Energy Savings|General

When you think about your windows, you probably appreciate the light they bring in and the glimpses of the outdoors they give you. Most likely, you don’t picture them with energy dollars flying out. However, if your windows aren’t properly maintained, that’s exactly what could be happening.

If you think about it, a window is basically a hole in the wall with glass in it. Holes let air in and out, and glass does nothing to stop heat from moving where it isn’t wanted. That doesn’t mean windows are bad to have in your home. It just means that you have to be smart about maintaining them.

For example, if you live in an old home that has never had the windows replaced, there is a chance that new, energy-efficient windows might return some or all of their cost to you in energy savings. Even if you are not interested in replacing your windows, you have several options for making your current windows more energy efficient.

• Install storm windows. When properly installed, storm windows are good for stopping air transfer from outside to inside.You have many options when it comes to storm windows, making it likely that you can find something that fits what you need.
• Hang curtains or other window treatments. Although curtains and blinds aren’t very useful for stopping air flow, they are good at blocking heat from transferring in during the summer or out during the winter.
• Caulk air leaks. Perhaps one of the least expensive but most effective solutions, caulking your window frames to stop air leaks can do wonders for your energy bill. Since caulk can shrink or crumble, make sure to check it periodically and reapply as needed.
• Add weatherstripping. If you have any openable windows, even if you don’t typically open them, apply weatherstripping to create a seal when they’re closed.
• Shade your windows. Awning provides shade that will keep down heat transfer in the summer. Bushes or trees can have a similar benefit.

With the high energy costs that we pay here in Southern California, many homeowners are searching for ways to decrease their energy usage. There are many ways to lower your energy bills, and, if you are willing to make some small changes, it’s even possible to achieve the goal of living in a zero energy home. This may seem like a fantasy to some, but it is definitely an option, and here are some tips to get you started:

• Turn everything off when you leave the room. Many of us are guilty of wandering out of rooms, or even leaving the house, with lights, computers, and televisions still on. Turning off items that you aren’t actively using is a big step toward lowering your energy usage. It may seem like an annoyance at first, but once you get into the habit, it’s easy, and you’ll enjoy the decrease in your electric bills.
• Replace old appliances. Older appliances, electronics, and HVAC systems tend to be wasteful, and many have become even less efficient over time. Upgrade your heating and cooling system and appliances to Energy Star models and watch your energy usage drop very quickly.
• Eliminate air leaks. Even if you have an ultra-efficient heating and cooling system, air leaks and gaps in insulation can mean a lot of wasted energy. Make sure the whole house is well-insulated, and seal any leaks near floorboards, doors, and windows with caulk or spray-foam.
• Invest in producing your own energy. Unless you’re living in very primitive conditions, you’ll need to make an investment in some renewable energy sources to reach the status of a zero energy home. Fortunately, small-scale home solar power systems have become simpler and more affordable in recent years, so installing a system at your home may be a great option, especially in our sunny climate. Some local utility companies also offer options for those who want to purchase energy from renewable sources.

If you have a home with infrequently used rooms, it may seem that closing the air vents in those rooms would be a simple and effective way to keep your heating system from wasting energy to keep them warm. However, there are a number of factors that can make closing a room to save energy counter-productive.

The idea behind closing the air vents is that the air destined for that room will eventually make it to the rooms you actually want kept warm. Unfortunately, this usually isn’t the case. Closing the air vents significantly increases the air pressure in that branch of the ductwork, and the increased air pressure will force open leaks in weak connections or make existing leaks larger.

Closing a room to save energy can also cause issues with air infiltration in the room itself. The return vents will still be taking up air to return, but there won’t be any air being supplied to the room since the supply registers are closed. This can lead to a decrease in pressure in the room and make it more likely that cold exterior air will rush in through leaks around windows or doors.

The problems caused by closing air registers also can hurt your heating system performance and operation. Your furnace is likely designed to heat a certain cubic footage, and when that area is reduced by rooms being closed off, the furnace effectively becomes oversized. This creates a host of new problems, including wasted energy, uneven heating and stressed system components.

Instead of closing off a room completely, you’ll want to leave the registers open a bit to ensure these problems don’t occur. If you’d like more control over how much heat gets sent to which room, you may want to talk to an HVAC professional about how a zoning system can give you an efficient and convenient way to provide different amounts of heating to different areas.

Energy costs are increasing dramatically. The average family can expect to see a 29 percent increase in utility bills this winter.  Did you know that the energy being generated for use in the home also increases air pollution?

The last thing you want when you return from a fun-filled vacation is a high energy bill. You haven’t even been home, so why are the bills high? The trick to preventing this situation is to implement the following tips designed to turn your summer fun into an opportunity for energy savings.

• Leave the air conditioner off. With no one at home to keep comfortable, feel free to let it get warmer than you normally would. If you have sensitive possessions that could be damaged in high heat, set the temperature to 85 or 90 degrees to prevent sweltering temperatures in your San Diego home. Set your programmable thermostat to resume a comfortable temperature the day you plan to return.
• Give your water heater a vacation. Either turn it off at the circuit breaker or set it to the lowest temperature possible while you’re away. Your unit might even have a vacation setting you can use. Be sure to turn the temperature back up the moment you arrive home so everyone can enjoy a hot shower again.
• Adjust the refrigerator. If your vacation is going to last just a few days, turn up the refrigerator temperature a couple of degrees for energy savings. The food will last because the door won’t be opening and closing while you’re gone. If your vacation is going to last for weeks, empty out and clean the refrigerator, leaving the door propped open so mildew doesn’t grow inside, or keep it on, lower the temperature and put bulkier items like flour and the like inside. This will reduce the amount of cooling needed.
• Keep it dark. Shut off all the lights in your home for noticeable energy savings during your vacation. For security purposes, you might consider using a timer to switch on a light in the front room at night.
• Unplug appliances. Devices such as the TV, surround sound, Internet router, computer, game console and microwave leach energy from the walls, even if they’re not turned on. Go around and unplug these appliances for energy savings while you’re gone.

If you’re looking for a way to curtail high energy costs, spend some time around your home discovering your energy vampires. They probably lurk in each room of your home, especially if you have a home office or use a lot of products with chargers. They’re called energy vampires because you end up using electricity that serves no function, but you have to pay for it.

All the chargers you use for electronic devices continue to draw power even though you don’t have anything plugged into them. Other products that sap your power include televisions, DVRs, clocks, microwaves and anything else that keeps a memory of your settings. While it may not be practical to unplug all these devices in your home, you can shrink high energy costs with a little planning and organization.

• Find all the chargers your family uses and put them in one place. When the device needs to be charged, plug the charger into a power strip. When you’re done charging, remove the charger and shut off the strip. It doesn’t seem like you’re saving much electricity, but it could add up to as much as $100 a year.
• If you want to leave some devices on constantly, choose smart power strips that have several outlets that supply power and shut the power down to others when the strip is off. Clocks, DVR players or programmable coffee makers are a convenience, and when you plug them into smart strips, they’ll do what you ask them but cut the power to other things you don’t need charging.
• Although it doesn’t take vampire power, your air conditioner may be the largest power consumer in your home. Keeping it maintained, along with dealing with the energy vampires, can curb high energy costs. The most important thing you can do is keep the filter for the air handler clean, along with gently hosing off the outdoor condenser with water.