Tag: <span>energy saving</span>

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With so many window treatment options, it can be hard to choose which blinds you want to buy. Then you hear about energy efficient blinds and wonder how much you could actually save. There is an easy way to find out. If you go to some online blinds store, you can use an energy calculator to give you an idea of how much you would save based on the square footage of your home.

Here are some other ways to figure out savings.

Honeycomb Cellular Shades and Fusion Shades are the Most Energy Efficient

The double cell honeycomb shade along with the fusion roman shade is the most efficient design available today. What you may not realize is that the color makes a difference in the energy efficiency of the blinds.

– Choose a light color or a shiny surface to reflect light and heat.

– Choose dark colors to absorb heat.

How Sunlight Effects Your Energy Bill

During the summer, windows can cause your energy consumption to increase a whopping 20 to 50 percent of the total energy used in a home. To give you a more concrete example a tiny one by one foot window lets in more heat than your entire wall! This can make your air conditioner work as much as 50 percent harder than it has to. The right window treatment means the energy used goes down, electric bill goes down, and the sun can’t fade your carpet or furniture.

Window Blinds and Coefficient

The coefficient measures the shades ability to insulate the home and how well it blocks out solar energy. In this case, you want a low number. The lower the number the better a job it will do keeping your house warm during the winter and cool during the summer.

You can find a coefficient rating on both honeycomb shades and fusion roman shades.

Using the Energy Calculator to Determine How Much You Will Save

Of course, the energy calculator is only an estimate. However, you can get a good idea about how much you can save with the right blinds.

All you do is enter the square footage of your home. Then you choose from a variety of styles and then estimate energy savings. You will notice that honeycomb cellular shades, blackout shades, and even double cell translucent shades top the list.

An average size home can expect to save between $200 and $400 dollars from installing window treatments. In addition, when you choose qualifying blinds, you can get a Federal Tax Cut as well.

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Source by Chris R. Stanley

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Making the decision to change over to pin energy saving light bulb products can be a step towards improving your environment, improving your lighting, and reducing your energy costs. As you learn about what these products offer, you will be encouraged to use them. They pay for themselves with the money you save in future bulbs and lowering your energy bills.

Number of Pins

As the demand for pin energy saving light bulb products increases, so does the various of products. Don’t let it be intimidating to you as you shop around. Instead, consider it a means of ensuring you get what you want. Identify the number of pins so you can get a product that fits. if it isn’t going into the slot easily, don’t force it. Double check you have the right number of pins.

Some of them only have two pins and others have three. The largest selection of pin energy saving light bulb products out there have four pins. Such information should be easy to locate for any given type of product you are interested in. If you aren’t sure though, you should ask to confirm before you place your order.

Wattage

Most of these products are offered both with the frosted and the clear colour. You can choose the style of pin energy saving light bulb you want. You can also pick the wattage you want. They are as low as 15 watts for an area that doesn’t need much light at all. Since the LED never gets hot, you can with a high wattage bulb and never have to worry about it getting too hot.

Estimated Hours of Life

Before you buy any pin energy saving light bulb, find out what the estimated number of hours of life will be for it. You certainly want the product you pay for to be long lasting. Most of them offer you thousands of hours. Yet there are those that can have a life up to twice as long as other similar products.

Brand

Finding the best brand out there with this type of product works in your favour. It is essential for you to get a brand you can rely on. The only way for that to happen is if they have a wonderful reputation. Evaluate what consumers have to say about the brand and about the specific pin energy saving light bulb you are interested in.

This will help you to avoid paying for something that falls short of your expectations. It will also help you to compare prices and to find the very best product out there for your money. You don’t want to pay too much and you don’t want to get a cheaply made imitation bulb that doesn’t do well up against a great brand name product.

Cost

You also want to compare the cost of such products. Typically, you will get a lower per unit price if you buy more than one at a time. Buying enough for your entire home or business to be swapped over at the same time is a good idea. Some consumers only buy a few to start out with and then when they see the benefits they will buy more.

Make sure you get a great value in regard to the price you pay for the products. Remember, it also means you pay more for them than a regular bulb but the savings starts right away. When you get your next electric bill, you will notice a difference in what you owe! That will continue every single month!

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Source by Jill Thomson

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We are all beginning to realize how important it is to save energy, especially with the current economic climate. Today when it comes to saving energy there are certain devices you can install which can help you. Energy saving devices have many benefits and below we look at just what some of these are.

Benefit 1 – You are helping to reduce the use of fossil fuels that help to create energy which then runs different types of electrical equipment in the home. By reducing the amount of energy you use you are reducing how much fossil fuel needs to be burnt in order to create it. This in turn is beneficial to the environment as it helps to reduce your country’s carbon foot print.

