10 steps to Energy Efficiency at Home
By: Adam Beazley
Most people simply do not realize how effective energy efficiency is in the fight against global warming and rising energy cost. More can be done for the environment by simply increasing the efficiency of existing homes and building than by removing all of the automobiles and planes in the entire United States. That is not an inflated statement either, over 1,800 megatons of CO2 would be reduced every year if all existing structures would simply use current energy efficiency techniques and technologies.
The down side to these amazing figures is the fact that most people have no idea how to make their home or business more energy efficient. So, the following list is my top ten energy efficiency techniques and products which I have determined to be the most cost effective and worth while things to do in any home.
1: Reduce Phantom Loads - phantom loads are those unforeseen “standby” electrical loads that rob about 11% of annual energy consumption. Most electrical products have standby electrical loads which use electricity even when the product is turned off. DVD players, TV’s, Computers, phone chargers, and many other products all use electricity on a constant basis. The solution is to plug these things into surge protector strips and turn the strip off when they are not in use. Or better yet, get one of our Smart Strip Power Strips and it will do all of the work for you by turning off the electricity to all unused peripherals.
2: Seal Up Leaks - Air infiltration is a major cause increased energy usage. When a home or business is not properly sealed, heat will be lost during the winter and gained during the summer driving up electricity consumption and heating and cooling cost. The solution is to perform a pressurization test to locate air leaks and use some sort of caulk or silicon sealant to seal the air leaks in your walls and ceilings.
3: Weatherize - This is similar to the procedure mentioned above as it helps to reduce air infiltration in your home or business. However, weatherizing is different in that it is applied to moving parts such as doors and windows where a caulk type sealant will not work. Weatherizing doors and windows require specially made products such as v-channel, foam strips and sweeps. For a more detailed tutorial about sealing and weatherizing your home or business, check out ”Air Leaks & Energy Exchange.”
4: Change Lights - Inefficient lighting is responsible for not only wasted electricity, but added heat gain as well. The incandescent light bulbs of yesterday are slowly being phased out to the more energy efficient Compact Florescent bulbs and LED lightbulbs. A new energy efficient CFL bulb can save about 150 kWh of electricity annually and save you approximately $37 over the life of the bulb. LED lightbulbs, although more expensive up front, will last much longer than CFLs and use even less energy as well. So, change as many lights in your home or business as you can afford and your upfront cost will be paid back in electrical savings very quickly.
5: Control Radiant Heat - Radiant heat is the most efficient form of heat transfer and in order to increase a home or businesses heating and cooling efficiency, radiant heat transfer must be stopped. In the winter heat from the inside of a structure is lost due to radiant heat transfer and vise versa in the summer heat is gained through radiant heat transfer. The only way to stop radiant heat transfer is by using a radiant barrier which is basically a sheet of reflective aluminum. Radiant barriers come in all shapes and sizes, but be sure to find a well made, durable, two sided (for winter and summer protection), perforated radiant barrier to ensure proper reflection for years to come. I highly recommend Ra-flect radiant barrier as a cost effective quality product (www.raflect.com).
6: Increase Water Efficiency - Considering that a massive amount of energy is used to treat and move potable (drinkable) municipal water, it makes sense to reduce water usage to be more energy efficient. There are a variety of things you can do to reduce your potable water usage such as using low flow faucet and shower fixtures, taking shorter showers, only running dishwashers and washer machines when they are full, not leaving the water running needlessly and using water filled two liter bottles in toilet tanks to reduce water used to flush toilets.
7: New Insulation - Convection heat transfer is the transfer of heat through a fluid such as water or air and it is the second most efficient for of heat transfer while conduction heat transfer is the transfer of heat through touch . Insulation retards the passage of convective and conductive heat and is rated in R-value, which is the measure of apparent thermal conductivity, and thus describes the rate that heat energy is transferred through a material. Although insulation does not stop radiant heat, insulation in conjunction with a good radiant barrier, can effectively stop the majority of heat gain in the summer and heat loss in the winter creating a very energy efficient building envelope. If your insulation has been pressed down over the years or the R-value is not the proper value for your location, re-insulating your home is well worth the expense. In order to choose the most efficient insulation for your home or building check out the Energy Star website to find out: http://www.energystar.gov
8: Window Renovation - Windows are generally the most significant energy sink in almost every home or business due to lack of insulation. Windows come in a variety of different efficiencies such as single pane (not efficient), double pane, gas filled, mirrored, etc.. In cooler climates gas filled double pane windows with high R-values are excellent and are well worth the cost of replacing old single pane windows. In hotter climates, these same windows are not as effective as they only reduce convective and conductive heat gain but fall short in stopping radiant heat gain. In order to stop radiant heat gain in hotter climates you can either use exterior shading elements to shade south and west facing windows or you can use an energy film which is a clear radiant barrier which helps to block the suns UV rays. Window energy films are applied directly to the glass with soap and water and will essentially make an existing window performance like that of an energy star rated double pane gas filled window.
9: Energy Star Products - Energy star is a governmental rating system which gives its seal to products, buildings, homes and devices which meet minimum requirements of energy efficiency as compared to the norm. When buying new devices such as refrigerators, washer machines, dishwashers and home electronics be sure to purchase products with the Energy Star seal as they will use less electricity than their competition. For more information about energy star and there rating system please see their website (www.energystar.gov).
10: Build Green - In order to increase your energy efficiency build green instead of buying an already made home or business. The benefits of having an architect design a green home or business for you are too many to count. Some benefits of building green include increased energy efficiency, better interior air quality, higher resale value, higher rental rates and occupancy rates for businesses and not to mention, you get the house or building that meets YOUR needs, not some generic home or building which may not be sized appropriately.
Efficiency IS greener than green
Anyway way you look at it, there is no getting around energy efficiency if you really want to green your lifestyle. Efficiency does not have to stop at your home or business, the idea of efficiency can be used in every aspect of your life, from shopping for products to driving around town, efficiency is the key to being green…
Efficiency is Green.