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The past few years have found all of us looking at rising energy costs which seem to have been multiplied by the slow economy.  Whether you are thinking about ways to “go green” or you simply want to lower your monthly out of pocket energy costs, we’ve compiled some tips to help you out.  This is the third in a series of articles on lowering your monthly energy costs.

In our first two articles we discussed several tips to reduce your energy costs specifically during either the winter or summer months.  In this article we will discuss tips you can use year round to help lower your energy costs and save on your monthly bills.

First let’s recap some of the tips we suggested using in winter:

-          Lower your thermostat.  Stay warmer by wearing more clothes, using space heaters, using electric blankets at night, etc.

-          Check for drafts entering the home through doors or windows and seal them off.

-          Reduce your outdoor pool’s running time to a minimum

Next let’s look at some of the tips we suggested for summer:

-          Raise your thermostat.  Stay cool by using fans, drinking plenty of water,  wearing fewer clothes, etc.

-          Pull shades to block out the sun’s heat.

-           Insure your A/C unit is running optimally

Using our summer and winter tips will help you save on energy costs year round.  Many items work to help cool and heat your home both, helping your unit work less, and use less energy.

-Changing the A/C filter regularly helps your unit run at its optimum level in both heat and cool modes.

-Space heaters and fans help create air flow within your home which in turn helps your unit not work as hard to circulate the air.

-Pulling the shades on windows can help both in winter and summer.  In summer the shades block out the sun’s direct heat.   In the winter shades help to block out drafts and block the cold temperatures on the window surfaces from entering the room.

-Increasing your attic insulation helps year round as well by retaining both the heat and cool into your home instead of letting it escape thru the ceiling.

- Decreasing the amount of time that your outdoor pool’s filter system runs during the day will dramatically help to reduce your energy consumption.  Work with your pool professional to find the optimal amount of time that the system should run each day to keep the pool clean while at the same time using as little energy as possible.  You may want to consider building your own solar panel or wind turbine to power your pool pump.  There are several websites that can teach you how to do this.  See the links at the bottom of this article.

- Replacing your old windows with energy efficient models can easily pay for itself in a very short period of time.  Today’s windows with Low E film are many times over more efficient than older models.  The best advantage is that they work in both summer and winter.  In summer energy efficient windows block out the sun’s direct heat as well as the ambient heat outside, all while directing the A/C unit’s cool air back into the room.  In the winter they work the same by deflecting the heat in the room back into the room and by blocking out the cold air and wind.  If you haven’t looked into replacing your windows and your home is more than 30 years old, you should really do so.  The amount you could save could be huge.  Not to mention that fact that your home will feel much better as well.

-Replacing your old, worn out central system will save you money year round as well.  Depending on how old your unit is, how large your home is and how well it’s insulated, the savings you could see from replacing the unit could easily pay for the new unit in just a couple of years time.

-Caulking cracks around your home’s exterior will help to increase the home’s insulation factor which will obviously help year round by blocking out the cold and hot wind.

-Unplugging your unused electrical items will save energy year round. 

- Don’t leave rechargeable items plugged in all the time.  Once the unit is charged, unplug it completely from the wall. 

- Don’t leave your toaster plugged in.  It only takes a second to plug it in when you are ready to use it.

- Why leave your computer running all day while you are at work?  Not only turn it off, but if you have it on a surge protector, which you should, turn the switch off so that all your computer items are off including your printer, copier, modem, monitor, etc.

- Unplug your jam box.  It probably has a few lights and maybe a read out screen that stay lit even when the unit switch is off.

- Battery chargers.  Once your drill or screwdriver battery is charged in the garage, unplug it.

So, as you can see over this series of articles we have listed numerous tips that can help you save on your energy costs not just in the summer or winter, but year round as well.  Most of the items we have discussed are items that you could do yourself without having to pay anyone else and in many cases without having to spend any money at all.   If you are the do-it-yourself (DIY) type you will find most of these tips very easy to follow and implement.   If not, you can still accomplish them with just a little research.  There are plenty of websites on the net you can use for resources.

Another great way of reducing your energy costs is by producing your own energy through the use of either a solar panel or wind turbine.  You DIY enabled homeowners will find that building a solar panel or wind turbine is actually must easier than it may sound at first.  Several websites offer guides to building your own and take you through the steps one by one. 

If your monthly payments keep growing each month and you are interested in finding out about tips to save on electric costs then let us share some information with you – i am sure you will be amazed. First of all, how about being able to produce an unlimited amount of power supply for your home’s entire needs, all by yourself, and almost for free – how can this be? Just listen to the facts and you can decide for yourself.

