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.
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.
There are many ways to save energy and money at home. These are some of the things that I've done.
• #1 I replaced my SUV with the plug-in hybrid Chevy Volt. This saves me several thousand dollars a year in gas since I mostly drive in electric mode. I save even more when gas prices rise.
• #2 I now use a pellet stove as the only means to heat my home. The pellet fuel and the electricity to run the stove cost about $1,000 per year. Pellet stoves aren't a solution but a great way to reduce your dependence on home heating oil sticker shock.
• #3 Insulating your home is one of the best things to do. In the attic, I double insulated my attic floor, put in an attic radiant barrier and an attic solar exhaust fan. I also put an insulating cap on top of the attic stairs. I also installed insulating curtains on all the windows and put window film on the actual glass.
• #4 If you heat your water using electricity, you have a few options. I first started saving by installing a simple gray box hot water heater timer. Setting the timer box to come on for a couple hours in the morning and in the evening was sufficient enough and it saved a lot of electricity.
• #5 I replaced the gray box timer and installed one of the first Energy Star Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters. The average person will save over $300 per year with one. In simple terms, the heat pump takes the heat that's already in the air and puts it in the water tank. This is much more efficient than powering a heating element in the tank all the time.
• #6 I grow my own organic food for part of the year. For part of the year, I don't have to buy basil, lettuce, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, blueberries or strawberries. Once you establish your initial garden structure you'll save money as the years go by.
• #7 You can save $10-$30 per month on natural gas or electricity just by hanging your laundry. You can go even further by getting a centrifuge laundry spinner that squeezes out an extra quart of water before you actually hang the clothes. This three minute laundry spinner will cut the drying time in half whether you hang the laundry or still use a dryer.
• #8 I killed most of the phantom or vampire electrical loads in the house by using properly sized power strips. You'd be surprised how much it costs to power a cable box, a microwave clock, a TV or even a garage door opener when it's not in use. If a power strip is too much of a hassle, they make remote controlled ones now.
• #9 Using less water saves in a few different ways. I use basic adjustable low flow shower heads, dual flush toilets and sink aerators. Less water used means less waste water and less energy needed to heat it.
• #10 I use fans instead of air conditioning unless there's a heat wave. You'd be surprised how cold you get when sleeping with a fan blowing on you. If you have to use AC, experiment by setting it a few degrees higher and using a fan.
Have you ever considered installing your own solar home energy system ? The sun has always been a source of heat and light energy. Now with the advancement of technology, the sun's power can be used to create other forms of usable energy.
With the world moving towards a deepening energy crisis, it is important that we reduce our dependency on non-renewable sources. Three types of energy solutions fall into the category of renewable energy: solar energy, hydro energy and wind energy. For the homeowner a solar home energy system probably is the best choice. Hydro energy is not really a viable option plus there are some concerns about using this energy because it is believed to adversely affect the water-borne flora and fauna. Wind energy would be a viable alternative depending on the physical setting but there is concern that power generating windmills could be unsightly if not mounted in a discreet location and this may not always be possible. Although in the correct situation wind power could be a workable solution and could also be used in tandem with a solar home energy system.
With a solar home energy system the solar panels can be placed in a relatively obscure location thus not becoming aesthetically displeasing plus with the advent of continued development it is now possible for the construction of the required components and the installation to be carried out by the home handyman. There are a number of instructional publications now available authored by expert professionals who have spent much of their working life studying and implementing solar power solutions. The publications give detailed step by step instructions on obtaining the materials, constructing the solar panels and then the subsequent installation as well as the legalities.
You need to know that the U.S. environmental protection agency or more often called EPA is the one in charge in creating the home energy yardstick, to help all the consumers to compare their energy usage with some other homes. Should you might want to know if you are making use of your energy economically in your home, then chances are you ought to try using the home energy yardstick today.
Making use of home energy yardstick may help you compare the energy utilization of your home and to your neighbor. The home energy yardstick can be another tool which we make use of to assist you to save energy and of course save money. Aided by the home energy yardstick you don't need to expend a lot of money just to manage to use this tool. All you need is your 12 months previous energy bill, size of your house and then just click a button. When you finally use the home energy yardstick and you have compared your consumption with the other homeowners, it will be easy to know if your energy usage is efficient or possibly you are using much energy than needed. It enables us to know if our energy usage is efficient as well as you are using much energy than needed. Having to deal with this kind of information it is possible to know if you have been very wise in using your electricity at home or you might have been wasting it. In working with your energy at home, you'll need to be sure that you will get rid of the unnecessary electronic devices from your home to ensure that your energy saving.
You can ask why you would need to save energy or perhaps use home energy yardstick. That question might sound like a silly question, but of course almost everyone knows that we all need to make it a habit to save energy in our homes. As you may know that the costs will keep going to sky rise at a higher rate if you are to compare it 15 years ago, there's a chance you're one of the wisest persons that are seeking for solutions on how to utilize your energy efficiently.
You must be observing that it looks money crisis is much more important than the energy crisis in America. But people are not taking it seriously, because they don't know if economy slowly turning around, energy consumption will increase and oil prices will once again burst out faster and more people will at last prefer to use their own home energy sources.
On the other hand it is also the fact that the annual World Energy Outlook has already given their verdict that by 2030 oil prices will stabilize at around $125 a barrel. And the increase will also be because of rising costs for equipment that the oil producers will have to face.
We also find that different the most known brands are still earning more than others, but it is becoming evident that their hold over energy is slowly decreasing. Huge new oil fields in Russia and Saudi Arabia were recently brought into the mix and these oil-rich governments have begun tipping the scale in their favor away from old fashioned big oil. It is also seen that some countries are trying to renewal their contract with their dealer who are getting more profit from the consumption of oil. There is literally trillions of dollars needed to develop new oil fields and keep oil flowing throughout the world. But it is also observed that if this profit goes into government's hand, this government will prefer to get more hold on different resources.
Most dealers like Chevron are banking on developing alternative energy sources and looking more inclined to this very idea. It is also forecast that that only 3% of the world's emissions will come from the U.S. or might be from Europe till the end of 2030. And other remaining will be from China and Middle East. More about the Greenhouse gas, it will continue to rise until global habits change, and definitely it will take some 15 years and after that the crises will be the eve of a past.