Benefit 2 – The installation of such power saver devices is relatively easy to be done and you could if you wanted do it yourself. Normally all it needs is for you to turn off the mains power supply in your home before connecting them to the devices such as lights and air conditioners where you want to save power. With such systems you will be provided with full instructions with regards to how to install them.

Benefit 3 – After installation has taken place you will immediately begin to feel the effects of these energy savers. If you fit one to your air conditioning unit for example it can help to control the temperature and adjust the system automatically. Yet these systems don’t actually connect directly to the air conditioning circuitry.

Benefit 4 – Within each one there is a stable capacity so unlike other electrical equipment in your home they are not affected by fluctuations in the power supply. So of course this means that the chances of equipment to which they are connected being damaged by power surges are greatly reduced.

Benefit 5 – The biggest benefit of course is when you get your electricity bill in the coming months and years. By installing a power saver device in your home you could be reducing how much electricity you waste annually by as much as 28%. This in turn means that you are reducing your annual electricity bill by quite a considerable sum as well. In fact using such devices could end up reducing your annual utility bills by as much as 75 to 80%.

As you can see from above there are many benefits to be gained from installing an energy saving device in your home. As you will soon discover when you search online there are many different types to choose from. So it is worthwhile doing some research into each model before you make your final purchase.

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Source by Carol K L Oon

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It costs you more money and uses more energy to heat and cool your home than any other system in your home. Typically, 44% to 50% of your utility bills pays for heating and cooling your home.

Regardless of the type of home comfort systems you have in your house, you can save money and increase comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment.

Keep in mind that an energy efficient air conditioner alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using an approach that involves the entire house. If you combine proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, weatherisation and thermostat settings, you can reduce your energy bills by up to 50%.

General Cooling Tips:

* Use house fans. House fans help cool your home by circulating cool air throughout the house. They are most effective when the outside air temperature is cooler than the inside and when operated at night. An attic fan can blow away hot air that accumulates in the attic. This can go a long way to help the efficiency of your air conditioning system.

* Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible. By maintaining a minimum difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, you’ll lower your overall cooling bill.

* Don’t reduce your thermostat setting to a colder temperature than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. This will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.

* Set the fan speed on high, except in humid weather. When it’s humid, set the fan speed on low.

* Consider ceiling fans to help spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.

* Keep lamps and TV sets away from your air conditioning thermostat.

* Shade air-conditioning units by planting trees or shrubs, but make sure you do not block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses up to 10% less electricity than one operating in the sun.

* Close shades or curtains on east, south, and west-facing windows during the hours when the sun’s intensity is at its peak. Open curtains and windows during early morning and overnight hours when the air outside the home is cooler.

* Turn off the air conditioner if the house (or air-conditioned rooms) will be unoccupied for an extended period. Use a programmable thermostat (link to product page) to turn Air off and on automatically when you know the house will be unoccupied.

Here are a few more steps you can take to substantially improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Take a Holistic Approach to Total Home Energy Conservation

To achieve the maximum in total home comfort and energy savings, we recommend that you step back and look at the big picture of energy consumption in your villa. The fact is, your total home comfort and efficiency is the product of many systems: heating, cooling, lighting & electrical, plumbing and possibly others working together.

It is the interplay between these systems, combined with the size, age, physical features and location of your home, and even your lifestyle, that combine to produce the total energy efficiency of your home. Changing or upgrading one system, without considering the other factors will usually result in some improvement, but may not deliver the maximum possible benefit.

If you’re building a new villa, or considering a major remodel or system upgrade, consider an Integrated Systems approach. It may cost a little more now, but will undoubtedly save you a bundle over time. Our skilled engineers and technicians will look at the big picture when designing a solution for your home.

Conduct a Home Energy Audit

The place to begin when evaluating your home’s overall energy efficiency and deciding how to reduce consumption and costs is with a Home Energy Audit. This takes into consideration much more than just your heating and cooling systems, and will give you a benchmark from which to make decisions and measure your energy saving progress.

Here are some of the heating & cooling factors your audit should take into consideration:

* Insulation in walls, floors, and attic.

* Vapor Barriers in walls

* Quality of Windows – Single or double pane

* Heat loss around doors and windows

* Quality of insulation in doors

* Integrity of ductwork “- Any leaks

* Cleanliness of ductwork

* Use of “passive” solar energy

* Use of curtains and other window coverings to prevent heat loss

* Efficiency of heating and cooling systems – Condition of filters, etc.