You see, most people get their power supply from the power company; they pay their bills month-by-month and at the same time watch their bank account decreasing for something so fundamental. Alternatively, some former customers of the electric company went a different route since they were tired of spending their income on a natural resource – they discovered a way of generating their own power – as much as they want – and would meet their current and future needs.

As you proceed with your research in the area of tips to save on electric costs please note that it is indeed possible for you to start generating your own power; you will be able to enjoy the many benefits of your free electricity in a matter of days – it mostly requires your motivation to do so. So you’re probably eager to get in on all the details as to what is involved here; to put it simply, you’ll just be generating free and abundant electricity from sources that are found everywhere in nature. Do you know that it’s possible for anybody to construct their very own solar and/or wind energy system very quickly and easily right in their own yard?

Even if you’re just starting to research on tips to save on electric costs hopefully you now realize how easy it is to make a system for solar and/or wind power that can drop down your electric bills down to $0 per month. To most people it may sound complicated, impossible or extremely expensive; well, it used to be that way, but not anymore – happily for us, a respected professional who is on the cutting edge of the green technology movement shares his knowledge so that everyone can enjoy the benefits of free electricity.

If you’re ’suffering’ from high monthly household payments and you’re surfing the internet looking for material on tips to reduce electric costs take a look at the following information – you may find it ’shocking.’ First of all, how about being able to produce more than enough electrical power to run every appliance in your home, without outside assistance, and without spending a fortune – sound a bit unlikely? I suggest you read on and get the full story.

The situation is that people generally obtain their power from the electric company; they pay their bills month-by-month and say good-bye to the hard-earned money they spend on this essential need. But then there are those who found another way of doing things, since they were fed up with expensive and unnecessary power bills – they simply wanted access to free, limitless, and earth-friendly energy to supply their entire family’s needs.

As you proceed with your research in the area of tips to reduce electric costs be sure to consider the real possibility of starting your own energy generating system; with very little time and effort, you can be using your own free, green energy – does free, clean energy sound appealing to you? I guess that by now you are already full of curiosity on what this is really all about; all that’s involved is a solution for converting renewable energy sources that are right ‘under our nose’ into free electricity. No matter who it is, would you believe that they can make a windmill and/or solar energy system to create their own electricity with little time or effort without even leaving their property?

Even if you are only interested about tips to reduce electric costs i hope you see how simple it is to make a system for solar and/or wind power that can drop down your electric bills down to $0 per month. Perhaps this sounds like too much to take on all by yourself; well, it used to be that way, but not anymore – on our side we have a leading professional in the area of solar and wind technology who has found a way for the average person to get in on it.

Astonishingly, Americans generally spend $1600 or more a year on their utility bills. Not only is much of this wasted energy, but more carbon dioxide is emitted into the air from one home than two average cars. The following tips will help you save energy costs both at home and in the car.

*Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and comfortably high in the summer. Install a programmable thermostat that is compatible with your heating and cooling system.

* Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.

* Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.

* Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.

* Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).

* Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

* Take short showers instead of baths.

* Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.

* Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gasoline.

* Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the United States Department of Energy.

Energy Auditing Tips:

* Check the insulation levels in your attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces.

* Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.

* Check for open fireplace dampers.

* Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended maintenance.

* Study your family’s lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Look for ways to use lighting controls – like occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers – to reduce lighting energy use, and replace standard light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard fluorescent lamps.

Insulation Tips

* Consider factors such as your climate, building design, and budget when selecting insulation R-values for your home.

* Use higher density insulation, such as rigid foam boards, in cathedral ceilings and on exterior walls.

* Ventilation plays a large role in providing moisture control and reducing summer cooling bills. Attic vents can be installed along the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper airflow.

* Recessed light fixtures can be a major source of heat loss, but you need to be careful how close you place insulation next to a fixture unless it is marked IC.

These tips, and more, are provided to you in a larger PDF file by the US Department of Energy.

My thermostat is equipped with a two-position setting for the fan, “automatic” and “on”. Where should I set it?

The normal setting is on “automatic” with the fan’s cycle being controlled by the temperature in the room. However, if your home is equipped with an air cleaner (media or electronic) or you wish to keep a continuous flow of air, switch the setting to “on”. Remember, central air cleaning devices only work when the furnace is circulating air. If you wish to get the most from your air cleaner, you should keep your thermostat setting to “on”.

I see the arrow on my furnace filter, but I’m not sure how to correctly position it. What should I do?

The arrow should point in the same direction as the flow of air. In most cases, it will point towards the furnace and should fit between the return air part of the system and the furnace. The filter screens out the dust and other impurities before the air is warmed in your furnace and distributed through the duct system.

