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Wednesday, July 11, 2001 Reduce energy usage, save on monthly bills By John
Hayes Reducing home energy usage can add comfort, provide long-term financial gains for consumers and cut down on monthly bills. "Energy conservation" means taking steps and adopting habits that decrease the amount of energy used to operate one's home. "Energy efficiency" means using improved technology to decrease energy demand. Both of these ideas offer homeowners ways to reduce their energy bills - ranging from very simple efforts like closing windows and turning off lights to installing new, high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment and using energy-efficient appliances. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Research Center, the typical U.S. household spends $1,000 to $1,500 each year on utility bills. Of this total, energy usage breaks down this way: * Heating and cooling (50 percent of energy usage) * Appliances and lighting (one-third of usage) * Water heating (one-eighth of usage) The NAHB Research Center suggests some conservation and efficiency improvements that most homeowners can undertake this summer: Set your thermostat to a higher temperature in the summer. Or, install a programmable thermostat ($40-$100) that you can program to match the heating and cooling of your home to your own personal schedule. These units typically offer savings of 10 to 15 percent without compromising comfort. Check and change air filters regularly. Dirty filters can reduce heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system efficiency. In the event you need to replace your central air conditioning unit, ensure that the new unit has at least a Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) 12 rating. For room air conditioners, look for units that have a high Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). For both types of air conditioners, the higher the SEER or EER rating, the more energy efficient the unit. Replace high-use lights with compact fluorescent lamps. Light fixtures used more than two hours per day on average are good candidates for replacement with compact fluorescent lamps. The energy bill savings will more than pay for the extra cost of the lamps over their lifetime, and you will have to replace fewer lamps because fluorescent lamps last ten times longer than ordinary light bulbs. Installing motion sensors or timers on outdoor lights, instead of leaving the lights on during nighttime hours, can also help to reduce the electricity bill. Look for sources of air leakage in your house. Outdoor air leakage comprises up to 30 percent of the overall heating and cooling load, so cutting down on air leakage offers significant savings for a job that requires little in the way of costs. Common products like weather stripping can be used to plug leaks from cracks and holes in door frames, windows and attic access hatches. Check insulation levels and possibly add additional insulation in attics and crawlspaces. Local utilities or Home Builder Associations can help you determine the recommended insulation levels for your area. This conservation effort decreases heating and cooling costs and increases comfort. (For information about the NAHB Research Center's Insulation Contractor Certification program, visit www.nahbrc.org.) Check ducts. For homes with forced-air heating/cooling systems, seal duct joints with mastic or high-quality, UL-listed foil-backed duct tape and insulate ducts in unconditioned spaces like attics and crawlspaces. Consider alternatives to help keep your home cool. Fans and dehumidifiers use less energy than air conditioners and can help to make the home comfortable during warm months. When buying or replacing appliances, choose energy efficient models. Manufacturers have made great strides over the past 15 years in improving the performance of refrigerators, dishwashers, and clothes washers and dryers. Read the appliance's EnergyGuide label, as it will provide an estimate of the unit's annual operating costs. Weatherize your windows and consider replacing single-pane windows. Buying and installing double-pane windows that have high-performance glass (e.g., low-emissivity "low-e," coated or solar control spectrally selective) and are filled with gas may help you downsize your home's heating and cooling equipment since energy efficient windows help reduce heat loss in the winter and heat gain in summer. Use less hot water. Water heating typically accounts for 10 to 25 percent of the energy used in the home. The less hot water you use, the less your water heater has to work. To accomplish this, turn down the water heater's thermostat setting to 115 to 120 F; buy an energy efficient water heater; install non-aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads; use the "warm" or "cold" water setting on your clothes washer instead of "hot"; and set your dishwasher to "energy saver" or "water saver." Consider using the sun's energy to heat water and help reduce your utility bills. If you are in the market for a new water heater, solar water heaters can meet a home's hot water needs in areas of the country that receive a great deal of sunlight during the year. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are being used in some parts of the U.S. to convert sunlight into electricity. Strategically place trees and shrubs. Deciduous trees planted on the west and south sides of your home help to keep your house shaded during the day's peak heating times. Practice conservation habits to save energy. Turn off lights that aren't being used, take shorter showers, and run the dishwasher only for full loads. All of these small steps can have a big impact on utility bills. For more information on energy efficiency, as well as green building activities, visit the NAHB Research Center's Web site at www.nahbrc.org. (John Hayes, who is with Torrey Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 461 builders and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether counties.)
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