Consider Purchasing an Annual Maintenance Agreement

You’ve heard the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” Well that doesn’t apply to your air conditioner any more than it does to your automobile. However, when your system is operating properly, it is easy to forget. Regular maintenance will save you the time money and headaches of premature system failures and major repairs. It will ensure that your system is always working at peak efficiency and help you avoid excessive energy costs.

Make sure your Air Conditioner is properly sized

Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better – A bigger room air-conditioning unit won’t necessarily make you feel more comfortable during the hot summer months and will most likely perform less efficiently and less effectively than a smaller, properly sized unit. Room units work better if they run for relatively long periods of time as opposed to being constantly switched on and off. The longer running time an air conditioner is allowed to maintain, the easier it is for the unit to hold a more constant room temperature. Running longer also allows air conditioning units to remove more moisture from the air, which reduces humidity and increases the comfort level in the room.

Check specifications carefully when choosing the right air conditioner for your space. Central air-conditioning systems also require proper sizing. Professionals, however, should perform the sizing of your central air system.

Also, do not use the system’s central fan to provide circulation. Instead, use circulating fans in individual rooms. Make sure you set the fan of your central air system to shut off at the same time of your cooling unit (compressor).

Use an Air Conditioner with a high Efficiency Rating

Select a room air conditioner that has an A rating or 10 or higher.

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Source by Helen Rudd

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Energy efficient, or “low flow” shower heads – use less water while you shower, so they make hot water last longer. This saves energy and money.

Reduce the flow of water through your shower and you reduce the use of hot water. You could take a “Navy Shower:”

• Turn the water on and wet down
• Turn the water off and soap up
• Turn the water on and rinse
• Turn the water off

… And save a lot of hot water – but most people would rather take a full shower, so low flow water saving is the best route. Or, of course, without seeming flip, you can always save water by showering with a friend. Good for relationships, good for the earth, and makes lots of sense – it’s good clean fun. To paraphrase an old adage about marriage, two can shower as cheaply as one – almost.

There are many different types of low flow shower heads: ones designed for normal water pressure, ones designed for homes with lower water pressure, ones with various “massage” features, and just plain and simple… ones that use less water. There are even models that inject air into the water stream claiming to improve your skin so you feel more refreshed. Look for the water saving shower that best suits your needs and your budget.

The important thing is always think about ways to consume less water – which will consume less hot water and less energy – and energy efficient “low flow” showering certainly makes your hot water last longer.

By switching to an energy and water saving showers, you’ll reduce your utility bills, reduce resources used to create the hot water, and save them for future generations. Even if you create the power yourself with your own wind and solar generators – or solar water heaters, if you use less, you will have more for other things – and for future generations.

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Source by Dan Davenport

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Some smaller home appliances use more power than larger ones. Irons can place a big strain on the power you use. On the up side there are some excellent irons on the market to save energy, not just the electricity you use but your energy as well. Team a good product with these energy saving tips and you could be on the way to doing your bit for saving the planet.

Before you iron all the clothes in the basket take a moment to think about what really does need ironing. Society’s dress code has weakened over the years and long gone are the days of starched shirts, pleated trousers and beautifully pressed handkerchiefs.

Damp clothes iron easier

By taking the clothes off the line before being completely dry means less time for you to pass the iron over them. They will iron easier therefore the iron won’t need to be on for as long. Using a fabric spray works well too as does a light spraying with water. A drop of lavender oil in the water can help the creases unfold once the garment is hung up.

Using a clothes dryer

It is, of course better for the environment, energy consumption and your clothes if you hang your clothes outside on a line. If you must use a dryer make sure the clothes are well spun and remove the clothes from the dryer while still damp or use an iron dry cycle. Always try to keep the use of electrical appliances to a minimum.

Throwing a wash cloth soaked in water and some fabric softener in the dryer will freshen the clothes and make the garments softer, thereby requiring less time on the ironing board.

Iron in bulk

It takes more power to heat an iron than to sustain the heat so rather than turning the iron on for your daily outfit, iron as much as you can in one sitting. Ironing is not a favourite task for many people so setting up the ironing board in front of the television and working your way through the ironing basket can make a huge difference to the tedium of the process.

Outer appearances

Only iron clothes that will be on show such as top shirts and trousers. There is really no benefit to ironing under garments of any kind. In winter, shirts worn under a sweater or jacket only need the collar and front lapels ironed.

Permanent press clothes

When buying clothes, shop for fabrics marked permanent press. These do not need as much ironing as cotton and can be washed on the appropriate cycle in the washing machine saving time and energy on washing as well.

While the invention of the electric iron was a wonderful thing there is no reason to go overboard and iron every thing that goes through the wash. Modern appliances are great time savers but they can also drain our energy reserves if not used efficiently.

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Source by Malcolm Bill

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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