How does an air conditioning system actually work to cool the air in my home?

An air conditioning system consists of two parts: an outdoor unit (where liquid refrigerant is contained) and an indoor coil (where the refrigeration is pumped into). As the air moves across the air conditioning coil (usually located on top of the furnace), the refrigerant removes the heat from the air as well as the moisture by condensing it on the cold surface of the coil. In this way, the air conditioner not only cools but also dehumidifies the air. Virtually any system can have air conditioning hooked up to it provided it is a forced-air system.

In cases where there isn’t a forced-air system, Apollo has a unique “mini-duct” air conditioning system to cool an entire home. Apollo specializes in this “mini-duct” AC system to help our customers with older homes stay cool in the summer!

What is a S.E.E.R. (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating and what does it mean to me?

S.E.E.R. is the standard measurement of air conditioning efficiency established by the U.S. Department of Energy. Higher S.E.E.R. ratings translate into greater energy efficiency, which means lower summer cooling bills. So the higher the S.E.E.R. rating, the more money you save. If you air conditioner is more than 10 years old, it’s probably an 8.0 S.E.E.R. system. The newer systems out today are 12.0-14.0 S.E.E.R. systems. If an estimated annual bill for an 8.0 S.E.E.R. system is $1,000 (for example), it would only be $615 for a 13.0 S.E.E.R. system – a 38% savings! And in 2006, the U.S. government is giving a $300 energy tax credit to homeowners who upgrade to a 15.0 S.E.E.R. air conditioner and heat pumps.

I have trouble getting even amounts of heat/cooling to certain parts of my house. How can I get more even heating/cooling to the upstairs and downstairs of my home?

Every home seems to have at least one room that’s always too hot or too cold. The problem is due to standard heating and cooling systems that pump climate controlled air to all your rooms at once. Rooms furthest from your heating and cooling units get less warmed and cooled air. Our solution: Zoning. Zoned heating and cooling systems with automatic dampers and extra thermostats heat and cool specific “zones” without affecting the temperature in the rest of your house.

With today’s economy in recession you may find yourself with past due bills piling up in your mailbox. You are probably stressed out and wondering where you are going to get the money to pay these bills. Well here are a few suggestions to get you started.

If you want financial assistance that you do not have to pay back here is what you could do. Go to or call your local social services department. If you qualify they have a variety of programs that you can apply for.

An example of these programs are fuel assistance, crisis assistance and cooling assistance. These are programs you can apply for if you need assistance with your fuel cost. If you have a gas or light bill they may be able to assist you.

Below is a description of each.

Fuel Assistance: This program helps with home heating costs; but can also be used for furnace re-starts, late charges, delivery charges, and connection or re-connection fees.

Crisis Assistance: is intended to meet a household’s emergency heating need, when no other resource is available. Here are some examples on how crisis assistance can be used. During winter months it can be used for a one time only heat security deposit; portable space heater for temporary use, payment for emergency shelter, and/or heating equipment repair/purchase. Assistance is based on the availability of funds.

Cooling Assistance: provides purchase or repair of cooling equipment and/or payment for electricity to operate cooling equipment. To be eligible, a household must contain at least one vulnerable individual who is age 60 or over, disabled, or under age 6. Assistance is based on availability of funds.

Programs like these have application cut off dates. So you will want to find out this information when applying. If you find that you missed the deadline for heating assistance ask about the crisis assistance or cooling assistance program.

Keep in mind that these programs vary state to state. Not everyone qualifies for these programs. Social Services will determine if you qualify by the income guidelines set for the state you are in. If indeed you do qualify you will be informed by mail after completing the application. Since there is quite a bit of people applying for these services please allow the agency ample time to respond back to you. The agency will also tell you about when you should receive a response from them.

If you are approved you will receive in the mail a letter containing how much you are approved for. It will have the date, worker number, phone number of the agency, case number, city or county information, and client notice of action.

Client notice of action simply summarizes how much you have been approved for, the company’s name they are sending the payment to, what type of expense it is for whether it be heating or cooling, and when the benefits will be paid by. It is very important that you pay close attention to this information to ensure it is correct. Sometimes the agency may make mistakes and sends the payment to the wrong company or account number: although this is very rare.

Client notice of action also can contain disapproval. If you are ever disapproved it will explain why. If you are disapproved you have the right to appeal the agency’s decision. Information on how to appeal will be included in your letter.

Also if you are approved and you don’t agree with the agency’s decision you have the right to appeal as well. That information is included with your letter.

So now that you know about the various types of assistance: Fuel Assistance, Crisis Assistance and Cooling Assistance I will now tell you what you will need when you apply.

