Category Archives: Energy Saving

Energy Saving Tips

Save money with these easy energy tips for your home and office!

Heating and cooling your home or office space can account for more than 50% of your utility bill.

  • Purchase energy efficient heating and cooling equipment which can save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs over the life of the unit.
  • Use a programmable thermostat to help regulate temperatures while away or at night — you can save 10% a year by turning your thermostat back 7–10 degrees for 8 hours a day.
  • Change furnace filters regularly – clean filters keep heating and air systems working efficiently.
  • Inspect air ducts and repair leaks –heated air leaked into unheated spaces can add hundreds of dollars a year to your utility bill.
  • Seal air leaks around your home – check windows sills and door frames, attic entrances, fireplace doors and flues, recessed lighting, outlet and switch panels, and plumbing and utility accesses into your home.
  • Add insulation to your attic – one of the most cost-effective ways to regulate your household temperature year round is to add insulation.
  • Use shades or drapes to control the warmth of the sun in your home during winter and summer months.

Water heating can account for almost 20% of your utility bill.

  • Purchase an Energy Star water heater of the correct size to meet your family’s hot water needs – a family of four typically needs only a 50 to 60 gallon tank.
  • Adjust the temperature of your water heater to 120 degrees – typical households don’t need water hotter than this – and remember to turn your heater down or off when you are gone for extended periods of time.
  • Insulate your hot water tank as well as the first 6 feet of the water pipes connected to the water heater.
  • Periodically drain a portion of water from the bottom of the water heater according to manufacturer’s instructions to remove sediment that can lower its efficiency.
  • Install low-flow faucets and shower heads – a 10 minute shower with a regular shower head can use over 40 gallons of water whereas a low flow faucet at 2.5 gallons per minute will use only 25 gallons of water.
  • Use cold water for laundry – 90% of the energy consumed by your washing machines goes toward heating water.

Lighting, appliance and electronics usage can account for about 20% of your utility bill.

  • Use energy efficient incandescent bulbs which last much longer and use less energy than tradition bulbs – replacing 15 traditional bulbs in your home or office with energy efficient bulbs can save you $50 a year.
  • Place solar powered outdoor lights along walkways – they are inexpensive and can decrease the need for electric lights.
  • Make use of timers, photocells, dimmers and three-way bulbs to control lighting usage in and outside your home or business.
  • Use power strips to plug in TVs, game consoles and computers, and turn the power strips off when not in use – many electronics continue to use several watts of power when in standby mode.
  • Run full loads in your dishwasher and washing machine – large and small loads require the same amount of electricity to run.

Energy Saving Tips

  • Purchase Energy Star appliances and electronics – they use less energy than required by federal standards and will save you hundreds of dollars in energy costs over the life of the unit.

You have an Energy Star New Home – How accurate are the Projections?

This study is of interest to all HVAC, Insulation Contractors. It is also important to Home Owners.  An Energy Audit makes recommendations and projects cost effectiveness based on a computer model of the Energy Use in each specific home.

How much can you count on those projections? Home Energy Usage depends on three things!

  • First:  The Weather!
  • Second: The Lifestyle of the Family in the Home!
  • Third: The construction of the Home!

Mother Nature has control of the weather! Lifestyle is the difference between having 3 High School Football Players in the family, or 3 High School Cheerleaders.  Energy use will be different. Then what happens to the use when those kids go off to college.

This study actually compares the projections from several hundreds of thousands of homes to their actual usage.  You can read the RESNET Summary. You can read the report itself. I have reprinted the Summary with the link to the Report below.

The original Summary can be read here.

My conclusions:

  • The correlation from projected usage to measured usage over time justifies the reliance on computer modeling using the software to guide your decisions on prioritizing improvements in energy efficiency to your existing home.
  • The correlation of projections for Energy Star New Homes to actual usage gives Builders, Contractors and Home Buyers the confidence to use an Energy Star New Home Certification for lowering the ongoing Operating Costs for Energy in a New Home Purchase.

John Nicholas

 

PROJECTIONS FROM HERS ACCURATE August 22nd, 2012

Posted by RESNET under RESNET News

Over the years, there have been discussions over how accurate are home energy ratings in predicting the energy use of rated homes. To enhance the discussion of the accuracy of home energy ratings’ energy use projections it would be good to review a study conducted and published by Advanced Energy on a large set of homes in Houston, Texas. The authors of the study were Michael Blasnik of M. Blasnik & Associates and Shaun Hassel and Benjamin Hannas of Advanced Energy. The objective of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency supported “Houston Energy Efficiency Study” was to assess the actual energy use of groups of homes built to different energy efficiency specifications in Metropolitan Houston – typical non-program (baseline) homes, ENERGY STAR® homes labeled by a Home Energy Rating and guaranteed performance homes.

More than 226,000 homes built from 2002 through 2007 by dozens of different production builders were included in this study. The large dataset also provided the opportunity to analyze how certain construction characteristics are related to actual energy usage. Data collected for this project included billing data for all new homes built in the CenterPoint utility service territory from 2002 through 2007, information from property assessor databases of four counties, detailed building characteristics for tens of thousands of ENERGY STAR homes from CenterPoint’s ENERGY STAR Homes tracking database, and detailed data files from energy raters including the home energy rating software tool, REM/Rate, input files and building shell and duct leakage test data. The study did not involve any direct data collection in the field but instead relied upon existing data sources.

