.

Benefits

Pinpointing energy deficient areas in your home will help assure that you are not paying for unneeded services. A home energy audit can reveal a variety of things depending the style, make, year, and geographical location of your home. Some of the major sources of energy deficiencies are windows, attic insulation, lighting, HVAC Systems (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning), ductwork, and even your water heater.

* Windows - 20% of your home's total heat loss is attributed to deficient windows. Energy efficient windows help reduce the four types of heat loss (conduction, radiation, convection, and air leakage) because of their advanced technologies like low-E glass, quality frames, multiple paned glass, gas fills, and warm edge spacers. These technologies work together to lower the "U Value" which is the rate at which a home loses heat.

o Low-E coatings are used to reduce overall radiative heat flow.

o Quality Frames help to insulate the window and reduce heat transfer.

o Multiple panes work together to provide greater insulation. There are at least two panes of glass in an energy efficient window.

o Gas fills, which are generally argon or krypton, reduce the conductance between the two or more window panes.

o Warm Edge Spacers insulate the window, prevent condensation, and hold the glass panes the proper distance apart from one another.

* Attic Insulation - The greatest amount of energy loss occurs in the attic. Many attics are already insulated, but they were done so improperly or using improper insulation. Knowing the right type of insulation and how much of it you need is dependent upon your geographical location. Your local energy savings expert can help to give you an idea on what options are best for your home.

* Lighting - In many homes lighting accounts for 15% of the total electric bill. CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights) are 75% more efficient than incandescent lights. In addition, they will give you ten more years of life than a traditional incandescent light.

* HVAC System - Nearly half of your energy bill will be spent on home heating and cooling costs. A home energy audit can help you discover what size HVAC system will be right for your house as a system that is too big/too small will be very inefficient and will ware faster.

* Ductwork - Up to 40% of your furnace/air conditioner's energy use is wasted by a leaky duct system. A leaky duct won't be able to carry all of the air that your furnace/air conditioner is producing to the rest of your home. This will not only reduce comfort, but also take your furnace/air conditioner longer to heat your home which results in higher energy costs. A leaky duct has a tendency to take "dirty air" from your crawlspace, basement, or attic and circulate it throughout your house.

* Water Heater - Installing a tankless water heater can reduce the cost of heating water by 45%. A traditional tank-type water heater will continuously heat the water in your tank regardless if you use it or not, meaning you are paying to heat something that you may or may not use.

Instead of storing water in a tank, a tankless water heater heats water en route to its destination. The heating mechanism will only turn when you turn on your dishwasher, operate a washing machine, or open a hot water tap.

Recap

Home energy audits aren't scary like the tax audits. These are designed to save you money by identifying the precise locations in your home that need to be upgraded with energy efficient appliances.

Many people are satisfied with their energy bills, but their bills could be so much less after conducting a home energy audit. Home energy audits will definitively reveal what areas of your house are costing you the most money on your energy bills.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/863972/a-home-energy-audit-is-a-good-thing.htm

What is a Home Energy Check Up and How Can it Help Me?

Are you aware that you might not be using your energy efficiently? A home energy check up analyzes your energy usage in order to give you a guide on how to use your energy efficiently; thus, saving you hundreds of dollars while maintaining comfort in your home. Using the same amount of energy yet getting the lowest cost is good for your budget, but there are numerous ways in which you can lower your energy consumption and save more money on your energy bill each month.

This reduction in energy consumption is also good for the environment: the less energy human beings use, the less energy is produced, and the less energy will be put to waste unconsciously or intentionally and there are many alarming bi-products have to be dealt with. We should not just be concerned on our personal finances but also on how to lower our energy bills; we need to think of better and effective ways to reduce our energy use as well. One way of knowing how we use our energy whether efficiently or inefficiently is to conduct a home energy check up. It can save the environment and it can save you hundreds of dollars by energy saving. The fact is that the number one biggest expense in your home is your power bill. And if you are located in an area with extreme weather climates chances are your energy bill is twice as the regular household's bill in areas with "normal" climate. For example, if you live in the desert or warm areas with very hot temperatures you are forced to turn your air conditioner's thermostat to its maximum level to cool your home, in doing so your cooling energy bills can be extraordinarily high especially during summer, or if you are in extremely cold areas, your winter heating bill will be high.
However, you have the power to reduce the cost of your energy bill by making some changes. Doing a home energy check up can guide you in deciding what needs to altered or maintained. There are many things you can do to have an energy efficient home. After conducting a home energy check up you may decide whether to switch to energy efficient exteriors, change your traditional lights to energy efficient bulbs, or schedule an energy saving hour.
Your attitude towards how you use your technology also affects your energy consumption. If you have kids and they tend to forget to switch off the television set after watching or if they are used to putting the computer to sleep mode instead of turning it off after using chances are you will still have bigger energy bill cost. Educate your children and other household members about energy saving and how wasting energy can harm the environment. Help them understand how to use the switch off button.
Little steps like this can make a big difference in your finances and to the environment. It is not enough to have a home energy check up; it is just the beginning of energy saving and is well worth your time and effort.

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