AFFORDABLE SOLAR Energy Efficient Appliances and Solar Products at Wholesale Prices ALTERNATIVE ENERGY STORE Discount Retailer of High Energy Efficiency Appliances for the Home
BEST HOME LED LIGHTING Super Efficient, Mercury-Free Led Light Bulbs, Flood Lights, and Spotlights for Standard Fixtures
BRIGHT GREEN IDEAS Kill-a-Watt EZ, CFL Light Bulbs, Bits Smart
Strips, Rechargeable Batteries, Clothes Lines, Led Christmas Lights
CLEANAIDE Conserve Water by Using Microfiber Cloths for All Your Cleaning Needs in the Home
CYBER-RAIN Weather-Based Sprinkler Controller that Automatically Adjusts Lawn Watering Levels, Saves Water and Reduces Water Bill
DAVIS CAVES EARTH SHELTER HOMES Energy Efficient Homes & Offices
ELEMENTALLED.COM. Make Your Home Energy Efficient Using Professional LED Lighting Solutions from Elemental LED LLC
EPA HOME ENERGY SAVER The Average Household Can Trim Its Energy Bill By $500
ESOLARZONE.COM Top Quality Solar Tube Skylights, Solar Attic Fans, Solar Systems, Affordable Pricing
FULL SPECTRUM SOLUTIONS Energy Efficient Full Spectrum Lighting. Save Money While Bringing the Optical Brilliance of Natural Sunlight Indoors. GOOD SHEPHERD WOOL INSULATION Sheep Wool Insulation Batts for Frame and Timberframe Homes, or in Rope for Log Homes
HOLIDAY LED LIGHTS Energy Star LED Lights for Indoors and Outdoors. Christmas, Wedding, Halloween and Special Occasions.
LEDTRONICS LEDtronics Designs and Manufactures LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) Energy Saving, Long Life Bulbs and Lamps PLANET EARTH HOME Complete Home Energy Independence in a Completely Self-Sustaining Home System Design-With Plans POSITIVE ENERGY CONSERVATION PRODUCTS Hard to Find EnergySaving Products Economically Priced PROMOLIFE Tankless Water Heaters, Heaters, Air Conditioners, Refrigerators, Freezers, Appliances, Lighting, Efficiency Monitors
SOLAR SOLUTIONS LTD. Solar Electric, Wind, Water Pumping,Communications and Recreational Vehicles
SOLAR SPHERE Solar Sphere has Solar Panels, Power Kits, Complete Power Systems, Installer Network, and Training Courses
SUNDANCE SUPPLY Owner Built Polycarbonate Greenhouses, Solariums, Pool Enclosures
YCA SOLAR LIGHT STORE Nation Wide Supplier of Solar Lighting Products & Accessories to Homeowners, Businesses and Governments
Energy Saving Tips
Green TV: LCD v Plasma
If you're thinking about an upgrade On the TV you've had for a decade Don't forget when debating which screen To remember that LCD, not plasma, is green.Energy-Saving Solutions for Your Home
Energy costs are reaching record highs, and heating and electricity bills are keeping pace. Luckily, there are steps you can take in your home to lower your heating and electricity bills.Stop funneling money to coal-fired power plants
Tip # 1 - Purchase clean, renewable electricity!
Visit green-e.org to find out if you can switch from purchasing electricity from CO2-spewing coal-fired power plants to clean, renewable energy sources.Smarter Lighting: A Bright Idea
One of the easiest and cheapest places to start saving energy is with lighting.Tip #2 -- Replace your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use only a third as much electricity as a standard incandescent bulb. Because a compact fluorescent will usually last ten times as long as a regular bulb, which means it is will easily pay for itself. If every household in the U.S. replaced one light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), it would prevent enough pollution to equal the removal of one million cars from the road.Tip #3 -- Replace outdoor lighting with a motion-detector equipped bulb or fixture.
