Energy Efficient Home
The Energy Efficient Home – Learn how to save money and cut your utility bills with these simple and cost effective household energy saving tips. Call Ted with Plano Texas Handyman at 214-507-3415 for more information on a Energy Efficient Home or visit our website to see our full capabilities.
Home energy savings are indeed possible, particularly if you pay attention to your household appliances. So roll up your sleeves, and take a look at these energy-saving steps recommended by the Department of Energy.
Who knows? This may be the year you finally log some dollars in the plus column, instead of making alarmingly high “contributions” to the utility company. Energy Efficient Home.
Water heater savings
Take a bite out of the 18 percent the average homeowner pays for water heating. Here’s how to save on water-heating costs:
When replacing your water heater, invest in a high-efficiency system. Set the water heater to 120 degrees. (Most systems are pre-set to 140 degrees.) Wrap insulation around the first few feet of pipes that come in and out of the water heater. The insulation will reduce energy loss as hot water flows through the pipes. Energy Efficient Home.
Energy Efficient Lighting
First lets look at the benefits of installing energy efficient lighting and later we will examine the up-front cost to upgrade and then the annual energy savings. Call Ted at Plano Texas Handyman 214-507-3415 to discuss the installation of your Drip Irrigation System. Visit our website at www.planotexashandyman.com for more information.
It’s no secret the cost of electrical energy continues to rise and will inevitably continue to do so in the future. At the same time, the demand for electricity continues to increase, taxing our existing electrical infrastructure to the margins of their design limits. We need more power, but in order to get it, we need new transmission and distribution infrastructure – but that’s just the beginning.
Efficiencies need to improve. Smart grid and microgrid strategies need to be deployed, and energy storage needs to be maximized. The list goes on and on. The problem is all of these propositions require a large amount of capital, which seems to be in short supply these days. Therefore, the quickest and least expensive way to generate more electricity is to not consume it in the first place. One way to use less energy is to install newer and more energy-efficient lamps, luminaires, and controls. Even lighting systems that were deployed just five years ago could benefit from newer lighting technologies and/or better control strategies.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that about 461 billion kWh of electricity were used for lighting by the residential and commercial sectors in 2011. This was equal to about 17% of the total electricity consumed by both of these sectors and about 12% of total U.S. electricity consumption. Residential lighting consumption was about 186 billion kWh – or 13% of all residential electricity consumption. The commercial sector, which includes commercial and institutional buildings and public street/highway lighting, consumed about 275 billion kWh for lighting – or 21% of commercial sector electricity consumption in 2011. Installing Energy- 5 Reasons to use Energy Efficient Lighting.
The good news is lighting has become more efficient over the last decade and continues to evolve. Not only have lamps and luminaires become more efficient, but so have lighting control systems. Installing new luminaires and lamps – or retrofitting existing luminaires and lamps – is standard practice for the electrical industry. However, installing lighting controls to save energy has sent many electrical contractors and technicians back into training mode.
Water conservation
You can save on water heating bills and water bills by adopting a less-is-more mindset. You can adjust your patterns of usage around the house, for example, by taking shorter showers, but it also helps to install low-flow showerheads and aerators throughout the home. These devices reduce the flow of water through them. When you turn on the hot water, the demand is less, reducing usage.
Here are a few other water saving tips:
• Run only full loads when using your dishwasher or clothes washer.
• Avoid using longer-running cycles on your appliances, which will use more water. Opt for shorter washing cycles, but be sure to test these cycles to see if they do as good a job cleaning the dishes as the appliance’s “normal” cycle. Energy Efficient Home.
Kitchen money saving tips
Dishwashers, refrigerators, stoves – these are all appliances people use in the kitchen that can contribute to high energy bills – unless you know how to switch on the energy savings:
• Consult the dishwasher manual, and make sure it’s set to the lowest temperature possible (which is generally around 120 degrees). As there are many dishwashers on the market today, if you have recently considered purchasing one, but are not sure where to start, it may be best to look into Dishwashers recommended at ProductExpert or any other certified establishment, in order to get the best quality products and comparisons, that can help meet your requirements around the kitchen. You’ll then be able to find out information on how to make your dishwasher energy efficient too.
• Before loading the dishwasher, dry-scrape food off of the dishes, instead of running them under water. You’ll save on water and you won’t have to run the system as long to remove food buildup.
• Avoid using the dishwasher’s soak or pre-rinse features.
• When you can, stop the dishwasher before it reaches the drying cycle, and open the door a bit instead to let dishes air dry.
• Use ideal refrigerator settings to lower energy consumption. The freezer should be kept at 0 degrees, while the ideal temperature for the fridge is between 37 and 40 degrees. If your fridge doesn’t display the temperature, place a thermometer in the space to get an accurate reading. You might even want to try placing a thermometer inside to compare readings between the displayed temperature and your thermometer, as you might find that the reading could be slightly off indicating that there could be something wrong with your appliance. This could greatly impact the energy efficiency of the appliance itself. Should you find this is actually the case it would be advised to look into a website like www.dcclondon.co.uk or likewise refrigerator repair services that could repair the issue and keep your fridge as energy efficient as possible!
• Keep an eye on the fridge door’s seal. Leaks increase energy consumption. Also look at the seals on your windows. Any movement is not good and you could literally be letting out energy through these gaps. Graceland Windows and Doors can provide new windows if needed. Nobody realizes how much heat they can lose via their windows. Having double or triple glazing will keep heat and energy inside your home. It’s also been proven that installing energy efficient windows can reduce your energy consumption, resulting in smaller energy bills too.
• Use a properly sized pan on the stovetop.
• Opt for the toaster when heating food up or even cooking smaller food items. It uses less energy than the oven.
• Regularly clean the stovetop; the burners will work more efficiently when they’re clean. Energy Efficient Home.
Laundry energy saving strategies
Keep energy costs down by following these strategies for laundry:
• Hang-dry clothing when you can.
• If you must wash or dry a small load, make sure the settings match the size of the load.
• Always remove lint from the lint trap after drying a load of laundry. A clean lint trap promotes optimal air circulation in the dryer, which will improve drying times.
• If the dryer has a cool-down feature, use it. This feature shuts off the heating element a few minutes before the cycle is expected to end, but the heat in the dryer will remain.
• Make sure the dryer vent is clear, and have a professional inspect and maintain it every year or two. Lint buildup in the dryer is a fire hazard, too. Energy Efficient Home.
With these tips for saving energy, you’ll be set to keep more of your hard-earned dollars over the year, and every year thereafter. When your entire family adopts energy-savings strategies, you’ll also get peace of mind, knowing you’re contributing to a greener environment and conserving natural resources. Energy Efficient Home.
Energy Saving Strategy For Your Home – Learn how to save money and cut your utility bills with these simple -household energy saving tips. Call Plano Texas Handyman at 214-507-3415 for more information on a Energy Saving Strategy For Your Home or visit our website to see our full capabilities. Energy Efficient Home.