Go Green!
Simple Fixes Keep House Cool and Save Energy
Last updated Sunday, August 24, 2008 4:29 PM CDT in Your Home
By Scripps Howard News Service
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The cost of heating and cooling your home is on the rise, with some analysts estimating as much as a 30 percent increase over last year's record prices. The good news is that there are a few simple things all of us can do to reduce the amount of energy we use for heating, cooling and lighting:
1. Replace air conditioner filters on a regular basis. A clean filter reduces the amount of energy required to operate the fan. Use a quality - sometimes called expensive - high-efficiency filter. You get what you pay for.
2. Clean, clean, clean the outside air-conditioning unit. Restricted airflow can cost you hundreds of cooling dollars each year.
3. Stop wasting electricity. Most battery-operated PDAs, cell phones, iPods, laptop computers, games and the like have a 120-volt transformer that reduces the power supplied to the appliance. When left plugged into a wall outlet, the transformer continues to use power even when the battery-operated device is not connected. Unplug the transformers when not in use. Any TV set, audio equipment, countertop microwave oven and, especially, coffee pot that you do not intend to use daily should also be unplugged to conserve energy.
4. Replace old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs. A compact fluorescent light bulb uses 75 percent less energy and is estimated to last 10 times longer than conventional bulbs.
5. Close curtains on the sunny side of the home during the cooling season. Heat gains through standard double-paned glass can be significant and will add to the costs of cooling the home.
6. If you have an older furnace or boiler with a pilot light, turn the pilot light off until it's needed for the heating season. The pilot light produces heat, which has to be cooled by the air-conditioning unit.
7. Use an electric fan to circulate room air. You can set the thermostat higher and still remain comfortable by sitting near the fan.
8. Insulate, tape, caulk and seal every opening you can find to reduce drafts. Close the fireplace damper and glass doors.
9. The biggest energy hog in the home is the water heater. Turn the temperature down to 110 degrees to save energy, or install a smaller-capacity water heater. When it's time to replace the water heater, consider the new tankless heaters that heat water only on demand.
10. Insulate the attic space. The thicker the insulation the better, but do not use a vapor barrier such as Kraft-faced insulation batts or rolls. You don't want to trap moisture between the ceiling and the insulation.
- Scripps Howard News Service
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