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Saving Home Energy

Easy Ways to Help YourselfPart 2

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Save energy nowEnergy saving methods• Low initial cost/no cost• Moderate initial cost

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Human Thermal Comfort

is determined by six variables: • air temperature • air velocity• relative humidity • clothing• metabolic rate (activity level)• mean radiant temperature

Fanger, P.O., Thermal Comfort, McGraw Hill C., 1972, pag 256.

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Low cost ways to save energy

• Personal attitude & behavior

• Wear layered warm clothes indoors during winter

• Take short showers instead of baths

• Close windows & doors (train family)

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No Cost… Low Cost

• Reducing heating costs– Turn down thermostat– Unblock and clean heating ducts and

return air vents– Place reflectors behind radiators– Leave south-facing window curtains

open in winter and closed in summer to collect or prevent solar heat gain.

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No Cost… Low Cost

• More Keeping Warm Tips– Clean and inspect furnace annually– Use foil tape to repair heating ducts– Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air– Check hot air furnace filters every 1 to 3

months– Close off unused rooms*

* Caution with baseboard heating systems

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Checking for Drafts

• Turn on a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan

• Attach a 6” piece of tissue paper to a pencil and hold next to a window or outlet.

• Observe the paper moving slightly to show areas that need to be insulated.

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Weatherize Against Infiltration

• Caulk at any joint or penetration to the exterior - wiring, pipes & duct penetrations in the attic, under floor & through walls

• Caulk where dissimilar materials meet• Weatherstrip doors, windows, & sills• Vapor barriers:

– 20 Gallons per day of moisture evaporates from crawl space into air of 1400 sq. ft. home

• Install 4-6 mil plastic on “warm-in-winter”

side of the living space

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Caulking & Weather Stripping

Caulking and Weatherstripping will payback in one year and make you more comfortable

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Storm Windows & Banking House

• Plastic sheeting• Tar paper• Bags of leaves• Bales of straw or hay• Solid foam board

• Combination Windows• Glass Storm Windows• Plastic Storm Windows

(outside or inside)

Caution: Do not cover propane clothes dryer vent, or other gas fired appliance vents with

banking material

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Insulating the Perimeter of House

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Effect of Window Treatments

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Using Window Treatments

• Heavy Drapes

• Roman Shades

• Insulation Boards

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Door Draft Stoppers

Window Draft Snakes• Fill with

– foam pipe insulation– Sand– Plastic bags

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No Cost… Low Cost

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• Water Heating– Turn down temperature on hot water heater

(110o to 120o F)– Drain a few gallons from the bottom of your

hot water heating tank– If leaving for more than two days, turn off

water heater– Install low flow showerheads and aerators in

your faucets– Repair all leaking faucets– Insulate your water heater* and supply pipes

*not recommended to insulate gas water heaters

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Low Cost – No Cost

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• Lighting– Keep lights clean; shut off when not in use– Compact florescent bulbs– Timers

• Other appliances– Use power strip for computer,

television, VCR, recorders, satellite, etc. so you can turn them off completely when not in use.

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Lighting

• Watt – amount of energy used• Lumen – amount of light produced• CFLs – cost 4x more that incandescent, last 10x

longer, use ¼ the energy

Incandescentwatts

Fluorescentwatts

Light Outputlumens

40 10 450

75 20 1100

150 28 2600http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls

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Holiday Lighting…Light Emitting Diode

(LED)

*typical amount of lighting used on the exterior and interior for one holiday season.** Assuming 240 hours of use (6 hours of use for 40 days) at an electric rate of

$0.16.kWh)

Bulb Type No. Feet Used*

Energy Usage (watts)

Av. Operating

Cost**C7 500 3500 $547C7 LED 500 116 $18Mini Incandescent

500 900 $141

LED Mini 500 67 $11

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Refrigerator / Freezer

– Remove frost from freezer– Replace worn gaskets– Keep full – Clean the coils

Consider replacing appliances that are over 20 years old and/or in need of major repairs with energy star models

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Energy Costs of Various Methods of Cooking

APPLIANCE TEMP. TIME ENERGY COST*

Electric Oven 350o 1 hr. 2.0 kwh 19¢

Convection Oven (Elec.)

