energy efficiency

Lower Energy Consumption with These 5 Tips

October 22, 2012 by Tyler Golberg

In recent years, most people have considered the amount of energy they use more than ever. With rising prices for energy and the poor impact on the environment that using too much energy can cause, more and more people are looking for new ways to save big on the cost of energy each month.

If you would like to reduce the amount of energy you use this winter to help the environment and save money, try some of the following changes in your energy-consumption practices:

Try a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save on energy consumption each winter. You set the temperature that you want the thermostat to maintain based on specific days of the weeks or time of day. For example, you could set the thermostat to automatically lower by about 10 degrees while you are away from home at work each day. You can also lower the thermostat at night when you are in a warm bed. If you lower your thermostat for about 8 hours per day by 10 degrees, you can save about 20 percent on your total energy bills each month. This savings can quickly add up and you will be placing less stress on your furnace equipment as well.

Clean and Replace Air Filters

If your furnace has air filters, cleaning the filters can have a huge impact on the efficiency of your furnace. A blocked air filter can cause your furnace to work harder to maintain the same temperature reading in your house. Replacing the filters every three months will keep the air flow strong and prevent your furnace from consuming too much energy and overheating. If you use reusable filters, you can even save money by cleaning the filters instead of replacing them several times a year.

Maintain your Furnace

With extended use, a furnace will eventually wear out. Burners can get dirty, hoses can crack, air blowers can fail, and other problems can occur with the system. The best way to ensure your furnace always operates at top efficiency levels is to have a professional come and inspect the unit each year. The inspector can make any necessary adjustments or repairs to prevent the furnace from wasting energy throughout the winter.

Seal home leaks

Your house can lose a large amount of the heated air your furnace products through small holes and cracks. Many cracks and leaks occur near doorways and windows. Adding weatherstripping to doors and windows is a highly effective way to control the leaks in your home. Look for other small leaks as well, such as near electrical outlets, plumbing connections, and unused chimneys. You can also prevent hot air from escaping through cold windows by covering windows with curtains at night.

Inspect your Ductwork

Your ductwork is extremely important and carries the air from your furnace to the rooms of your home. If there are leaks in the ductwork, then you will lose much of your heated air to unused areas of your home. Have a professional inspector come and investigate your ductwork and make any necessary repairs. Blocks in the vents, improper insulation, and holes in the ductwork can all cause you to waste energy and money while warming your home throughout the winter. Fixing your ductwork can help rescue up to 60 percent of the energy used to warm your home.

Nearly everyone has to warm their home throughout the winter. Without a warm home, many people would suffer through the winter. Because the need for heat is universal, heating your home can be one of the largest home expenses you face each year. However, if you follow the steps outlined above, you can maximize your home comfort while still saving energy and money.

This guest post was written by Endre R., a green energy and sustainability advocate. He is also a freelance writer representing UFH1, a company that helps you learn more about underfloor heating manifolds, located in the UK.

Going Green: NYC's First Solar Powered Restaurant

September 13, 2012 by Tyler Golberg

Habana Outpost

Located in the Forte Green area of Brooklyn, the Habana Outpost has put green technology to use in every facet. It is a splendid blend of technology, art, and education. The evolution of the restaurant has been a collaboration of ideas from visitors, environmentalists, employees, and owner, Sean Meenan.

Even if you are not interested in green technology, it is still worth stopping by for the Mexican-Cuban style food. The pinnacle of the menu is the roasted corn topped with Mexican cheeses. A testament to the popularity of their corn can be seen on busy nights when they have a separate line for corn and beer orders only.

Technology

Unlike some businesses that try to hide their solar panels from view, the Habana Outpost prominently displays their set of solar panels on an outdoor awning. Today, solar power is everywhere, but at the time it is was far less common. Sean mentioned that this was “New York’s first solar powered restaurant.” And the solar display is what sparked the collaboration of the community. Onlookers would be curiously drawn in by the large set of black panels and end up chatting with the friendly owner. Over time, fueled by Sean’s passion, it evolved into the green beacon it is today.