This approach allowed the scope of the study to be much larger in terms of the number of homes analyzed but left some gaps in our understanding of some details, especially of baseline homes. The overall dataset includes hundreds of variables for 226,873 homes, including 114,035 potential baseline homes, 106,197 ENERGY STAR homes and 6,641 guaranteed performance homes.

Although consumption differences across groups of homes are smaller than advertised, ENERGY STAR homes perform very close to the predictions of the models on average, while baseline homes perform better than the reference homes defined by the HERS standard. ENERGY STAR uses a base case reference home defined as minimum local code specifications combined with the least efficient cooling, heating and hot water systems available, a leaky building envelope and a poor duct system. Using this yardstick to measure the performance of the ENERGY STAR houses in the study, they did quite well – showing a strong and fairly consistent relationship between actual and projected performance for both heating and cooling. Therefore the apparent lack of savings is attributable not to underperformance by the ENERGY STAR homes but to the fact that the baseline houses in Houston perform considerably better than the ENERGY STAR reference house.

You have an Energy Star New Home – How accurate are the Projections?

The relationship between REM/Rate cooling load projections and actual electric usage was examined graphically and statistically for 10,258 homes with sufficient data. REM/Rate projected an average cooling load of 5,506 kWh/yr while the billing analysis estimated average cooling loads at 5,677 kWh/yr, about 3 percent higher – excellent overall agreement. Although the analysis found no systematic bias in the REM/rate cooling projections, there was a large amount of variability in the data. Findings revealed that the correlation was higher between house size and cooling load than between REM/Rate projected cooling load and actual usage. However, the study team feels confident in stating that when using current modeling software with energy-efficient new homes, there is a strong and fairly consistent relationship between actual and projected performance using REM/Rate for both heating and cooling. REM/Rate also estimated the average heating usage of program homes fairly well – only 4 percent lower than the measured loads.

Fresh Air, Your Home, Your Health

It has been said over the years that houses need to breathe.

One of the first times that came up, according to Bill Rose in ‘Water in Buildings’ was during the 1930’s. It had become an argument between the house painters and those pesky Energy Efficiency Folks that were beginning to install insulation in the walls of homes. The 1930’s found our country in the middle of the Great Depression and who could blame folks for trying to save a few bucks! The painters were having problem with their paint peeling.  So they started refusing to paint houses with this new fangled insulation.  If you haven’t heard, insulation in the 1930’s was not new.

As an Energy Auditor, I have audited some old houses.  This past year, I did one that was build in 1912 – 100 years old! And a beautiful 1887, two and a half story Victorian. My friend John from Derby, CT works on old houses. He has found insulation in houses that are older than any houses than I’ve worked on. People have lived around Derby CT, for a few years longer than they have Derby, KS. John really likes his old homes.  He would tell you that one built in 1887 is still somewhat new.  His current project is reported to have been built in 1700, or it may have been 1667.  He is still trying to figure that one out. In some of his old homes, he has found original insulation. He is not sure about the R-Value.  That of course would depend on how well it was installed.  What were they using way back then for insulation?  Good question!  Since Derby, CT is near the Atlantic Ocean, they were using Seaweed!  An original all natural insulation! And, if it got wet, it doesn’t mold!

So the painters were slightly behind the times in refusing to paint houses with that new fangled insulation in them. They thought the insulation was stopping air from moving into the house. And that was causing the paint to peel. Actually, the insulation was not stopping the air movement in or out of the house. You can buy furnace filters made of fiberglass as you can find fiberglass insulation.

I think the phrase ‘houses need to breathe’ is somewhat misleading at best. It is the things we all cherish in our homes need fresh clean air.  So somehow, we who operate the building, we call home, need to make provision for a proper amount of fresh air.

Yes, air can come in when you go in and out the door. Maybe the question is, where is your door.  Does it go to a hall way in a high rise apartment building?  How about the attached garage?  What kind of fresh air might that be?  Can you open a window? Yes – many of us do!  Is that enough fresh air? Do you do it every day? Is it really fresh air?

Fresh Air, Your Home, Your Health

What about your window?  My bathroom window opens. When I do open it, and the dryer is running, the dryer exhaust comes right in?  How about that dryer sheet smell and the moisture and the lint?  Got a swimming pool, or several water features in your yard? What about living near a large pond, lakeside or near a creek or river? The higher humidity in these areas can actually be measured and can get trapped near the soffit of a nearby home. Is that part of your fresh air?

Fresh Air, Your Home, Your HealthIf you don’t make the plan of where and how much fresh air your home brings in, who does make the plan?  My guess is everyone does! Fresh air moves into your home, where it can find a hole. Since most attics are vented, they can provide a hole, then the electrician just drills his one inch hole and puts the half inch wire through it! And you have a hole. The plumber runs a sewer stack up the wall and out the roof. Did he seal around his stack? What about the furnace tech?  He runs a flue up through that attic, or out the rim joist. You can add Larry The Cable Guy, the IT Tech running Cat 5 cable, and the list keeps on going!

