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1. Maintaining a constant temperature

Cause: A persistent myth suggests that you can save energy by leaving the house at a comfortable 68 degrees (a widely recommended winter setting), even when you are sleeping or away at work.

The idea is that it takes more energy for the furnace to reach a comfortable temperature than to maintain that temperature.

Effect: You could miss out on significant potential energy savings by not using a programmable thermostat and adjusting the temperature overnight and during the workday.

Though the impacts of adjusting the thermostat vary based on your climate and other factors, studies show that knocking the temperature down by 10 degrees for eight hours per day can cut heating bills by 5 to 15 percent.

Sure, the furnace will cycle on for a longer period to return to the more comfortable temperature, but it will be far outweighed by hours of savings when it didn’t have to work as hard.

2. Cranking up the temperature to warm up the house

Cause: You come home in the middle of the day to a cold house. You want to warm back up to 68 ASAP, so you crank the dial up to 78 to get the furnace working harder and faster.

Effect: No time is saved in reheating the house. Most furnaces pump out heat at the same rate no matter the temperature. They just cycle on for a longer period to reach a higher temperature.

The furnace will take the same amount of time to return to 68 degrees regardless of the thermostat setting. By cranking up the thermostat, you are likely to overheat the house past 68 degrees and waste energy. Just reset the thermostat to 68, make some hot chocolate, and wait.

3. Closing off vents in unused rooms

Cause: You don’t want to waste energy heating rooms you aren’t using.

Effect: Again, this just wastes energy and makes your furnace run inefficiently because it changes the air pressure in the whole system.

Experts recommend never shutting off more than 10 percent of vents. Sealing your ducts is a more efficient way to save energy.

4. Using the fireplace

Cause: You found some free firewood on Craigslist and think you can burn up some free heating energy while enjoying a romantic fire.

Effect: While we can’t make any promises about increased romance, we can predict increased energy bills. An open fireplace flue may suck more cold air into the house than the fire can radiate into the living space.

5. Using electric room heaters

Cause: You spend most of your time in a couple of rooms, so you figure you will just heat them with space heaters.

Effect: This could lead to higher energy bills and greater fire risks. Generally, a central gas heating system is cheaper and more efficient than a set of electric room heaters. Electric heaters also can be a fire hazard.

There are exceptions. A single energy-efficient space heater in a small, well-insulated room can save energy if the central heater is switched off.

6. Switching to electric heating

Cause: Electric heaters are more efficient than fuel-based systems, so they must be cheaper and better for the environment, according to this popular idea.

Effect: In most areas, simply switching to electric heat leads to higher energy bills and a bigger carbon footprint. Your heater may be more efficient, but most U.S. homes are still linked to coal-fired power plants. These coal plants and their transmission systems are extremely inefficient.

Of course, it’s a different story if you have a large photovoltaic solar array or your utility company uses renewable energy.

7. Replacing the windows

Cause: Those big pieces of glass get so darn cold. They must be the reason your house is so drafty.

Effect: You could spend a lot of money to only take care of part of the problem. Windows must be installed properly to avoid drafts, gaps, and leaks.

Moreover, more heat is typically lost through poorly insulated walls and ceilings than through windows.

8. Replacing the furnace first

Cause: You blame high energy bills on an old, inefficient furnace.

Effect: Your energy bills will still be higher than necessary if you don’t start with cheaper, smaller upgrades to improve the energy efficiency of your home, such as caulking around windows and doors and adding insulation.

9. Upgrading to the most efficient furnace on the market

Cause: You want the sleekest, most energy-efficient furnace available because it will be the most cost effective as well.

Effect: You may end up replacing an over-sized furnace with another (albeit more efficient) over-sized furnace. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that most U.S. homes have over-sized HVAC systems.

Again, insulate and weatherize to maximize efficiency, then get the smallest system that will comfortably meet your heating needs, which will be substantially reduced. Also make sure it is professionally installed.

10. Using incandescent light bulbs for heating

Cause: Incandescent bulbs give off more heat than light, so they must be warming up the house.

Effect: It is hard to see this logic as anything but a weak excuse for holding on to the Edison bulbs rather than switching to CFL and LED lighting.

In fact, one German entrepreneur is marketing incandescent bulbs as “heat balls” to skirt EU laws against the old-style bulbs. However, I doubt he is keeping cozy this winter simply by sleeping with the lights on.