Everywhere you look there is some form of energy efficiency, recycling, or waste reduction. The large set of solar panels powers the entire restaurant. Rain water is collected by gutters and used to flush the toilets. The plates and napkins are made from recycled materials. The cups are made from corn instead of petroleum. Waste stations are clearly marked for segregating recyclable materials.

The most unique implementation of alternative power is the bicycle blender. “As you pedal it turns the blades,” said Sean. “It is fun for everyone to watch, kids or adults. It encapsulates what we are trying to do on the environmental side.”

Art

The environmental message at Habana Outpost is beautifully delivered to any visitor through pictographs. The murals are enjoyable just to look at, but you can also look closer to see how solar works or how water is recycled to the toilets. There are little paintings all over (even in the bathroom stalls!).

The artwork throughout the place is another example of how Habana Outpost ties into the community. Many different artists have contributed to bring the whole restaurant together into a spectacular visual display. Not one spot has been overlooked. Even the barbed wire on the top of the courtyard fence has been painted green and decorated with plastic flowers.

Education

You won’t hear any preaching or feel any guilt trips about environmental causes here. If you just want to get some food or a beer, that’s great. But if you want to learn more about Habana Outpost’s green efforts, there are plenty of opportunities. Between the pictographs, easy to see green systems, and kid’s activities, there is something everyone.

“We have what we call a kid’s corner every weekend to do arts and crafts. It has an environmental to blend to it. Some examples are a composting workshop, a lady bug release or making a Father’s Day present out of recycled material. I love kids. The kid’s corner, baby breakfast, and back to school event are all kid-centric. I don’t want to sound cliche, but they really are our future.”

Whether you live in New York City or you are just visiting, stop by the Habana Outpost. The great food, laid-back feel, and bright visuals draw locals and celebrities a like. And who knows, you may learn a thing or two about green technology.

Toilet Leak Test

August 29, 2012 by Tyler Golberg

Toilet Energy Efficiency

Running toilets are a common problem in all homes. The sound is irritating but even more is the added costs from wasted energy. Even a slow leak can add up to large amounts of wasted water quickly. To make matters worse, a lot of leaks go undetected in homes because the water flow is very small.

The good news is toilet leaks are easy to detect. All you need is a trick up your sleeve and a little time. The repairs are also very cheap and easy to perform for DIY types. [Read more…] about Toilet Leak Test

Critical November Home Maintenance Items

November 5, 2011 by Derek Smith

With November upon us, in many parts of the United States, homeowners have a critical window of opportunity to get their homes prepared for the colder winter months ahead. And while working on your home can so easily take a back seat to enjoying a college football game on a Saturday afternoon, these few items can be achieved quickly, but can make a big impact how comfortable your home stays this winter.

1. Check and seal drafts. An easy test to find drafts in your home is to use a “smoke test”. Using a stick of incense, trace around the inside of your doors and windows to see if and where a draft blows the smoke into your home. As you locate cracks, gaps and other points of air infiltration, mark them with painter’s tape or a small pencil mark. Then you can focus on reinforcing the seals and weatherstripping around these problem areas.

2. Schedule an HVAC checkup. The switch over from warm weather to cool weather represents a pretty significant change in how your home’s heating and air conditioning systems function. Before you get deep in to winter and have a major issue, schedule a routine check of your systems to ensure they are ready to perform through the colder months. Many HVAC contractors will offer annual maintenance programs that include both summer and winter checkups for one annual fee. I can assure you that the annual fee for AC or furnace maintenance will be far less than the cost of a service call or worse, a replacement system.

3. Reschedule your programmable thermostat. You do have a programmable thermostat, right? With the switch to heating mode, it is important to review and reset your daily program to make sure that you are not over- or under-heating your home, especially during times when you are at work or otherwise out of the house.