Things you should bring when you apply for these services are:

A copy of your bill

Your drivers license or state identification card

Your social security number

The majority of the time when you call your local social services and ask them to mail you an application they will tell you this information. Depending on where you live they may require more information. Make sure if they don’t tell you during the first few minutes of the conversation you find this information out before you end the call.

The quickest method is to call, have the agency mail the application to you, fill it out at home and then take it to the agency yourself. If you have a printer at home make copies of everything prior to leaving. It will make things run much smoother. If you don’t have a printer just ask someone in the agency to make copies for you. They will be glad to assist you.

Another way to get financial help is to call your local First Call For Help, United Way, Crisis Hotline, 211, American Red Cross or Salvation Army. These agencies may be able to give you referrals to other agencies that can help you with your specific need. If it is your first time calling they will need to get information from you like your name, phone number, address, household size, social security number etc. They will need this information in order to help serve you better. They use this information to find referrals closer to where you live.

Source

VA Department of Social Services

Homeowners need to be armed with accurate information in order to make the best choices about the many available options. That’s especially true as energy costs continue to climb. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program estimates that the savings from replacing single-pane with Energy Star-qualified windows ranges from $125 to $340 a year for a typical home.

Since this is the time of year when many homeowners embark on remodeling projects, here are five basic tips for selecting the most energy efficient windows and doors for your home.

* Use Low-E glass. Select windows with Low-E glass, which controls the amount of heat transferred through the window and prevents heat loss in the winter. Jeld-Wen, a window and door manufacturer, now offers Low-E glass as a standard for its wood and clad wood windows and as an upgrade option for its vinyl windows.

* Update technology. Replace older single-pane windows with dual-pane units, which insulate the home from both cold and hot weather. Using both Low-E glass and insulating glass units will reduce home energy costs.

* Consider how they’re made. Choose doors with energy-efficient cores, sills and frames that provide a barrier to energy exchange. Dual-pane, Low-E glass helps ensure that they will be weathertight and energy efficient. For example, studies show that over time, steel doors made with polystyrene maintain energy ratings better than doors made with polyurethane.

* Understand the standards. Efficiency ratings are based on U-factor, which is the amount of heat flow through a product. The lower the U-factor, the more efficient the product. Efficiency also is measured by Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), which indicates the ability to block heat generated by sunlight. The lower the SHGC, the better. Finally, experts evaluate Visible Light Transmission, which is the percentage of sunlight that is able to penetrate a window or door. Higher percentages mean more light will enter through the glass.

* Focus on efficiency, not bells and whistles. Manufacturers achieve efficiency in different ways. No matter what technology is employed, one of the easiest ways to identify the most energy-efficient products is to simply look for the Energy Star label.

Step one is to hire an energy auditor. We need to turn to the experts, to people who are best at it when we need something done. They could tell you about what is making you poorer by heating and cooling your home as well as other areas.

If you are not sure where they are located then just run a google search. Perhaps you might consider looking up the yellow pages otherwise. These guys have got some high-tech tools which include infrared cameras, pressurizing fans, moisture meters and smoke blowers (or pencils).

He might even get a brand new house fan fitted to the outside doorway. It creates pressure, holding out a smoke pencil could help you understanding where you are becoming poorer. He might want to use a moisture meter to figure out extra moist places of your house. High RH or Relative Humidity can make a home’s inhabitants feel uncomfortable and add to high energy costs.

Second step is to find effective solutions. I have got a problem. You have found a guy to investigate it. Now is the time to fix it. Mostly he is going to suggest solutions. Sometimes you might be able to fix it yourself or at times you might need those experts to do it for you. It may be as simple as caulking gaps on the exterior of the homes siding with a good silicone sealant and adding insulative foam electric outlet sealers to go behind your home’s electrical outlet switch plates with plug in outlet covers to reduce drafts and air loss.

Other more extensive energy saving features may aid in lowering fuel costs as well. Among these are adding attic insulation, Low E glass windows, high SEER HVAC system (13 or better), tankless water heater and Energy Star appliances.

Couple example cases, this place had absolutely no insulation in the walls, though it did have a little insulation at the attic. On pier and beam with hardwood floors, there was no insulation underneath the home as well. On acting on the experts suggestion, believe it or not, the gas and electricity bills dropped down. It’s a perfect way to check your energy efficiency.

This expert is going to help you determine how to modify your house into an energy effective place which conserves energy. She conducted another audit on this one model 2 story with zoned HVAC. There was one heater and an aircon unit at all levels. At this audit, she learned more about the way air flow works. Apparently if you leave the bedroom doors open, then the HVAC is going to work better. So if you get an expert, he is going to help you modify older homes in energy effective, even though they weren’t meant to be that way.