Outdoor lights that are left on all night can add unnecessary waste energy and disturb wildlife. You can safely and efficiently light the outside of your home by installing light fixtures that are activated by motion sensor or a timer. These devices will keep areas well lit when you need them to be while reducing your energy billHot Water shouldn't be a drain on your wallet.
Over 10% of your energy bill goes to heating water for your dishwasher, shower, and faucets. You can cut this energy use, and your energy bill, by implementing these easy steps.Tip #4 -- Lower your hot water heater to 120 degrees and drain any sediment.
Though you need to keep your water heater above 120 degrees to prevent bacteria from building up, many hot water heaters are set too high. Draining some water a few times a year reduces sediment and increases efficiency.Tip #5 -- Add insulation to your hot-water heater.
The standard hot water heater is on all the time, adding extra insulation will save more energy than you think. Most hardware stores sell pre-made insulator "jackets" that can be easily wrapped around one's water heater. Adding insulation to your water heater and any exposed pipes can knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water.Tip #6 -- Install a low-flow shower head.
Low-flow shower heads are also a worthwhile investment (especially for renters, because you can take them with you) that will reduce the amount of hot water you use and hence the energy needed to heat it.Heat your home - Not the planet.
Heating and cooling your home is the single largest expense on your energy bills. But taking steps to weatherize your home, you can make keeping your home a comfortable temperature easier and cheaper.Tip #7 -- Check for and seal any cracks or gaps.
Heating one's home is the single largest use of energy for the average customer. Tiny gaps and cracks in an older home are roughly equivalent to a one-foot square hole punched in your wall, which means that sealing gaps with caulking and weather stripping makes a big difference in keeping the heat inside your home and saves you money.Tip #8 -- Tighten Windows and Loosen Your Budget
If all windows were as efficient as the best products now widely available in the marketplace, the average household would save $150 a year, and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by about 4,300 pounds per year. A cheaper and easier method than replacing windows is to insulate your windows during the colder months with transparent film that keeps the heat in and the cold out.Tip #9 -- Heating Ducts: Keep the air flowing
If just one in ten households used current technology to upgrade their inefficient heating systems, we could keep 17 billion pounds of pollution out of the air. You can also save money and cut pollution by having your heating vents and ducts cleaned regularly, and having your furnace serviced.Tip # 10 - Sweaters are in this season, so lower your thermostat!
Besides insulation, you can make a big difference in your heating bill by keeping your home at a slightly lower temperature. Lowering your thermostat one degree can cut as much as 10% of your heating bill.Appliances and Electronics
Tip # 11 -- Replace old appliances with more efficient models.
Though buying a new appliance isn't cheap, replacing an old appliance, like a refrigerator, washing machine, or furnace -- with a new, energy-efficient model can significantly cut your energy bill. Look for the Energy Star label as a minimum; some models can be even more efficient. And though buying a new appliance is a major investment, many states and utility companies offer substantial credits or other incentives to replace an outdated appliance with a more efficient one.Tip # 12 Defrost your Freezer
The frost and ice that builds up in your freezer over time does more than make it hard to get to your ice cream - it also causes your freezer to work harder to keep the freezer at a cold temperature. By routinely defrosting your freezer, you can keep your ice cream cold and the planet cool.Tip # 13 - Dirty Clothes, Clean Planet
Modern washing machines and detergents can clean clothes effectively in cold water - which means you don't have to waste energy by using hot water. Another way you can save energy in your washer-dryer and your dishwasher is to always wash full loads.
Here are some energy-saving tips from Earth Share:
Insulate windows, doors, attics, and crawlspaces against draft. Earth Share says that if all windows in the United States were energy-efficient, we would save up to 2.5 percent of the total amount of energy we consume each year. If you're thinking of replacing a window, look into installing energy-efficient windows -- you'll save money in the long run.
When replacing appliances, check for an energy efficiency label. Many new appliances come with an Energy Efficiency Rating (EER). The higher the EER, the less it will cost you to operate the appliance.