325o 45 min. 1.4 kwh 13¢

Gas Oven 350o 1 hr. 0.11 therm 13¢

Frying Pan 420o 1 hr. 0.9 kwh 9¢

Toaster Oven 425o 50 min. 0.95 kwh 9¢

Crockpot 200o 7 hr. 0.7 kwh 7¢

Microwave Oven

“High” 15 min. 0.36 kwh 3¢

Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, & K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007.

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Save energy in the kitchen

• Match pan size to heating element • When cooking small meal, use microwave,

crock pot or toaster oven• Use the smallest pan necessary for the job • Keep the lid on to hold in heat• Reduce cooking time by defrosting food in

refrigerator first• Avoid looking in the oven as you cook!Source:You Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina

Cooperative Extension

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Save energy while doing dishes

• Use energy saving cycles• Use no-heat dry cycle• Don’t pre-rinse• Wash full loads• Load dishes according to

manufacturers instructions• If washing dishes by hand, turn water

on only to rinse

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Save energy in the laundry room

• Use lower temperature settings• Wash in cold water whenever possible• Load the washer to capacity• Don’t over dry clothes• Dry two or more loads in a row• Clean dryer filter after each use• Dry full loads• Clean exhaust vents• Hang clothes outside!

Source: You Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina Cooperative Extension

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Fireplaces• Put tight-fitting

doors on open fireplaces

• Insert inflatable “pillows” into fireplace to block off chimney

• Use caution when planning to use the fireplace since wildlife may have plugged the chimney

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Programmable Thermostats• More convenient and accurate than

manual thermostats and:• Improve comfort• Contain no mercury• Save energy and money on utility bills

Save 1% annually for each degree setback for 8 hours per day

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Repair Ductwork• Ducts might need repair and sealing

when:– Rooms are too warm or too cold– High summer and winter utility bills– Little or no air flow from registers in some

rooms– Air filters gets dirty quickly– Streaks of dust at registers or duct

connections– No insulation on visible ducts (attic or crawl

space)– Flexible ducts are tangled or kinked

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Cost / Benefit of Attic Insulation

Cost R-27 Cost R-47

Fuel Costs (15% estimate savings)

$2,408 $2,268

Insulation (40 packs of loose fill cellulose @ $8.88)

$355

Savings estimate $140per year

Time to pay back insulation costs

2.5 years

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Insulation with ventilationto reduce ice dams

• Ventilation Requirements- Roof• 1 square foot of ventilation opening

per each 150 square foot of roof area• ½ at eave ½ at roof edge or higher

area of roof is ideal

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Rating Systems • Doors and Windows

– National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) Labeling

• Furnace or boiler– Annual Fuel Utilization

Efficiency (AFUE)

• Water Heater– EER is a

measurement of the efficiency of the water heater based on 64 gallons of hot water per day

• Air Conditioner– Seasonal Energy

Efficiency Rating (SEER)

• Appliances– Energy Star

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Dollar Savings per $100 of Annual Fuel Cost

AFUE of new System

80% 85% 90% 95%

50% $38 $41 $44 $47

55% $31 $35 $39 $42

60% $25 $29 $33 $37

65% $19 $24 $28 $32

70% $13 $18 $22 $26

75% $6 $12 $17 $21

80% $6 $11 $16

85% $6 $11Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, & K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9 th edition, 2007.

AF

UE

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Return on Investment (ROI)Old System

(65% eff.)New System

(90% eff.)

Current Annual Fuel Costs

$3,800

Cost of installing a new system

$5,000

Annual Savings per $100 fuel costs

$28 * 38 = $1,064

ROI = Annual Savings/Cost of New System$1,064/$5,000 = 0.21 or 21% ROI Payback period is 5 years.

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Financial Incentives

• Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) – Low income home owners– Improve efficiencies &/or

replacements – 3.95% loan up to $30,000– www.mainehousing.org

• Compact Fluorescent Bulbs– Instant rebate at store $2

to $12– www.efficiencymaine.com

• Residential Energy Efficiency Tax Credit – Improve efficiencies

and/or replacements including stoves that use biomass.

– Amount of credit is 30% of cost for all technologies placed in service in 2009 and 2010 combined up to $1,500

– www.irs.gov

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Energy Resources

• http://www.extension.umaine.edu/energy/default.htm

• http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/