by Shana Fong on November 30, 2010
Ever wonder what the difference between green vs. efficient is, particularly with regard to insulation? You’re not the only one. Check out this expert answer from Green Home Guide:
A product can be theoretically green for the environment, but yet completely energy inefficient when compared to other products in its category. Bamboo flooring is a perfect example. It may be renewable and not involve clear-cutting, but it has to come on freighters from across the ocean and then be trucked or train-ed all the way to you. That’s a tremendous amount of embodied energy compared to reclaimed oak flooring that comes from a barn right up the road.
Conversely, spray polyurethane foams (SPF) are shown to be super efficient insulators, but the isocyanate chemicals they use have some of the worst offgassing of global warming potential (GWP) VOCs of almost any chemical made.
So what you’re looking for is that happy middle ground. An insulation product that is acceptably friendly to the environment while still doing a verifiable job of reducing the energy required to maintain your interior temperature.
And what’s the deal with “bio-based” insulation?
The “bio” to which they are referring is soy-based oils vs. petrochemical oil. The problem is that none of them have more than single digit percentages of soy-based oils in their contents.
Compare that with the new FTC-recommended advertising guidelines, which say to claim that your product is “bio-based” it should be AT LEAST 51% of the ingredients. Unfortunately, those guidelines are voluntary, so manufacturers are still getting away with hyping bogus quantities.
by Shana Fong on November 12, 2010
With the new Home Energy Score, consumers will find out how their home compares with others and how much money they could save by adding insulation, sealing air leaks or doing other upgrades. Ten U.S. communities will test the score, similar to a miles-per-gallon label for cars, before it’s rolled out nationally next summer.
“Together, these programs will grow the home retrofit industry and help middle-class families save money and energy,” says Vice President Biden
The program is designed to encourage homeowners to make energy-saving upgrades and to jump-start the industry for home energy retrofits, Biden said in a statement. It will also include financing for homeowners (up to $25,000) and software that will let energy contractors give consumers the home efficiency equivalent of miles per gallon for cars.
Sources:
CNET
USA Today
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.
by Shana Fong on September 29, 2010
The average yearly energy bill for a typical single-family home is $2,200. Where does it all go?
Source: Energy Star
by Shana Fong on September 27, 2010
Fall is the perfect time to start prepping your house for winter. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests these 5 steps to ensure that your home stays comfortable this winter without costing you an arm and a leg:
- Look for rebates from your utility or state. Recurve has put together a handy resource for available incentives on our website.
- Get an energy audit. In order to know how to save energy, you have to first find out where you are losing energy – and money.
- Have your heating system serviced. Keep your system operating efficiently, and don’t forget to replace your furnace filter once a month or as needed.
- Find and seal your air leaks. This includes less obvious gaps such as recessed lights and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
- Check your insulation and add more as needed. Insulation is often the most cost-effective energy improvement you can make in your home.
by Shana Fong on September 21, 2010
The results are in: we are honored to be named to the Inc. 5000 list, ranking #24 in Top Energy Companies, #39 in San Francisco, and #682 overall.
The Inc. 5000 list was based on revenue growth from 2006 to 2009 and had to meet certain qualifications, such as being privately held and for-profit.
Perhaps as a harbinger of things to come, Inc. Magazine remarks about their list:
More encouraging are the companies sprouting in industries such as health (32, compared with 15 in 2000), energy (16, compared with three in 2000), and education (six, compared with one in 2000). These sectors represent teeth-grindingly tough issues, on which entrepreneurial zeal and fresh thinking are sorely needed.
by Shana Fong on September 7, 2010
The city of San Francisco has started to offer up to $2,000 in incentives for energy efficiency improvements. According to the San Francisco Business Times, the program is funded by a $3.2 billion program from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. California was awarded $49.6 million from that for its Energy Efficiency Conservation and Block Grant Program. San Francisco got $7.7 million, which is enough to fund 400 energy efficiency upgrades, said Raymond Manion, energy specialist at the San Francisco Department of the Environment.
These rebates can be used on top of the latest incentives from PG&E (up to $3,500). And combined with federal rebates and the Cash for Appliances program, homeowners can get a total of up to $8,000 for making their home more energy-wise. Sounds like a win-win situation for everyone!
Contact Recurve today at 877.303.0979 to get started. Hurry though – these funds are extremely limited. Cash for Appliances is 60% gone and tax credits expire this year.