by Shana Fong on October 27, 2010
Homeowners only have two more months to take advantage of up to $1500 in tax credits for energy upgrades. Eligible improvements include insulation, air sealing, high efficiency furnaces, and more.
Cut home energy use by 20-40% just by doing basic measures such as sealing and insulating your house. Find out how you can benefit from these tax credits before they expire on December 31, 2010.
by Shana Fong on October 26, 2010
Getting your kids excited about saving energy helps them adopt lifelong values about energy use, money, and the environment. By turning energy-saving tasks into games, you can make learning about energy fun and easy.
Bring home real results by encouraging games and activities such as:
- Keep count of how many times your kids turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms, and reward them after they reach a certain number each week.
- Ask your children to track down all the incandescent lights in the house, and replace them with efficient bulbs together.
- Use a Kill-A-Watt electricity usage monitor with your kids to identify which appliance or electronic in the house is the biggest energy hog. If you decide it’s time to replace it, shop for a new one with an Energy Star label together.
Check out the U.S. Department of Energy’s site for other games, tips, and facts.
by Shana Fong on October 20, 2010
According to the Energy Information Administration, the average U.S. household will pay $986 this winter (October 1 to March 31). This is up $24, or 2.5 percent, from last winter – and it would be worse if not for the fact that heating degree-days are expected to be 3% warmer this season.
Consumers who heat with oil will see the biggest hike in expenditures up an average of 11.5 percent to $1,906. That’s followed by propane (up 7.5 percent to $1,830) and natural gas (up 3.6 percent to $751). Consumers who heat with electricity will actually see their bills go down 1.9 percent on average to $959.
Make sure you follow these easy steps to help winterize your home so you can stay comfortable without skyrocketing energy bills.
by Shana Fong on October 18, 2010
Winter is just around the corner – time to think about how you can button up your house to make sure it’s comfortable without costing you a fortune in energy bills. The Daily Green has put together a great list of easy weekend projects to help you winterize your home.
- Dodge the Draft(s)
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts can waste 5% to 30% of your energy use. Start simple and adopt that old Great Depression fixture — the draft snake, which you can easily make yourself. Just place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door, or make a more attractive DIY draft snake.
- Change Furnace Filters
Yes it’s easy to forget, but it’s important to replace or clean furnace filters once a month during the heating season. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy demand. Here’s a worry-saving tip: mark a monthly check on your calendar.
Better, consider switching to a permanent filter, which will reduce waste and hassle. Did you know that disposable fiberglass filters trap a measly 10 to 40% of debris? Electostatic filters trap around 88%, and are much better at controlling the bacteria, mold, viruses and pollen that cause illness and irritation.
- Run Fans in Reverse
Most people think of fans only when they want to be cool, but many ceiling units come with a handy switch that reverses the direction of the blades. Counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes while switching to clockwise makes it warmer: air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space – cutting your heating costs as much as 10%!
- Turn Down Your Water Heater
While many conventional water heaters are set to 140 degrees F by installers, most households don’t need that much steam, and end up paying for it — in dollars and the occasional scalding burn. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees F (or lower) would reduce your water heating costs by 6% to 10%.
- Give Your Heating System a Tune-Up
You probably already know that cars need periodic tune-ups in order to run their best. Well the same is true for heating equipment. Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted will reduce energy use, saving up to 5% of heating costs.
If your entire furnace is in need of replacement, it will cost a lot more — but replacing an inefficient burner for a modern machine will save you every month through the heating season. Be sure to take advantage of federal tax credits for new furnaces, which can cover 30% of the cost, up to $1,500.
- Mind That Thermostat
It’s easy to forget to turn down the heat when you leave the building, but doing so is one of the surest ways to save money. Most households shell out 50 to 70% of their energy budgets on heating and cooling, so why pay for what no one uses?
For every degree you lower the thermostat during heating season, you’ll save between 1 and 3% of your heating bill. Make it easier with a programmable thermostat; they are widely available for as little as $50, and the average family will save $180 a year with one.
For even higher impact on your home’s comfort and energy bills, contact Recurve so we can provide expertise on projects such as:
- Air sealing – simple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5% to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Insulation – it may not seem sexy, but insulation is one of the best ways to save energy and money at home.
- Duct sealing – studies show 10% to 30% of heated (or cooled) air in an average system escapes from ducts. Properly sealing ducts can save the average home up to $140 annually, according to the American Solar Energy Society.
- Upgrade to an efficient furnace – if your furnace is old, you could save a lot of money in the long run (and improve your home’s value) by upgrading to a new unit.