Tag: <span>energy saving</span>

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An energy saving house doesn’t necessarily require a household to only reduce energy consumption by means of depriving themselves of using the staple appliances and electronics within the bounds of homes. It is beyond our knowledge that the usage of energy on one’s household doesn’t end. From the moment you sleep until the time you wake up, energy runs non-stop. Although it is quite hard to find out how to construct an energy saving house, still there are simple ways that can lead to a lower monthly bill. Here are some of them.

Start with home appliances. An energy saving house starts from the basics – lowering the wattage and consumption of household electrical devices. Instead of using high watt-ed bulbs, 100 watt bulb for an instance, use lower ones like a 20 watt bulb on non-functioning rooms such as balcony and storage rooms. Reduce the temperature of your fridges as it makes up to 30% of your energy consumption.

Give your home a proper insulation. Insulating your home’s ceilings and walls are crucial when constructing an energy saving house. Not only it reduces up to 30% of your electricity bills, but it minimizes CO2 emissions as well. CO2 emissions are responsible for the greenhouse effect or what we call global warming. This means that while you are conserving energy, you are actually helping out prevent climate change as well.

Use energy-efficient products. If you wish to totally give an energy saving house a try, then you have to at least replace some of your old appliances such as boilers, furnace, and heat pumps with high-efficiency ones. As much as possible, choose those that have an “Energy-Efficient” or “Energy Star” label as they guarantee to save energy as well as the environment.

Plant trees around your area. Though this sounds quite out of the ordinary, trees and plants are very capable of minimizing heat, providing shade and cool atmosphere during the summer seasons. This will help you to block off the extreme heat that is being produced by the sun. Not only is it a factor of building an efficient energy saving house, but it is a way of protecting and saving our environment as well. While most people are too innocent on the ways to reduce utility bills through an energy saving house, our nature becomes more and more damaged. It is important that we become more aware of the things that can save or harm the environment.

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Source by Orlando Racelis

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Millions of American homeowners plan to remodel instead of move. If you plan to remodel your home, here are some of the most effective projects when it comes to recapturing more of your hard-earned dollars by lowering your home’s energy usage.

1. Insulation

The first one, though it won’t show on the outside, is adding a layer of insulation to your attic. To decide if your home could use an upgrade, check to see how much you already have. If it’s less than twelve inches, adding another layer will lessen your energy bills significantly.

2. Windows

Replacing wood windows with energy-efficient vinyl windows can also offer a relatively quick payback in energy costs. If the cost of replacing all your windows at once is beyond your budget, start by replacing south and west-facing windows first, to save on summer cooling costs. Then replace your east and north-facing windows to reduce heating expenses.

3. Furnace Filters

A very inexpensive upgrade is simply to change your furnace filter regularly. It can improve your cooling system’s efficiency by as much as ten percent when combined with making sure your registers are clear, as well. You can save even more, while helping the environment by not having to recycle your old filter, by buying a washable filter for about $20, which can last for as long as five years if properly cared for.

4. Lighting

Changing incandescent lighting to fluorescent can also provide a strong return on investment. For instance, replacing just one quarter of your incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents can reduce your home’s electricity usage by 50 percent. As energy costs continue to rise, this is a great way to fight back.

5. Appliances

Finally, many of today’s new appliances can save large amounts of energy when compared to their ancestors. They’re also an excellent way to give your kitchen a dramatic new look while you’re saving money on energy costs.

Energy costs are going to continue rising. Of that, there is no doubt. However, there are many projects that you can do yourself that will provide significant energy savings around your home, all of which will eventually pay for themselves by reducing the amount of energy your home uses.

As energy costs continue to soar, it will be well worth your while to look around your home, take stock, and see if any of these relatively easy and inexpensive projects will be right for you. You’ll be pleased with the difference, and with the money you’ll save.

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Source by Jeanette Joy Fisher

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Twenty years ago thermostats were turned up and down for comfort levels with absolutely no thought to saving energy. In fact, the wars over the thermostat are legendary in most families. There is usually one spouse who wants the house over 72 degrees and the other who wants the temperature at least 68.

Today amnesty has been declared! Energy efficient homes and saving money now take precedent regarding where to set the thermostat.

Finding and setting the right temperature is the first goal. The general recommendation is to set the heat at 68 F degrees and at 76 F degrees in the summer. Any time you can either move this number up or down two degrees will give you a substantial cost savings.

