Insulate Windows – Lower Energy Costs

The ability to reduce drafts or mitigate the impact of a shining sun through windows can have a major impact on home energy costs: 15 to 35 percent of the heat loss experienced in colder climates results from poorly insulated windows. In the Sun Belt, the summer sun passes through the windows, increasing the ambient temperatures and forcing air conditioning systems to work harder. Higher...

Home Energy Conservation

Energy Conservation need not be a complicated or challenging endeavor. Simply making sure all the window locks are engaged will save energy, as most windows have weather stripping that seals out air leakage along the edges and between the upper and lower sash and the locks assure a tight seal. With that as an example, here are other ideas that can be applied to any homeowner’s energy efficiency...

Home Energy –The Challenges of Weatherizing a Home

Home Energy-Furnace As homeowners strive to make their homes more energy efficient and less expensive to maintain, some attention needs to be paid to balancing the impact of home energy changes to the overall functioning of the home, most notably safety. Typically, homes have leaky shells: Outside air flows in and out through various non-caulked and unfilled cracks, gaps and holes in a home’s...

Gravity Powered Floor Lamps – Application of Renewable Energy

Discussions of alternative or renewable energy naturally gravitate to visions of windmills, solar panels, and perhaps even steam geysers. Few, if any, think of humans as a source of renewable energy. Although not a new concept as evidenced by wind-up watches and clocks which have always relied upon humans as energy sources, there is a new application that reinforces this notion: a gravity-powered...

Energy Monitors – Part of Home Energy Conservation

Home Energy Monitor The typical U.S. homeowner may consider the possible benefit of home energy conservation at least once a month when the monthly utility bill comes due. To truly reduce the costs associated with electricity and to benefit the environment from energy savings, homeowners need to incorporate this concept into their day-to-day routines and truly change usage patterns. Energy...

Energy Efficient Hybrid Water Heaters

Energy Efficient Tank-less Hot Water Heater Conventional water heaters are among the highest users of energy of any home appliance, estimated to represent 17 percent of total usage of the typical home. Energy usage of these appliances was not regulated by Energy Star until 2008. With a recent industry focus on making water heaters more energy efficient, estimates of potential energy costs savings...

Energy Conservation in the Kitchen

Energy Efficient Kitchen The normal routines associated with the kitchen have different impacts on efficient energy use depending on the season: During the winter, the use of a gas or electric over/range actually contributes to the heat needed to keep the house warm, thereby potentially reducing the amount of space heating energy needed to maintain comfort throughout the home. Conversely, during...

Solar Air Heater – Supplement to Conventional Heating

Solar Panels As homeowners are considering measures to reduce energy consumption solar energy invariably becomes a topic of discussion. The challenge in taking the discussion to the next step is that building a new solar home or implementing an extensive retrofit of an existing home is extremely expensive and it is particularly daunting given the uncertainties regarding economic payback. There...

Home Energy Audits

Renewed interest in energy conservation is driven primarily by skyrocketing oil prices and societal emphasis on environmental stewardship. This focus has resulted in an increase in home energy audits. Making one’s home more energy efficient reduces its carbon footprint and potentially reduces the energy bill by as much as 30 percent. These audits are proving invaluable in identifying air leaks,...

Mobile Communications with Home Energy Management Systems

In previous articles we have addressed the topic of reducing home energy consumption by applying good insulation, installing double-paned glass and weather stripping; installing alternative energy technologies such as solar panels, and simply lessening the use of energy by turning off basic electronics and air conditioners when not needed. An important part of managing the use of energy includes...