Green Concepts










Some energy saving suggestions I have accumulated over the web with some research!




The Paint on your walls The color you paint the walls in your home can cost you Money! Paint the walls of your home a light color. Dark colors tend to absorb light, requiring you to use more energy from light bulbs to achieve the same effect.

Not only do light colors on your walls help conserve energy in your home, they also make your rooms feel brighter and more cheerful! If you are about to paint the walls in your home we suggest you use a low or zero VOC paint. Check out this site from TLC for more information about how low-VOC paint works.

Dish Washer A dishwasher that is 90% full uses 4 units of electricity. If it is only 50% full, it still uses 3 units of electricity. Fill the dishwasher to save on your electric bill.

Energy Efficient Light Bulbs Replacing a single incandescent bulb with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb (one of those "squiggly bulbs") can save up to $50 over the bulb's lifetime. Check out www.greenlite.ca  They have great Light bulbs to replace your old inefficient bulbs and save money being green. Site also has a great savings calculator!


Water Heater Set your water heater to the “normal” setting or 120 degrees unless your dish washer requires a higher setting. Buy a water heater blanket and keep your water heater insulated. You'll save $40 per year. Water heater insulation blankets are designed for gas, oil or electric heaters. White vinyl backed fiberglass blanket. Includes adhesive tape for easy installation. Easy to install with scissors, measuring tape and pencil. Fits up to 60 gallons. *Be sure to leave the air intake vent uncovered when insulating a gas water heater! Insulate the hot water pipes leading from your hot water heater. Easy to do but might be hard to get to all the pipes! Take shorter showers. Wash clothes in cold water.

 

Energy Efficient Windows Up to 16% of your heat can escape through unprotected windows. Close your drapes at night or install insulating shutters to retain heat. If you have a large expanse of glass that doesn't receive direct sun, keep the drapes closed as much as possible. You can also use Packing Bubble wrap and plastic draped in your window. May not be attractive but the energy savings could please your budget.

 You can also purchase and install a vinyl coating on your windows. This is less expensive than new windows and  a reasonable investment for renters and smaller budgets. The film is applied to the inside window.

Its benefits are:

  • Crystal Clear
  • Reusable
  • Saves Heat
  • Easy To Install
  • Heavy Duty
  • UV Stabilized

 

 

Other Drafty areas of consideration Doors! You can buy inexpensive foam rubber insulation to easily seal out the warm sun and cold winter drafts around your doors.

Electrical Outlets can also transfer heat and cold from within the wall. You can use the same Foam rubber tape to seal the air from flowing through. Also you can use Spray Foam. But I don’t like this option as it makes it hard to rework on the fixture in the future.

Fire Place! Close the damper vent tightly when not in use.

Air conditioners and Swamp coolers! Don’t forget to winterize (seal temporarily or cover) your cooling units to keep the cold out!

Furniture? The placement of your furniture is a consideration. Make sure your not sitting in the hot sun shining through the window. You’ll end up wanting the Air conditioner turned on! Also don’t block your heating and cooling system from doing its job just because the Armorer fits best in the spot covering the AC vent!

Vampire switch! 75% of electricity used by home electronics is consumed while "off". By using a power strip and switching off when not in use, you lessen CO2 emissions and reduce your energy bill. Its simple and cheap to buy a Power strip and plug your electronic devices into it. It can protect your equipment from harmful Power surges (if you buy one with Surge protection). And when not in use flip the switch to OFF!

What Kind of Washing Machine is More Energy Efficient? When choosing your next washing machine, pick one with a front-loader. Front-loader models use 25% less energy than a standard model.

Also, simply switching from a hot/warm cycle to a warm/cold cycle when washing laundry can save you 10 cents a load. That adds up when you think about how many loads of laundry you do a year!


Don't forget to look for the Energy Star before making those big purchases!

Check out this TLC site!

Heat and Air Conditioning Filters Check your furnace and AC filters regularly. Cleaning or replacing filters once a month during periods of high use will insure proper air flow, promote better health, increase efficiency, and save money too.

Don’t use your Dryer! During spring and summer months, line dry your clothes instead of using a clothes dryer. This can save you a lot of money each year.

Energy Efficient Thermostats Save You Money Why pay for heat or AC you don't need? You can save energy and money by using a programmable thermostat. It can reduce your energy needs from heat or AC when you are at work, away at vacation, or asleep.

 

Attic and wall insulation Take a look into the attic and see how much insulation you have. I bet you’ll notice how hot it is up there too. That is why you need a solar attic Fan. Anyway, take a ruler with you and see how much insulation you have. It should be light and fluffy! If it is squashed or settled in, than it is more likely to transfer heat and cold into your house. Here is a rating system I have come up with.  

12 inches or more Excellent!

9-12 inches Very Good!

6-9 inches Good!

3-6 inches Fair!

Under 3 inches POOR!

Blow in Cellulose is an option for the do it yourself Handy man. You can rent the machine and buy the Cellulose blocks from many Hardware stores! Doing walls is a little trickier but if you have some Sheet rock skills and not afraid to paint, then you can do it! Also for exterior walls you can give your home a major modernization and a protective thermal coat by adding Poly Styrene Sheets followed by a new Stucco Coating. But this is a skilled project that will require a contractor and a bit more money. Check this site out. Detailed DIY How to step by step!

 

Check out PG&E new online tools for information on your energy usage.

Here is the results of what PG&E’s new savings calculator says I could save from making some simple changes in my home. There new tool is pretty cool and intuitive.

Im sure the savings would be a bit different from house to house and especially for me in the Water heating area. I have 8 people in my house!

Savings Opportunities Annual Savings

Weatherization Doors and Windows:

      Control air leakage $139 - $231

Water Heating:

      Insulate water heater tank and hot water pipes $4 - $7

Install efficient shower heads $71 - $118

Lighting:

   Use compact fluorescent bulbs in recessed fixtures $65 - $80

   Replace halogen trochees $159 - $194

   Use compact fluorescent bulbs in high-use lamps $52 - $64

Heating and Cooling

   Install a programmable thermostat $65 - $108

   Replace your central air conditioner $222 - $370

   Replace your heating system $294 - $490

   Seal leaks in ducts $85 - $142

Information taken from PG&E Smart energy Analyzer on-line.







written by Wayne Rinehart

Great resource websites:

www.ConservingSaves.com Ways to conserve energy and save you money

www.FreeCycle.org  Recycle your unwanted items to someone else in your community.

www.simplysellular.com These people will help sell or donate your old cell phone.

www.SwapTree.com Swap Books, CD’s, DVD’s and Video Games.

www.greenlite.ca  Great Light bulbs to replace your old inefficient bulbs and save money being green. Site also has a great savings calculator!

www.solar-components.com A neat site with some good resources and ideas.

www.windsun.com  www.greenpowerscience.com

www.tlc.howstuffworks.com  www.diynetwork.com

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