Be proactive. The best way to save money on your home energy costs this winter and yer round is to not use as much energy in your daily routine. By identifying potential energy increases before you actually do them, you will save money on energy. For example, proactively abstain from turning on a light that may not be needed, rather than turning off when it is already on.

Pay attention to what your home is telling you. As I teach you in my free home energy secrets course, your home is trying to tell you something. When you walk down your hallway and feel drafty, that’s your home telling you there is an energy leak problem in the hall. When you wake up in the morning to a cold home, that is your home telling you there might be a furnace or heating system problem. If a window is drafty…well, you get the idea.

Diligence is key. Make repairs and enact energy saving tips sooner than later, ideally within a few days after you find them. Think of it this way. Once you find a home energy ‘gaffe’, every day that you let the mistake slide costs you money. Sometimes it will only be pennies a day. Other times, it may be much more significant.

Be thorough. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to assume how your home uses energy. You simply can not do this, because every home is different and every home uses energy differently. In fact, every room of your home uses energy differently. When you look at your home’s energy usage, take the time to walk through every single nook and corner, wall to wall, right from the ceiling to the floor. You’ll be amazed what you find.

When in doubt, shut it off. Not sure if you’ll need a light on? Turn it off. Put lights that are used but forgotten, like outdoor lights, on timers on motion sensors.

Your Choices for Home Energy Audits

Have you ever thought of saving energy use in your house as you have always been confronted with high electrical bills for the past months? Didn’t you know that you can create a change with such scenario? Yes, certainly. Examine the home energy auditing!

What can a home energy audit do for you?

When a home energy audit has been guided in your own house, the difficultys and angles where your home is losing excessive energy will be indicated. A home energy audit not just allows you to recognize how effective your cooling & heating systems are. Moreover, a house energy audit will in addition give you ideas on how to preserve the warm water that you often use on a every day basis.

Why do you need to employ a home energy audit?

In its most basic sense, a house energy audit is one fine step of assessing the quantity of energy that you consume in your home & it not just offers ways on how you’ll be able to evaluate the suitable measures which you may implement to conserve your energy use & monthly bills to be paid for.

Whom can you depend on to conduct the house energy audit?

It is truthfully your own choice. You may hire an expert home energy auditor or diy. Of course you will be paying for the services of the house energy auditor. With an expert, you know that he can create a comprehensive auditing of your house energy consumption concerns. An auditor derives benefit from a series of equipment & techniques to choose the precise energy structure existent in the home. Among the equipment used in house energy audit are infrared cameras are used to reveal those hard to discover angles of missing insulation & air infiltration too as the blower doors that gauge the leaks in the whole building envelope. But if you do want to cut back your expenses, just put to a test the do-it-yourself guides for house energy auditing.

What are you should probably do for the do it yourself home energy audit?

When simply given sufficient time, you may conduct your very own home energy audit & detect the vital problems that exist in your house. Don’t fail to keep the checklist of all the problems & areas in the home that you’ve discovered. This will direct you as to how you will prioritize the required repairs and upgrades in the time to come.

Locate for air leaks. Draft a list regarding the air leaks present in your house. When this gets detected, you can save as plenty of as five up to 30 percent of the total expenses inside a yr and you may in addition get pleasure from a plenty of comfortable energy circulation in the long run. Not just check for the indoor air leaks present along the gaps of the base board, junctures of the ceiling or walls, & the border of the flooring as well. Check out & see if there’s sufficient air that flows in the switchplates, electrical outlets, baseboards, window frames, attic hatches, weather-stripping around doors, window-mounted air conditioners, and hearth dampers. In the outside piece of the home, the external corners like the chimneys & the exterior brick and siding must be checked as to whichever or not they meet. 1 caution though, when sealing the house, you should be somewhat aware of the most possible air combustion and pollution that may occur. This will be very risky for the health of the household if taken for granted.

Look inside the insulation. There are surely minimum requirements for the insulation that exists in the house. The attic, ceilings, and walls of the house has to meet the longed for amount of the insulation levels. Checking the insulation levels of the attic, walls, and ceilings may be hard, as you’ve to deal with several electric circuits therein.

Check out the cooling or heating equipment. The heating and cooling equipment must be checked out annually or as directed by the manufacturer. The routine checkup contingents on the age of the equipment of course.

Contrariwise, if you prefer getting a house energy auditor, make a list of the existing problems in your house in advance. The auditor will take charge of the bellows door tests and the thermographic inspection which are all vital when it comes to house energy audit.