Source: Yahoo Green

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.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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%!
4. 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%.
5. 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.
6. 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.
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/6-easy-weekend-winterization-projects/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter#comments Mon, 27 Sep 2010 20:05:30 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=763 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:
1. Look for rebates from your utility or state. Recurve has put together a handy resource for available incentives on our website.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Find and seal your air leaks. This includes less obvious gaps such as recessed lights and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
5. Check your insulation and add more as needed. Insulation is often the most cost-effective energy improvement you can make in your home.
]]> http://blog.recurve.com/stay-warm-save-money-this-fallwinter/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/furnace-oversizing-facts http://blog.recurve.com/furnace-oversizing-facts#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 18:56:53 +0000 Trey Muffet http://blog.recurve.com/?p=691 Oversizing of mechanical equipment has been a standard of installation for many years, but thanks to a growing emphasis on building efficiency and home performance, oversizing is (hopefully) seeing the end of its days.

Common reasons for oversizing include failure to perform the proper load calculations; compensating for leaky ducts; or contractors protecting themselves from callbacks during extreme weather. Whatever the reason, oversizing is always a no no—even for high-efficiency equipment. But there are many misconceptions floating around about why oversizing is bad, and many people lack a clear understanding of what’s really at stake.

Recent studies show that furnaces with an Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) rating above 0.75 can be sized up to five times the load without a significant drop in efficiency. (Keep in mind, however, that the average load throughout the year is much lower than peak loads calculated by Manual J.) For example, let’s look at a 95% two-stage furnace. In second stage, the 60,000 BTU/h furnace will operate at steady state 95% efficiency when loads reach as low as 12,000 BTU/h. First-stage capacity of 39,000 BTU/h can operate efficiently for loads as low as 7,800 BTU/h.

Though efficiency may not be affected by oversizing, here are a few reasons why oversizing is still an issue:

1. Furnace prices increases with size, so installing the smallest possible unit will reduce the initial cost.
2. A furnace that is too large for the home will cycle on an off frequently, making the home less comfortable than an appropriately sized furnace.
3. Temperature swings from cycling may cause the homeowner to turn up the thermostat, which will result in higher energy bills.
4. Incorrect sizing can put stress on the system and shorten equipment life.

The bottom line: Sealing leaky ducts and using load calculations to choose the smallest possible furnace will assure maximum comfort and efficiency for your customers.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/furnace-oversizing-facts/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape#comments Mon, 19 Jul 2010 19:41:41 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=605 The gaps you can find around the windows and doors of the average American house add up to the equivalent of a hole in the wall that measures 10 inches by 10 inches.

Your house has more leaks than the CIA. There are cracks all over the place. Your doors and windows don’t quite meet their frames; there are tiny spaces where the walls almost join the floor; there are open areas around your electrical and plumbing outlets. And these little gaps eat energy. In fact, an amazing amount of heat in the winter – or cool air in the summer – escapes through them. But you have two simple weapons to fight with: caulking and weatherstripping.

Energy Facts

• Caulking and weatherstripping an electrically heated home can keep some 1,000 pounds of CO2 out of the air. So if 1,000 of these homes were weatherized, over a million pounds of CO2 would be saved.
• Believe it or not, stopping air infiltration can reduce your home’s heating and cooling bills by up to 40%.
• People are concerned that although weatherstripping may save energy, it will keep fresh air out of their homes. While it’s true that some ventilation is necessary, it’s really not much of a problem – a typical house may get twice as much fresh air as it needs. In other words, the air is probably flying out of your house as quickly as you’re heating or cooling it.

Caulking vs. Weatherstripping

• Cracks without any moving parts – like the places where a wall in your house meets the outside edge of a window frame, or two other dissimilar materials come together – can be sealed with caulk.
• The places where doors and windows close into their frames can be sealed with weatherstripping – cleverly designed strips of felt, rubber, metal, or plastic that fill the spaces around doors and windows, and compress when you shut them.
• Weatherstripping materials come in many styles. Some are self-sticking, so you don’t even need a hammer to install them. Others must be nailed on. Still others are crafted so pieces on the frame and the door lock together when the door closes.
• One of the trickiest places to weatherstrip is where the door meets the threshold. Special “shoes” and “sweeps” are available to stop these air leaks.
• Besides saving energy, weatherstripping and caulking have an additional benefit: By stopping drafts, they’ll make your home more comfortable.