For example, if you have your thermostat set at 70 F degrees in the winter and feel comfortable walking around in a short sleeve shirt, you may want to turn the temperature down two degrees and wear a long sleeve shirt and a fleece vest. Setting the air condition at 76 F degrees and turning on the fan is enough to pull out the humidity in the air and keeping it at that level will save energy because the air conditioner will not have to turn on and off.

One quick energy saving tip to keep in mind is that if you are not going to be home for a period of time, whether it is visiting family, taking a vacation, or going to a business trip, Turn you thermostat down in the winter to at least 65-62 F degrees. As long as your furnace is working your pipes will not freeze. If you are leaving during the summer months turn your thermostat to 78. If you live in a climate where there are a lot of insects, keep the air circulating by keeping on the fan.

Programmable Thermostats

If you are serious about saving energy and money your very best decision is to invest in programmable thermostats. They are not too expensive selling at just a bit more than a standard model. However, they can save you money.

For instance, they work the same as other thermostats. When your home temperature changes so much that the furnace or air conditioner needs to kick in, they do the work. However, you can program them to turn on before you come home from work. If you are gone most of the day and there is no one at home, why would you want to keep the furnace blasting all day? If the period of time that you are gone is longer than a couple of hours, these programmable thermostats are a blessing.

You simply set the time in which you will be home and at that time they will kick on. Better models can be programmed for various days of the week such as Saturday when you may be home all day. When the time comes to turn on, they turn on by themselves and get your home at the right temperature.

You can also program them for different temperatures at night when you are sleeping. By raising the temperature in your home during the summer a couple of degrees, or lowering it a couple of degrees in the winter, you are saving a great deal of energy and lowering the cost of your utility bills.

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Source by Ruthan Brodsky

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One of the reasons why most people have high electricity bills is because of their continuous use of heating systems or devices like thermostat in order to warm up their homes, commonly known as home thermal energy. If heating systems do not fit into your budget yet, then you must at least find ways to conserve energy and minimize your expenses on utilities. Here you’ll learn some of the basic home thermal power saving tips that you might find really useful on your journey towards achieving significantly lower energy consumption.

Examine if there are drafts in your homes. One of the reasons why households are not able to save from their monthly electric bill and spend most part of their energy consumption to heating is because there are drafts within the bounds of their homes, mostly on windows, doors, walls, and ceilings. Whether a small draft or a big one, there is no difference, it will still let cold air brought by winter pass through and then let heat escape. This means that you will have to spend more time heating your home in such a higher temperature. Definitely leaves no room for you to save from consuming more power to warm up your home.

Lower your thermostat down. You may notice the difference when this is done only overnight. But as you go over a month with one degree lower than your usual heating temperature, you will definitely see the surprising changes with your bills.

Heat only those parts of the house that are regularly used. If you really are serious about saving home thermal energy, then you must do even the simplest ways just to lower down your energy consumption. Heat only the parts of your house which are in frequent use such as living rooms, dining areas, and a few bedrooms.

Insulate your home. By insulating your house, you are able to reduce or even eliminate the chances of the warm air escaping. Another simple way to save home thermal energy is to set aside your curtains and let the heat of the sun inside your home.

Energy sources like Wind, Hydro, Thermal, Geothermal, and Solar can completely overthrow the use of fossil fuels. Primarily, these sources do not damage the natural environment. Saving home thermal energy does not necessarily require much of the modern “improvements”. With a few simple acts, you can be able to lower down your energy consumption as well as your electricity bills.

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Source by Orlando Racelis

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There are a number of ways to make your home more energy-efficient. These methods are practical and cost-effective. The bottom line is that they will save you money with heating, cooling and supplying electricity to your lights and appliances.

Solar Panels For Your Home

One solution is add solar panels to your home. These can used to supply electricity and also can be used to help creating hot water in your potable water supply.

Solar panels absorb sunlight using photovoltaic cells. These photovoltaic cells create direct current, which is type of electricity that flows in one direction. However the appliances used in your home use alternating current, which is a type of electricity the runs in two different directions through the wiring of your home in phase system. Your solar panel system will therefore need an inverter to convert the DC electrical energy into usable AC electrical energy.

Most home owners install these panels on their roofs. However this is not say you cannot setup a row of these panels in your backyard where the most hours of sunlight hit the ground.