4. Store away hoses and tuck in faucets. Outside water spigots are highly susceptible to freezing when not prepared. Many homes (particularly in Northern climates) are equipped with specific shut-off valves just for the exterior spigot. Also, adding pipe insulation and insulated covers will help prevent freezing.

A few hours spent in this fall on maintenance will help your home to stay warm and comfortable through the winter. As with all home maintenance items, your HomeSpot HQ account can help you keep track of your completed maintenance tasks, and remind you of what is upcoming.

Talking Home Energy Conservation with the Experts at Energeyes

February 4, 2011 by Derek Smith

As part of a new blog series for 2011, we’ll be speaking each month with a home improvement professional. This month, we met with Phillip Bradrick from Energeyes, a home energy conservation company located in Raleigh, NC.

HSHQ: What is Energeyes?

PB: Energeyes is a locally owned energy conservation & home performance company founded to help home owners reduce utility cost while at the same time improving the comfort, air quality, and the durability of their dwellings.

HSHQ: What are the main things you look for or test during a Home Energy Audit?

PB: The first thing we look at when assessing a home is the building envelope. Using high tech tools like a blower door and infrared camera we can pinpoint air leaks in the building envelope and thermal insulation voids. In most homes air leaks are the highest priority improvements and proper insulation improvements are typically the next.

HSHQ: What do you find is the most common culprit for a home being energy inefficient?

PB: Because homes tend to settle and are affected by the wear and tear of being lived in, air leaks are the most common issue we address. The challenge is often knowing where those air leaks are. One of the most common spots for air leakage are leaks in the duct system. This has a very high impact on heating and cooling costs because you are losing conditioned air before it ever reaches your home.

HSHQ: What happens if you find a point of inefficiency? What can a homeowner do?

PB: For home owners the most important place to start is making your home tighter. Once you have had your home tested for air leaks and know where they are you can begin to seal them. This process requires using products like duct mastic/sealant, caulk, expandable foam, and weather stripping. The process starts in the attic where the insulation needs to be pulled back and each plumbing penetration, wiring hole, and the top of each of the wall assemblies must be sealed with expandable foam as well as sealing any access doors. Once that is done you can move into the living area of the house and begin using caulk to seal around un-caulked trim work, sealing can lights, plugs and light switches, around plumbing pipes and many other small holes in your building envelope. The last job is to descend into the crawlspace and pull back the insulation, sealing any holes in the sub floor. Sealing your home can have huge benefits in energy savings and comfort but care should be taken that sealing your home is not having any negative effects. If you have any gas fueled appliances there is the potential of unintentionally trapping carbon monoxide in your home which can be deadly. We recommend that proper testing is done with a blower door system so that you can have the peace of mind that you are saving money without any danger.

HSHQ: What role does routine home maintenance play in the energy efficiency of a home?

PB: Here are three routine maintenance projects that are very important but often neglected by home owners.

Change your air filters monthly: This is a easy project to over look but a air filter that is clogged with dust will cause the blower on your HVAC system to work double time because it is having to suck harder to pull air through this filter.
Have your HVAC system serviced at least annually: Your HVAC system is mechanical and breaks down over time. Servicing it on a regular basis will help it to run at its maximum performance not only saving you energy but making it last longer.
Close your fireplace damper when it is not in use: This task is easy to forget, but leaving it open allows the chimney to do what it was created to do and that is draw air up and out of your home. An open flue can cost you hundreds of dollars per year by allowing air out 24/7

HQHS: How can customers reach you?

PB: We’re online at http://www.energeyesonline.com, and our local telephone number is 919-600-4973.

Energy Savings Calculator

July 14, 2009 by Derek Smith

Our friends at eLightBulbs.com have made available this great calculator for determining how much cash you might save by using more energy efficient lighting. It is a simple effective tool for determining cost effectiveness for the more expensive energy efficient light bulbs. Try it out and post your savings.