You choice now is:

  • Allow the fresh air needed by that which you cherish to come into your home any ol’ way someone lets it!
  • Seal all those accidental unplanned air movement pathways and decide for your self and those you cherish where and how much fresh air to bring in.

Build Your Own Home Energy Audit

A comprehensive Home Energy Audit takes time and covers a number of areas. It provides lots of information and recommendations.  A homeowner may choose to limit the inspection to those items of their concern.

The energy efficiency of each home combines an analysis of the components of the home and how well they are installed.  Think of a bucket of water, the bucket is the walls and ceiling of your home. A pinhole in the bucket will drain the water from the bucket and the heat from your home!

A Home Energy Audit looks at the ability of each building component to resist the transfer of heat. The air tightness of each component is also reviewed.

This post covers a description of each part of a comprehensive Home Energy Audit.

Pricing, previously contained in this post, is posted separately.

Utility Analysis

The actual usage over the last 12 months of Electric and Gas is compared to the home size and evaluated. This requires information from the Utility Companies.

Infiltration Testing                 

(Multi-point Blower Door Testing with Thermal Imaging and Indoor Air Quality Analysis)

Everyone has felt a cold draft at one time or another. Since the air blew in and the house didn’t pop like an overfilled balloon, the air blew out somewhere else.  This test simulates a 20 MPH wind on all four sides of the home at the same time. It allows an actual measurement of leakage and it identifies the leaks. This allows a specific plan for the leaks in your home to be fixed.

The recommendations will include effective measures to improve indoor air quality, not just install what the salesman has in-stock. If you have de-humidifiers running this Testing is important.

Ceiling Evaluation:

The ceiling and attic areas are examined for insulation, ventilation and thermal bypasses. This is done from the outside of the home, the inside in all rooms and from the attic. It may involve remote camera usage. If Infiltration Testing is part of the package, information from the Thermal Imaging portions are applied to the ceiling Evaluation.

Foundation Wall Evaluation (below grade):        

In most homes a major source of heat loss is from the crawl space, the slab or the basement walls. There are generically referred to as the foundation of your home. Traditionally, builders have confused the thermodynamic principles involved, with hot air rising and heat loss, to falsely assume that basements cannot be kept warm.

Wall Evaluation (above grade):

Homes over twenty years old, or homes with a major insulation failure may benefit from a specific wall evaluation for walls above grade.  It is part of a comprehensive  energy audit. All wall evaluations are conducted with Non-Destructive-Test Methods to start. Depending on the home, the type of construction, access to various areas, further testing that involves minor holes being drilled will be discussed with and approved by the homeowner before the end of the evaluation.

The condition and energy efficiency of your exterior siding is done at this point.            

Equipment (furn. AC, hot water):                    (Includes safety checks on Gas Fired Equipment)

Your heating and cooling equipment is a large investment. What are the efficiency ratings on your existing equipment and what is available on the market? How does a home owner sort out fact from sales pitch.  This inspection includes safety testing for gas fired equipment. Furnace, Heat Pump, AC, Hybrid Heat Pump, are included.

Windows and Door Evaluation:           

Windows are advertised everywhere.  On the Radio, TV, the newspapers and other print media all carry large volumes of sales pitch for replacement windows. The FTC has fined some window companies for outlandish claims on energy savings.

Are your windows an energy problem? Can those energy problems be fixed or should the windows be replaced? What is the best for my home?  Low E, argon filled, double pane, triple pane? How does a double pane window save energy?  All these questions and more are answered. And you get the answers from someone that does not have a financial interest in your purchase or non-purchase of a product.

Windows and Doors are both holes in the wall.  From an energy loss standpoint there is not much difference. Doors are not as heavily advertised, but they are pushed after the salesman gets to quote your home.          

Computer Modeling and Reporting

The Comprehensive Home Energy Audit provides a complete energy usage model and reporting of problems, recommendations and solutions. Interactions between building components are considered in the computer model. You can go from the report to soliciting firm prices from a contractor or doing it yourself with this report. This reporting will qualify for applying for and Energy Improvement Mortgage if you are buying a home, or refinancing your current home.

If you choose various parts of the Home Energy Audit, written reports and recommendations will also be provided. These will all you can go from the report to soliciting firm prices from a contractor or doing it yourself with this report. The reports are limited to the selections made. Interactions between building components are not considered.

Duct Leakage Testing Not included in the comprehensive audit.

Some comfort and energy loss issues involve improperly installed ductwork. Testing is easy. Fixing these problems can vary in complexity depending on the home.      

Lighting and Appliances Not included in the comprehensive audit.

Incandescent, halogen, CFLs, LEDs, which is best for your home?  Not every fixture needs a high efficiency light! Should I get a new fridge or other appliance?  All these are part of the Lights and Appliances.

Bonus Room (over the garage, or in the attic) Included in the comprehensive audit.

Build Your Own Home Energy Audit

Rooms placed over a garage or in the attic are a special case. They are part of a comprehensive audit. They can be an individual item, with infiltration testing, due to the unique construction problems with them.