Adjust air conditioning and heating thermostats to use less energy when you're not at home or sleeping. When you're at home during the summer, 78 degrees F is a comfortable, energy-efficient temperature. Keep your cooling system well maintained by a professional.
Wrap your water heater in an insulated jacket. You can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 4,000 pounds a year.
Turn off unneeded lights and appliances. Lighting accounts for 30 to 50 percent of a building's energy use, according to Earth Share. Simply by turning off unnecessary lights, you can reduce the amount of energy used for lighting by up to 45 percent.
Use cold water to wash clothes -- not hot water.
Install a whole-house ventilating system. This system can cool an entire house for about the same price as running an air conditioner in one room.
Conserving energy reduces CO2 emissions, helps reduce our reliance on foreign oil — and saves you money.
Top 10 Energy Efficiency Tips
Turn off computers and other office equipment when they're not being used, especially overnight and weekends. Cost: Nothing! Savings potential: As much as $44 per year, per computer, depending on what you pay per kilowatt-hour.
Install an occupancy sensor in hallways, bathrooms and other areas where lights can be left off most of the time. Cost: Between $25 and $80. Savings potential: About $40 per year depending on where the sensor is installed.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater. Cost: Nothing! Savings potential: About $24 per year, if the setting is reduced by 10 degrees F, and operates at the lowest allowable temperature for normal use.
Turn off your water heater overnight and on weekends. Cost: Nothing, or $30 if you buy an automatic timer to do it for you. Savings potential: As much as $54 per year depending on how much hot water you use.
Set back your thermostats at night and on weekends. Cost: Nothing! Savings potential: About $1,800 per year for a 33,000-sq. ft. office building with a thermostat set at 75 degrees F, 24 hours per day during the heating months.
Close drapes or blinds in warmer months to keep the sunshine from overheating your house. Just do the opposite in the colder months to give your thermostat a break. Cost: Nothing! Savings potential: About $5 per window depending on location and time of year.
Clean all air filters monthly. Cost: Nothing to clean, and about $2 if you need to replace one. Savings potential: As much as $60 per filter, depending on the size of your HVAC system.
Check for drafts coming from doors and windows, then caulk and weather-strip them as necessary. Cost: $5 or less. Savings potential: About $2 per fixed draft.
Adjust your thermostats for colder weather. Simply set them at the lowest temperature allowable that keeps employees and customers comfortable. A setting of 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit (F) is the standard industry recommendation. Cost: Nothing! Savings potential: About $1,000 per year for a small office building open Mon.-Fri., 7am to 7pm.
Install LED exit signs. They're 100% longer lasting than conventional exit signs and the most energy efficient of their kind! Cost: About $70 to retrofit. Savings potential: About $24 per year, per sign, not to mention the maintenance savings.
Reprinted from Energy.com, Inc., a beMANY Co.
10 Easy Ways to Save on Energy at Home
It's easy to save on energy, and thus save money, at home. From using ceiling fans to adding power strips to finding creative new uses for bubble wrap, there are a variety of easy and proven ways to lower energy bills, and several can be done over a weekend or in even less time. These 10 ideas will set you on the road to home energy savings.
1. Minimize Phantom Loads
The term “phantom load” refers to the energy that an appliance or electronic device consumes when it is not actually turned on. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), “In the average home, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.” A report from the University of California Berkeley says that phantom loads account for about 6 percent of all national residential electricity consumption. You can eliminate phantom loads by unplugging appliances and electronics when you are not using them, or by plugging them into a power strip, and turning the strip off when they are not in use. For more information, see Save Energy, Eliminate Phantom Loads.
2. Use More Energy-efficient Appliances
If you are shopping for new appliances, make sure to look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label before making a purchase. Energy Star appliances use between 10 and 50 percent less energy and water than their conventional counterparts. They may cost more than appliances without the Energy Star designation, but in most cases they will more than make up that additional cost through energy savings.
