SolarCost » Saving Energy

Saving Energy with Proper House Insulation

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 02:19:56 +0000

Why is efficient home insulation good for saving energy?

Almost half of your electric bill goes to regulating the temperature of your home. Thus if you want to save on your electric bills, the best place to start is your home’s insulation system.

Insulation is important to minimize or eliminate the heat exchange/loss inside your house. Good insulation keeps the interior warm during winter and cold during hot summer days. A well-insulated house allows your heating and cooling systems to effectively work as needed. Proper insulation can save as much as 10% of your monthly electric bill.

Meanwhile, if your house has leaks or if it has insufficient insulation, air will pass through; and heat exchange will occur on areas where insulation is inadequate. This results to heat loss. And because a house with leaks and insufficient insulation requires more power to regulate its temperature, energy consumption will likely increase.

Where to insulate?

Areas of the house including the switches, power outlets, plumbing fixtures, walls, windows, doors, ceilings, floors, basement, crawl spaces and attic should be properly insulated.

Insulation Tips

Make sure that you consider factors such as building design, budget and climate when selecting the R-values of the insulation materials. Use the proper R-values insulating materials for particular parts of the house.

Consider parts of your house such as the attic, floors, kitchen, bathroom, windows, walls, door and other parts where heat loss are more likely to happen. Use the required insulation materials on these parts to effectively control the temperature.

Sunk-lights can be a source of heat loss but you need to be careful on how close you place the insulation next to these fixtures. Check with your local building codes for reference.

When constructing a home, check on some construction materials that provide both structural support and good insulation.

Follow the product instruction when installing the insulation. Product instructions are the best source of information on how to maximize the use the products.

More Energy Saving Tips

Reduce your light consumption. Some lights produce heat that affects the temperature of the house.

Keep your temperature sensor away from hot materials like stove, oven, lights and other appliances that emit heat to get accurate temperature reading for effective heat regulation.

If the temperature outside is comfortably warm or cold, turn off your heating or cooling system. During heat season, open the drapes of the south-facing windows to allow natural light to enter your home. Close it at night to prevent cool winds from coming in. During winter, keep the drapes and shades closed to help reduce heat loss.

Buy energy-efficient products that will help minimize heat loss and reduce power consumption. Find a reputable contractor and ask advice on good heating and cooling equipment to buy.

During winter, adjust your thermostat at the lowest comfortable level; during summer, highest comfortable level.

Minimize the use of heat generating appliances to reduce the use of cooling system and save on electric bill.

A well-insulated house is like a well-sealed refrigerator. Lesser heat loss means lesser power consumption; and more heat loss means the motor will work harder to maintain the desired interior temperature and thus more energy consumed.

Saving energy means saving money. Make sure that you routinely check your house for leaks and holes and replace or repair leaking parts as soon as you discover them.

A Bright Future for Solar Energy: An Alternative Energy Source

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 03:32:08 +0000

I was first introduced to solar energy in the movie, Race the Sun with James Belushi in the lead. It was a story about low- income and under achieving Hawaiian students encouraged by their teacher to join the Solar Car race. In the movie, a car shaped like a cockroach and covered with solar panels used the sun’s rays as an alternative energy source to run the car.

Solar energy is the light and the heat from the sun. Solar energy is free and its supplies are unlimited. There are no air and water pollution caused about by using solar energy. But there is still some impacts on the environment although indirect.

Photovoltaic cells used to convert sunlight into electricity uses silicon and also produce some waste materials. There are also large solar thermal farms and these farms can also be harmful to the environment and desert ecosystems if not properly managed.

Solar energy can be used on different aspects. Solar energy can be used in agriculture. Greenhouses (which is entirely different from greenhouse gas) convert solar light to heat to be maximized in enhancing the growth of plants and crops. Greenhouses has been around since the Roman times and modern greenhouses were built in Europe in 16th century. Greenhouses are still an important part of horticulture nowadays,

Daylight systems are also being used to maximize the energy released by the sun. It is used to provide interior illumination replacing the artificial lighting. Daylight systems include sawtooth roofs, light shelf, skylights, and light tube. Daylight systems when they are properly implemented can reduce lighting-related energy consumption by 25 percent.

