Save Energy, Save Money, Live Better!
I was recently called to consult on an energy problem in a home with a portable, oil-filled space heater in the master bedroom. The owner was complaining that the room was still cold even after running the unit all night. Plus, he was concerned the unit was costing too much money to run every night for 12 hours. So…how much energy does the unit use? Let’s find out.
Summer is winding down, and the seasons aren’t the only thing in transition. Your energy bills are about to change too. For those of us with cold winters, the nights will get chilly and soon the leaves will be falling. For those in warmer climates, well, you’ll be experiencing a more pleasant transformation, where you’ll […]
So the last experiment was disappointing, because it appeared that plastic did very little to prevent heat loss for your leaky hallway window. Things aren’t looking so good for the thin plastic as insulation. Luckily, we have another scenario. Plastic over part of a window has come “undone” giving us the perfect side by side […]
This question is important to many homeowners and renters because we believe that placing plastic over our windows will halep us save energy on cold winter days and nights. Some plastic makers claim that plastic adds at least 1R value to the window. I doubt this to be true. But using the information presented in […]
This is a loaded question and unfortunately is one I can’t answer without a lot more information. I can break it down for you as best I can generically and let you plug in the numbers yourself. First, understand that all furnaces are not created equal. Some are energy star certified, some aren’t. Some are […]
Its no surprise to people who watch home energy closely that energy prices are likely to rise soon. As quoted from Reuters: “(Obama) believes that the price of oil and the price of energy is not likely to stay at the level it is now…” (Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idUKWAT01085420090126) Of course, this is interesting on several levels. […]
Q: I was walking around my neighborhood today and saw that my roof barely had any snow on it, but my neighbor’s houses did. I think we have the same roofs. Is this a problem? Probably. If you don’t have snow on your roof, this points to an energy leak through your attic to the […]
Finding and setting the optimal temperature may be a science in itself. You have to take into account the heat you use with your comfort level based on your activity. For example is it necessary to have the heat turned way up at night while you’re asleep in your bed? Do you need the heat […]
Basically, make sure the thermostat location isn’t too hot, or too drafty. The thermostat measures the temperature and locating it in either location can throw off the reading. The effects can be disastrous for your utility bill. The area might be warm, so the thermostat will be tricked into thinking the heat has done its […]
This is kind of a double edge sword. You can save on heating costs if you spend a lot of time, say, in the living room and you already took steps to plug energy holes you found. Like I said previously, its impossible to get every hole or energy shortcoming. The thing to be wary […]