The key to achieving these savings in your home is a whole-house energy efficiency plan.
To take a whole-house approach, view your home as an energy system with interdependent parts. For example, your heating system is not just a furnace—it's a heat-delivery system that starts at the furnace and delivers heat throughout your home using a network of ducts.
Even a top-of-the-line, energy-efficient furnace will burn a lot of fuel if the ducts, walls, attic, windows, and doors are not insulated and leak.
Taking a whole-house approach to saving energy ensures that dollars you invest to save energy are spent wisely.
A Homeowners Guide to Energy Savings for Lower Utility Bills
To Do Today:
Turn down the temperature of your water heater to the warm setting (120°F). You'll not only save energy, you'll avoid scalding your hands
Start using energy-saving settings on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers.
Survey your incandescent lights for opportunities to replace them with compact fluorescent's (CFLs). These lamps can save three-quarters of the electricity used by incandescent's. The best targets are 60-100W bulbs used several hours a day. New CFL's come in many sizes and styles to fit in most standard fixtures.
Check the age and condition of your major appliances, especially the refrigerator. You may want to replace it with a more energy-efficient model before it dies.
Clean or replace furnace, air-conditioner, and heat-pump filters.
If you have one of those silent guzzlers, a waterbed, make your bed today. The covers will insulate it, and save up to one-third of the energy it uses.
This Week
Visit the hardware store. Buy low-flow showerheads, faucet aerators, and compact fluorescent light bulbs, as needed. These can be purchased from any hardware or home improvement store. CFL's are now sold at some drug stores and grocery stores.
If your water heater is old enough that its insulation is fiberglass instead of foam, it clearly will benefit from a water heater blanket from the local hardware or home supplies store. (To tell the difference, check at the pilot light access (gas). For electric water heaters, the best access is probably at the thermostat, but be sure to turn off the power before checking.)
Rope caulk very leaky windows.
Assess your heating and cooling systems. Determine if replacements are justified, or whether you should retrofit them to make them work more efficiently to provide the same comfort (or better) for less energy.
This Month
Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills. Target the biggest bill for energy conservation remedies.
Crawl into your attic or crawlspace and inspect for insulation. Is there any? How much?
Insulate hot water pipes and ducts wherever they run through unheated areas.
Seal up the largest air leaks in your house—the ones that whistle on windy days, or feel drafty. The worst culprits are usually not windows and doors, but utility cut-through's for pipes ("plumbing penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. Better yet, hire an energy auditor with a blower door to point out where the worst cracks are. All the little, invisible cracks and holes may add up to as much as an open window or door, without you ever knowing it!
Set your thermostat back (forward) when you can accept cooler (warmer) conditions. This generally includes night time and whenever you leave your home for several hours. Many people find it easier to use an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust the thermostat based on your time-of-day instructions.
Schedule an energy audit for more expert advice on your home as a whole, or learn how to conduct your own by visiting the Home Energy Saver Web site. A directory of available energy audit services by state is available at RESNET.
This Year
Insulate. If your walls aren't insulated have an insulation contractor blow cellulose into the walls. Bring your attic insulation level up to snuff.
Replace aging, inefficient appliances. Even if the appliance has a few useful years left, replacing it with a top-efficiency model is generally a good investment.
Upgrade leaky windows. It may be time to replace them with energy-efficient models or to boost their efficiency with weather stripping and storm windows.
Have your heating and cooling systems tuned up in the fall and spring, respectively. Duct sealing can also improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of your system (warm-air furnace and central air conditioners).
Know that you are making a difference!
»You Can Avoid Costly Mistakes!«
Here's How to Do It:
Wire It Right with the help of my Illustrated Wiring Book
Great for any Home Wiring Project.
See How to Wire it Right!
Learn more about Residential House Wiring
Complete Guide to Home Electrical Wiring
Perfect for Homeowners, Students and Electricians Includes: Home Electrical Wiring - Upgrade Electrical Wiring Wiring 120 Volt Circuits Wiring 240 Volt Circuits Wiring Multi-Wired Circuits Wiring Methods for Installing Home Electrical Circuit Wiring Electrical Codes for Home Electrical Wiring Electrical Troubleshooting and Repairs ....and much more. » Click here to learn more about Home Electrical Wiring
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Home Energy Saving may result from installing many 120 volt devices such as energy efficient light fixtures, dimmer switches, occupancy sensor switches, etc..
Electrical Project Skill Level:
Beginner to Intermediate. Electrical Tools Required:
Basic Electricians Pouch Hand Tools, a non-aluminum ladder where required, and Voltage Tester. Estimated Time:
This will depend on the personal level experience, ability to work with tools and access to the device to be wired. Electrical Safety:
Identify any electrical circuit where work will be performed, turn the circuit OFF and Tag it with a Note before working with the wiring. Energy Savings Parts and Materials:
Electrical parts and materials for home wiring projects should be approved for the specific project and compliant with local and national electrical codes.
Electrical Codes and Inspections:
Installing additional home electrical wiring should be done according to local and national electrical codes with a permit and be inspected. Note:
Large 240 volt equipment may be replaced with energy efficient units in cooperation with rebate programs offered by your local electric utility company when available. This equipment should be installed by a certified of licensed contractor.
This is a testing tool that is a Non-contact tester that I use to easily Detect Voltage in Cables, Cords, Circuit Breakers, Lighting Fixtures, Switches, Outlets and Wires. Simply insert the end of the tester into an outlet, lamp socket, or hold the end of the tester against the wire you wish to test. Very handy and easy to use.
This is great to troubleshoot a problem with outlet circuit wiring, is also used by most inspectors to test for power and check the polarity of circuit wiring.
It detects probable improper wiring conditions in standard 110-125 VAC outlets
Provides 6 probable wiring conditions that are quick and easy to read for ultimate efficiency
Lights indicate if wiring is correct and indicator light chart is included
Tests standard 3-wire outlets UL Listed Light indicates if wiring is incorrect, Very handy and easy to use.
A wire stripping tool used to safely strip electrical wires.
This handy tool has multiple uses:
The wire gauges are shown on the side of the tool so you know which slot to use for stripping insulation.
The end of the tool can be used to grip and bend wire which is handy for attaching wire onto the screw terminals of switches and outlets.
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