Solar energy can also be developed into solar thermal technologies which can be used for water heating, space heating, space cooling and process heat generation. Solar energy can also be used to distill water and make saline or brackish water potable or drinkable.

The solar water disinfection or SODIS involves exposing water-filled plastic polyethylene terephthalate or PET bottles. This process takes a long time, since the exposure time varies on the weather conditions. It requires a minimum of six hours to two days during days with overcast conditions. Currently, there are two million people in developing centuries use SODIS for their daily drinking water needs.

Also sunlight can be converted into electricity using photovoltaics or PV. PV has been mainly used to power small and medium-sized things like a calculator powered by a single solar cell. There are homes powered by photovoltaics. Using solar energy for water and space heating is the most widely use application of solar energy. While ventilation and solar air heating is also growing in popularity.

There are three main ways in using solar energy. The main way of using and converting solar energy is by using the solar cells. Solar cells convert light directly into electricity. Solar cells are also called photovoltaic or photoelectric cells.

Meanwhile, solar furnaces use a huge array of mirrors to concentrate on the Sun’s energy into a small space and produced very high temperatures. Solar furnaces are also called “solar cookers”. A solar cooker can be used in hot countries to cook food.

With all the benefits if using solar energy, there is still a downside for this alternative energy source. It does not work during night time. The cost of setting up solar stations is expensive, but the benefit of using solar energy when accumulated is so much more.

Saving Energy – Solutions That Will Not Change Your Lifestyle

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 02:18:45 +0000

The rise and drop in temperatures in the coming years, place intense pressures on consumers around the world as this means only one thing, more energy and fuel are needed to control the environment and make homes more comfortable.

Over the years, new technology has been invented to improve the manner of living – energy saving devices are not excluded. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable energy saving devices, let us apply our common sense today and do some effort in saving energy.

• Avoid “phantom” energy users.

Electrical appliances that are plugged in to sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance that remains plugged in may not give a significant increase in your electric bill but letting every appliance on “standby” can be a real money spender. Make sure to pull the plugs of every appliance from their sockets whenever you don’t use them.

• Turn down temperature of water heaters.

Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that is sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.

• The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.

The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled – in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer homes, the problems may be few as today’s’ builders take more attention to sealing drafts potential areas and slots. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are insulated, air leaks often occur around wall outlets, switches and vents that could result in water condensation around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.

• If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.

Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.

• CFL lights are energy savers.

Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. Sure CFL lamps are a little more expensive but these are recovered easily because of its longer life and the energy saving feature it has.

• Clean appliances regularly.

Dirt and dust interferes with the efficiency of appliances. Likewise, place a good distance; allow about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat for your walls not to retain the heat.

• When in the market always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features of the appliance you are buying.

Saving Energy – Using CFLs Gets You 66% Less in Energy Cost

Tue, 30 Mar 2010 12:48:27 +0000

For most homes in the developed countries, lighting alone accounts for 9% of the total energy requirement. For other parts of the world, it is far more than that. Thus, using cost-efficient lights can be a real life-saver, or should we say, energy-saver.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs are made to be very efficient; it uses 66% less energy than the conventional light bulbs. Just by changing from the incandescent to the CFLs could already reduce electrical consumption to 7%.

When compared to the regular light bulbs, CFLs give the same amount of luminescence for less power and while it has a higher purchase price than the incandescent, CFLs have longer lifespan (approximately 12 times than the incandescent light bulbs, about 11,000 hours), enough to save $US30 in electrical costs during the bulbs lifetime.