Building solar panel with proven plans would be a practical solution helping to reduce energy costs and make your home more energy-efficient. However this will be technical task and proper guidance will be necessary for most individuals.

Roof Top Solar Panels

Home are being constructed with roof tiles that have solar panels built-in them. These roof tiles look like a normal roof but solar panel are built into them and will help subsidize your energy bill.

Windows as Solar Panels

Recently the solar power industry have found methods to use windows to provide energy for a building. These solar-powered windows can be used to replace the existing windows in a building and make the structure more energy-efficient. These windows contain tiny solar cells that convert sunlight into energy. This energy is converted into electrical energy and can used directly. Excess electrical energy is stored in a battery to used later.. Apparently one of these windows can supply enough energy to charge a cell phone twice a day.

Other Energy Conservation Methods

Using energy-efficient light bulbs is one way to make you household more energy-efficient. There are a number of energy-efficient light bulbs available to the consumer. These include the halogen incandescents, compact fluorescent lamps and light emitting diodes (LEDs). These are very popular and can be purchased in various hardware and grocery stores.

Energy inefficient incandescent light bulbs are being phased out but are still available at lower cost per unit. However they have a shorter life span when compared to these more efficient sources of light. You do the math.

Best Regards

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Source by Paul Luciw

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Would you like to reduce electrical costs related to your compressed air system? More than likely – you can. Start by determining your annual compressed air electrical costs by using this formula:

Brake Horse Power X 0.746 X Annual Hours of Operation X KWH (Kilowatt-Hour) Cost (divided by) Motor Efficiency

NOTE: 1 CFM (Cubit Feet per Minute) @ 100 PSIG (pound-force per square inch gauge) FOR 8760 HOURS COST $110.00 PER YEAR IN ELECTRICAL COST

Next…follow these Top 7 Compressed Air Energy Saving Tips:

1. Fix your Air Leaks

If you do nothing else – follow this one tip: Find and fix your compressed air leaks. Air leaks are industrys’ “biggest looser”!

The average plant loses 20% to 30% it its compressed air through multiple small air leaks. The money spent on man power and parts to find and fix these leaks is well worth it. Note (a 1/4 inch hole will flow 103 cfm @ 100 psig)

2. Change to Synthetic Lubricants

If you are using petroleum based lubricants, you could experience up to an 8% energy savings by switching to Compressor Synthetic Lubricants. Plus extend equipment life and save on oil changes and disposal cost.

3. Reduce Plant Operating Pressure

If possible – reduce overall plant pressure. Less pressure > Less CFM used > less energy consumed.

TIP: Reduce plant pressure 2 pounds at a time, then test run for minimum 24 hours. If any equipment has issues…then increase pressure 2 pounds until running smoothly again. For every 2 pound pressure reduction -you save 1% of the electrical cost to run the air compressor.

4. Check Differential Pressure on Air Compressor Filters.

Start at the compressor cabinet filter then check the compressor inlet filter.

Note: A dirty inlet filter can cost you 1% to 3 % in additional electrical costs. Why? Because decreased air flow to the compressor inlet valve increases the compression ratios resulting in more run time.

Next check the air/oil separator differential pressure under a full load. A new separator causes a differential pressure drop of approximately 2-3 psig. When your pressure drop reaches 8-10 psig, then it is time to change your separator elements. A dirty separator element can cost you up to 5% in additional electrical cost.

Next change the control air filter element. This often over looked, but still important filter where the controls receive their air signal. A pressure drop here causes the controls to receive the lower pressure signal loading the compressor more and using more electricity.

5. Reduce the Compressor Inlet Temperature

By reducing inlet air temperature 10°F below 70°F, you save 2% on electrical usage. Your benefit increases up to 8% on a 30°F degree day. But increasing the inlet temperature 10°F above 70°F will cost you 2% in additional electrical usage for every 10°F up to 10% at 120°F. (Inlet temperature has very little affect on Lubricated screw compressors)

6. Check Differential Pressure on Compressed Air Line Filters.

Size Compressed Air Filters to be twice (2x) your compressor CFM flow rate. This will lower your pressure drop approximately 2-3 psig and save 1% on energy costs. Elements will last twice (2x) as long and you will save on maintenance costs.

7. Know what quality of compressed air your plant needs.

The cleaner & dryer the compressed air the more energy used.

Check with the manufacturer of your equipment to determine the quality of air needed.

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Source by Tommy McGuire