Leak Patrol

• Some evening, when your house is at least 20°F warmer than the outdoors, hold your hand up to various places around windows and door frames. If you feel any drafts, the windows and door frames need weatherstripping.
• You can also use a smoking incense stick to look for drafts. Hold the stick near places you think might have cracks; if the smoke dances or gets sucked in, you’ve found a place to seal.
• Many of the biggest air sealing opportunities are up in the attic and below your floors. For these harder-to-reach leaks, it’s a good idea to call in a trained professional such as Recurve to quickly identify and remedy your home’s major leakage areas.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/the-great-escape/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 19:21:01 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=585 Is your thermostat accurate? If not, chances are that the temperature sensor is being affected by cold air coming through the opening where the thermostat is mounted.

Keeping control of your thermostat is one of the simplest ways you can save a great deal of energy – and money – all year round.

Energy Facts

• During the winter, you can save as much as 2%-3% of the energy your furnace uses simply by lowering your thermostat 1°F (if it’s set between 65°F and 72°F).
• In the summer, the process is reversed. You save 3%-5% of the energy used by your air conditioner for every degree you raise the thermostat setting (if it’s set between 70°F and 82°F).
• Do you chronically forget to turn down the heat? There are low-priced, easy-to-install thermostats that adjust the temperature automatically. The simplest have built-in clocks; the more advanced models are computerized. An advanced model will, for example, turn your furnace on 30 minutes before you wake up, turn it off when you leave for work, turn it on just before you return home, and then set it for 55°F when you go to bed. Some also have a “minimum energy use” setting that monitors temperatures when you go on vacation.

Simple Ways to Save Energy

• Keep the thermostat under control. Recommended winter settings for heaters: 68°F in the daytime, 55°F at night. In the summer, turn the air conditioner’s thermostat to 78°F.
• Check the temperature. Using an accurate thermometer, make sure that the temperature near your thermostat is representative of the rest of the house. If it’s located in a drafty or sunny spot, you may be getting false readings and wasting energy.
• Plug the hole in the wall behind the thermostat with a piece of fiberglass insulation.

Excerpted from 30 Simple Energy Things You Can Do To Save The Earth, by The EarthWorks Group.

]]> http://blog.recurve.com/dialing-for-dollars/feed 0 http://blog.recurve.com/helpful-seasonal-home-maintenance-calendar http://blog.recurve.com/helpful-seasonal-home-maintenance-calendar#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 21:01:12 +0000 Shana Fong http://blog.recurve.com/?p=186 Here’s a helpful checklist of things to do around the house, according to season:

JANUARY/FEBRUARY

• Clean or replace furnace filter
• Check/clean heat recovery ventilator; wash or replace filter
• Clean humidifier
• Clean range hood filter
• Check basement floor drain

MARCH/APRIL

• Clean or replace furnace filter
• Check/clean heat recovery ventilator; wash or replace filter
• Clean humidifier
• Check sump pump
• Check gutters and downspouts and clean if needed
• Inspect air conditioning; service as needed (usually every two or three years)
• Inspect basement or crawl space for signs of seepage/leakage
• Ensure that ground slopes away from foundation wall

MAY/JUNE

• Clean windows, screens and hardware; install screens
• Check that air intake and exhausts are clear of debris, nests, etc.
• Clean range hood filter
• Undertake spring landscape maintenance; fertilize young trees

JULY/AUGUST

• Air out damp basements on dry days or use dehumidifier
• For central air conditioning, clean filter in air handling unit
• Check exterior finishes
• Check exterior wood for deterioration
• Check caulking and weatherstripping, including around entry door from garage and house
• Check basement floor drain trap; replenish if needed
• Have furnace/heating system serviced (every two years for an electric furnace)

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

• Check fireplace and chimney; service or clean if needed
• Clean range hood filter
• Clean leaves out of eavestroughs
• Check roofing and flashing for signs of wear or damage
• Close windows, skylights
• Winterize landscaping

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

• Clean or replace furnace filter
• Check or clean heat recovery ventilator; wash or replace filter
• Clean humidifier
• Check exhaust fans
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