A US published article claimed that if a household changes 30 fixtures in their home, investing $90, the money saved in the span of five years could be anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the areas electrical costs. For commercial buildings and other bigger establishments, the savings are even greater. An average CFL at 75 watts could save $22 dollars in direct energy savings per year. If that is multiplied by the number of light bulbs in a building, and include the cost of labor that could be saved from changing light bulbs, the savings could rise exponentially. True, there is a capital investment of about $2 USD per fixture; however that could be recovered in a month from money saved.

Other manufacturers of CFLs also apply titanium dioxide coating. This is because titanium dioxide is claimed to neutralize bacteria, odors and molds. Still many manufacturers of CFLs apply a luminous coating to the bulb for the purpose of luminescence after the CFL is turned off. The idea behind is that a little light could still remain, even for a short while, in cases of power failure and accidents.

Because Carbon Fluorescent lamps do not emit as much heat as the incandescent light bulbs, there is also less work for air conditioners in cooling up the space.

Surely there must be a downside.

If this could be called a downside, CFLs behave differently from the ordinary incandescent bulbs. For one, it takes longer to attain its full brightness depending on the temperature. The colder the climate is, the longer it will take for the bulb to give off full brightness. CFL also gives off the brightest light during its first use and begins to dull gradually, giving off less light as it nears the end of its life; a CFLs is expected to reduce its brightness by 20% from its original brightness on first installation. But that is just about it.

Saving energy, in almost all conceivable phases of production, is in focus today. The fuel that is currently in use, as we are all aware, is non renewable. This is why even in the field of lighting, continuous research is being done to further reduce the coefficient of energy that has to be saved.

Solid state lighting, for example, is widely used in traffic lights; although for now, using this technology to be an energy saving method for domestic consumption is still being developed as the current cost is still high. For now, saving energy through the CFLs remains to spell a definite advantage compared with incandescent light bulbs.

What to Expect from Solar Power for Homes

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 09:02:32 +0000

Years ago, solar power was used mostly for magnifying glasses and calculators. Now, it is already possible to use solar power for homes. The energy of the sun is widely available and scientists are improving solar power systems year after year. Electricity is a necessity and life will be quite hard without it. However, the fossil fuels are depleting and electricity is expensive. The use of fossil fuels also causes damage to the Earth, thereby causing global warming and other environmental problems.

Solar power for homes is a renewable and much better energy source. Many homeowners are going green these days because they want to save money and the environment. Despite the encouragement of the government and other organizations, only 1% of the total homeowners use solar power. If you’re in the US, why don’t you visit California? You can find many solar powered homes in California.

The energy of the sun can be used in different ways to create electricity. A very good example is the use of solar generators. The generator is powered with the use of mirrors that focus and reflect sunlight. When heat is created, the generator will be powered. Photovoltaic cells are also quite popular and these are available in solar panel DIY kits. The panels are usually mounted on rooftops. When sunlight hits the photovoltaic cells, electrical charge is created which in turn power homes and offices. You can purchase the kits from online stores or even in your local area. Just shop around for the best and highly effective panel kits; these kits already include guided instructions so that you can develop a homemade solar panel.

Ordinary homeowners still find solar power too expensive and that’s the main reason why many people still opt for conventional electricity. With the modern technology of today, scientists and researchers are looking for cost effective ways to offer solar power to the public. Did you know that you can also store the energy that comes from sunlight? This is true and so you can still use solar power even when there’s no sunlight. So whether it’s nighttime or it’s raining, you can use renewable and clean energy.

Solar cookers, thermal systems, and many others are excellent alternatives but you need to know how to use them effectively. The very first step that you need to take is to determine your monthly electrical consumption. You can do this by checking your electricity bills and get the average monthly usage. You also need to consider the weather or climate in your area. After determining your electric consumption, you can now decide on the appropriate inverter. A bigger inverter can accommodate expansion in the future. For people with limited resources or budget, you can start with the simplest projects like outdoor lights and garden features. Even if you use smaller solar panels, you can still cut down your electrical bills by 20%-30%.

