3/19/08

Average Energy Cost for121 Leon St, Madison

Gas: Monthly Average:  $33 (22 therms ) Electricity: Monthly Average:  $29

(178 kWh) Track use to see if improvements are succeeding

View average energy use of homes at:

mge.com/myaccount/averagecost

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3/19/08

Home Heating Rating on mge.com

Compares houses of same size and age. Rating for 121 Leon St is:

Your Home Heating Rating is: 4.2 - Good

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3/19/08

Small house

Less than 800 sq. ft.

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3/19/08

How was energy use reduced for this house built in 1951?

By using easily available measures!

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3/19/08

Set back thermostat in winter when

sleeping or gone. Wake up to warm house with a programmable thermostat

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Keep warm at night with thick comforters

•Use electric blanket when needed•Timer turns off electric blanket in morning

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3/19/08

Changed to fluorescent lights

Now available in many shapes

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3/19/08

Few ceiling fixtures, so bought compact fluorescent torchieres

Focus On Energy rebate for torchieres with ENERGY STAR® label

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3/19/08

Bought compact fluorescent torchieres

$15 Focus On Energy rebate for torchieres with ENERGY STAR® label

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3/19/08

Change to fluorescent lights

(paper shade hides bare bulb)

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3/19/08

Y-adaptor allows 2 bulbs inside paper shade for bright light

Bulb on right is 20 years old, and is used several hours per day

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3/19/08

Motion detectors on outside lights

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3/19/08

Installed 95% efficient furnace

Vents through side wall

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Furnace has blower motor that saves

about $40 per year in electricity. (ECM motor)

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3/19/08

Received rebate from Wis. Focus on Energy for efficient furnace motor

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3/19/08

New showerhead uses 1.75 gallons

per minute (vs. 2.5 GPM standard)

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3/19/08

Water-saving aerator has “trickle lever”

Reduces flow without turning off. (No need to adjust temperature)

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3/19/08

Tested house for air leaks using

blower door . Air leaks were only a small problem.

Photo by The Energy Conservatory

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3/19/08

Ducts are in attic. Tested for duct leaks to outdoors using “Duct

Blaster”

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3/19/08

Ducts are tight and already had some insulation on them

Blew more cellulose in attic, burying ducts

Duct buried in insulation

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3/19/08

Sealed gap between ceiling diffuser

and ceiling (ducts are in attic)

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3/19/08

Replaced electric water heater with gas water heater

Cut water heating costs in half, carbon dioxide by two thirds

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Gas tank-style water heater rated at .62 Energy Factor (E.F.)

Couldn’t do tankless heater – no room to vent the exhaust

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Insulated hot and cold water pipes

on heater. Heater came with heat traps

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3/19/08

Water temperature reduced to

120 degrees at the tap

(Thermostat on a gas water heater)

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3/19/08

Water temperature set to 120ºF.

Saves energy and prevents scalding

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3/19/08

Cold water wash for most loads

Consumer magazine rated cold water detergent #3 out of 22 tested

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Air dry clothes

(after the snow melts)

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3/19/08

Borrowed portable meter from library to check refrigerator.

Fridge was guzzler, so replaced. Cut costs by two thirds

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3/19/08

Put computer and peripherals on power strip. Turn off power strip

to reduce standby electric use. Otherwise some energy used even when switched “off”.

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3/19/08

Replaced plastic dryer vent with metal vent

Reduces drying time, prevents house fires

Metal dryer vent cleaned annually

3/19/08

Signed up for 100% Green Power fom MGE

According to the EPA, my 2136 kWh of Green Power per year is equivalent to 242 gallons of gasoline not used. That’s like not driving my car for seven months.

Source: www.epa.gov/solar/energy-resources/calculator.html

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3/19/08

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Next Steps:

•Replace electric clothes dryer with gas dryer. Reduce carbon dioxide by a factor of four, cut drying costs in half•Replace washer with ENERGY STAR® washer•Perhaps insulate walls? Requires removing interior wall boards due to partial insulation. Big job.•Perhaps insulate foundation? Requires trenching around house. Big job.

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3/19/08

Resources:

•Energystar.gov•Wis. Focus On Energy 1-800-762-7077 or•Focusonenergy.com•For MGE customers, track energy use online at mge.com

3/19/08

Jonathan Beers

608-252-4743 work, 249-9976 home

j_beers@hotmail.com