3. Change Your Light Bulbs
One of the least expensive and most effective changes you can make in your home is replacing your light bulbs. According to Energy Star, one of its qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL), which cost just a few dollars, “will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months. It uses 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.” Although some people are concerned because CFLs contain mercury, Energy Star says that CFLs do not release any mercury when in use, and actually reduce mercury emissions because they lessen the need for electricity from power plants that emit mercury. Learn more at Energy Star’s CFLs and Mercury page. For more energy-efficient lighting, see Bright Ideas for Home Lighting or the Energy Star CFL page.
4. Install a Programmable Thermostat
Programmable thermostats work by automatically adjusting your home’s temperature to your schedule, keeping it comfortable only when you need it to be. If you don’t already adjust your thermostat throughout the day, a programmable thermostat could save you as much as 15 percent on heating and cooling costs. For more information on programmable thermostats, including a step-by-step guide to installing one, check out How to Install a Programmable Thermostat.
5. Use Fans for Cooling
In the summer, use stationary, ceiling and whole-house fans to cool your home, reducing the need for air conditioning. Simple Ways to Cool Your Home and Save Big explains that for every degree you raise your thermostat, you reduce your cooling costs between 7 and 10 percent.
6. Seal Air Leaks
In addition to thinking about whether your home has enough insulation, you should also look for any small cracks and gaps where air is leaking into and out of your home. Energy Star says that between improving insulation and sealing leaks, homeowners could potentially save 10 percent on their annual energy bill. The article Leak-proof Your House and Save suggests that the first step in sealing a house is to tackle windows and doors. If searching for leaks sounds like a daunting task, you can hire an energy auditor to assess your house and find problem areas. Read more in Energy Audits: What Homeowners Need to Know.
7. Make Windows More Efficient
Even if you seal windows well, window glass is a thin barrier against outside temperatures. If you can afford it, install new storm windows in your home. How to Make Your Home Energy Efficient explains that storm windows reduce temperature loss by sealing leaks and creating a dead airspace between window panes. Though installation is expensive ($8,000 to $10,000 or more, depending on a variety of factors), storm windows have a relatively short return on investment (about 10 years).
If you can’t install new storm windows, there are other simple and inexpensive ways to improve the energy efficiency of your windows. You can cover windows with transparent material to improve insulation. Energy guru Gary Reysa recommends using bubble wrap for this, and estimates that it can reduce heat loss from a window by half. Check out Save Energy with Winter Window Treatments for other ways to make your windows more efficient, including using insulated shades and window quilts.
9. Conserve Water
Using less water will lower your water bill. And when you use less hot water, you’ll also see savings in your gas bill, or your electric bill if you have an electric water heater. According to DOE, water heating is the third most energy consuming function in the home. To cut down on water use, take faster showers and be conscious of the water you use when washing dishes and clothes and preparing food. You can also save energy by lowering your hot water temperature. According to DOE, a water thermostat setting of 120 degrees is sufficient for most uses. If you want more water-efficient fixtures and appliances, refer to the EPA’s WaterSense program when buying a new faucet or showerhead. See Save Money on Water for more on the WaterSense program, or the DOE site on Water Heating.
10. Plant Trees and Shrubs
Planting shade trees around your home can lower your summer energy bill by reducing your home’s exposure to the sun. The Sacramento Municipal Utility District, which operates a program that gives free trees to its customers, says that properly placed tress can cut your summer electric bill by up to 40 percent. Energy savings from a tree varies greatly depending on its size and location in relation to your house. Planting shrubs and bushes around your home can improve insulation in the summer and winter. DOE says that if they are planted 1 foot away from your home, they create a dead airspace that shields against cold or hot outdoor temperatures. Learn more about using trees for shade from Money Does Grow on Trees.
From: Mother Earth News
THE HOME ENERGY SAVER Find the Best ways to Save Energy in Your Home
|
|---|
| * * * IN-HOUSE RESOURCES * * * |
|---|