Try to have realistic expectations when using solar power. You can’t give up conventional electricity completely but if you can use it together with solar power, you can save a lot of money in the long run. Make this one-time investment and enjoy lasting benefits in the coming months and years. Solar power for homes is an excellent investment and you too can enjoy a greener and clean lifestyle.

Saving Energy – Learning from Californians

Wed, 03 Mar 2010 11:03:21 +0000

The recent electricity problems that happened in California made them rethink the manner in which energy is used and saved. The effort conducted at conserving this resource made many people to reevaluate their choices on energy consumption. The truth is there is really not that much energy to waste. The examples made by Californians about thoughtful ways where less should suffice. The following energy saving suggestions were part of smart choices that was made.

1.Refrigerators that were manufactured 20 or 30 years ago gives off 1,100 lbs. of CO2 emissions per year. Keeping an old model refrigerator increases your monthly energy bill by as much as $80. The newer models are energy efficient.

Manufacturers print this on the fridge. But even the newer ones could not save you as much energy as it should if it is positioned near heat radiating appliances like the dishwasher or ovens and stoves. This is why, to allow for saving energy, interior designers and architects make it a point to have separate areas for cooling and heating appliances.

If you maintain the temperature of the refrigerator at the right level, you can save as much as 25% on energy consumption than when the temperature higher than what is required.

2.Air drying your dishes will save energy instead of putting them inside the dishwasher.

3.Clothes dyers spend much energy that whenever possible, air or sun drying should be done. Washing in cold water also saves energy by 75%. This could also prevent the dryer from emitting 500 lbs. a year in carbon gasses.

4.More than 50 degrees of heat is lost whenever you open the oven during cooking, Study the cooking instructions and preheat the oven as required. Open the oven only when needed.

5.While shades and curtains are good practices to regulate the temperature and let the light in a room, adding e-films gets you far in saving energy during heating and air-conditioning the space. Storm windows are good energy saving devices so are high performance double paned windows.

6.Extra work will be required from your heater or air-conditioner when you have air leaks and drafts around your house. Sealing the home is one of the cheapest ways to conserve energy. Limiting the use of ventilating fans and closing the damper in the fireplace when not in use keep the desired temperature inside the home.

7.In many parts of the country, ceiling fans are enough to cool home that is well insulated. If using air-conditioners is a must, planting shrubs and trees on the surrounding areas of the room to be cooled will you give you as much as 10% savings on energy consumption.

8.Trellises, overhangs and especially trees help so much in cooling the home during the summer months. It also serves as a good wind breaker during winter.

9.Unplug appliances that are not in use. Keeping appliances plugged in and keeping them on standby modes consume about 10% of the power it requires when in operation.

Buy only stuffs that are really necessary. The seemingly innocent stuffs that fills our home was manufactured using energy that translates to greenhouse gas emissions from the sorting of raw materials to manufacture and the freight it required to be delivered to the stores and eventually to the end user.

Saving Energy for Kids: Teaching Your Kids to be Energy Efficient

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:28:21 +0000

Saving energy and saving money should not be your sole responsibility as parents. Your kids must also learn to contribute in keeping the electric bills down. This way, your effort will not get wasted and at the same time, your kids will learn good values while growing up.

Because teaching your kids to be energy efficient requires some effort, here are easy to follow suggestions you can do:

Education

Teaching your kids the importance of saving energy should be your first goal. Take note that making them understand the value of being energy efficient is more effective than enumerating the ways to save energy and leaving it at that. Teach them how conserving energy helps the environment. Tell them stories or read educational books about the importance of energy.

Lead by example

You know very well that kids tend to follow what elders do. Practice what you preach. You may have listed and posted a litany of things-to-do to conserve energy but if you don’t follow them yourself, you cannot expect your kids to follow it too. Do not just tell them to turn the lights off before leaving their room; show them by always turning the lights off every time you leave a room in your house. Education and leading by example are a good combination if you want to make good habits stick.

Make it fun

Find educational materials where your kids will learn the value of conserving energy as well as the ways on how to save it. Computer software, educational websites, books and television shows that educate and entertain kids would really make a difference on how well they will respond. This is especially applicable to kids from 5 to 10 years old.

Get your kids involved

Family activities should not limit to eating, playing and entertainment. Chores can also be a good way to bond with your kids. Manually wash the car, water the plants, clean the table, wash the dishes, clean the house etc. These are some of the things you can do with your kids while conserving energy.

Teach your kids according to their age

Kids of different ages have different attitude on things around them. If your 5-year son doesn’t know how to turn off the lights before leaving the room, all you need to do is to talk to him well about its importance and showing him that you practice what you teach.

Your 10-year old daughter may require different approach like showing her your electric bill and explaining to her that it will greatly help if she will change her bad habits. You are teaching your 5-year old good habits while you are teaching and emphasizing your 10-year old good habits and responsibility.

Same thing applies to kids of different ages. The point is, make sure that you teach your kids proper ways to conserve energy using an approach suited to their ages.

Energy saving tips for kids:

1-Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.

2-Always turn the lights off before leaving the room.

3-Turn the computer off after use.

4-Do not hold the refrigerator open.

5-Unplug unnecessary appliance.

6-Use natural light if possible.

Saving energy is not so hard if your kids are involved. And just like any family activities you do, energy conservation should be fun, educational and driven by good motivation.

Saving Energy – Heating Your Home in a Lukewarm Economy

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 16:44:42 +0000

The practical approach and the classic way to do it are to apply the adage, “Use less, save more”. While everyone could agree on that, the devil will always hound the details, so how?

Even before the news of a cooling economy hit the papers, consumers across the globe have been finding ways to save money, trying always to have more with less. This is truer now.

With cooler winters ahead in many parts of the world and rising energy prices, the Alliance to Save Energy predicted that the average American household will have to spend $1,700 more on utility and gas pump this year compared to just two years ago. Using less and saving more is still a good idea, but alone, it may not suffice.

Last year, winter heating cost was projected by the Energy Information Administration to increase an average of 15%. This is not only caused by higher energy costs but by the cooler winters that are expected.

The 15% projected higher heating costs will of course vary and is dependent to some variables like the characteristics of the space heated, the kind of fuel used for heating and where the consumer is located. Just the same, homes using natural gas as its fuel for heating, which comprise 50% of American households can expect an increase in heating cost by as much as 18%; households that are using oil could expect an increase in heating costs by as much as 23%; while those using electricity and propane will have to shell out about 10% to 11% more.

The advancement in technology gives rise to energy saving devices. Before, the main contention was that most of these devices cost more; and sometimes, the amount of energy saved did not really justify the price. But in today’s setup, the effort in cutting the energy cost has made some improvements on the efficiency of energy saving devices. With the threat of a cooling economy, energy saving devices are once again in focus. There are various and very practical devices that could be used in saving energy and they come in different brands, labels, methods of operation and products. Some saving energy suggestions are:

The solar heaters – this energy-saving device provides heating for both space and water. Depending on the type of solar heater that is used (be it a part of the structure of the home or one that engage the use of a mechanical device), solar heaters are definite money saver. It is easy on the environment too. Greenpeace should love this one.

Electrical saving devices. These are devices that you plug into your socket that promise to reduce the volume of energy that you consume by stabilizing the flow of your electric current. The only limitation to these devices is that it could only control a specific volume of wattage, say 3000 watts, at any given time. If the household will use more than the wattage capacity that the device could handle, another device should be plugged in.

Finally, there are the energy saving light bulbs, lamps, heaters, appliances and other gizmos and gadgets.

But the fact remains that saving energy is fast becoming the order of the day taking into account the current realities. So if all the energy saving devices out there will still not suffice, the “use less and save more” principle will still add a good deal to your savings.