Home Energy Audit – You can’t save energy until you know where you are using it

Trying to save energy (re: money) without knowing where you are using it is like assembling something without reading the instructions. Sometimes it works but most times it doesn’t.

 

http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/id/1541/viewFull/

 

Getting to the Bottom of Home Energy Use

BY TODD HOENER

 

In 1949, according to DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), residential electricity consumption was 5% of total residential energy consumption. By 2009, it was 40%. This rise is attributable to many factors—appliance and equipment saturation, innovations in electronic technology, larger houses, and greater disposable income, among others. According to DOE, end-use electricity consumption will continue to grow as a percentage of total household energy consumption. As electricity consumption grows, so does base-load household electricity consumption—that year-round electrical load upon which seasonal electrical loads, like air-conditioning and space heating, are stacked. Water heating, refrigerators and freezers, lighting, laundry and kitchen appliances, electronics and entertainment devices, pumps, and miscellaneous plugged-in loads are common base-load end uses. All additional electricity use—from occasionally used devices, tools, or equipment; visitors; short-term construction jobs; and so on—is consumed on top of base-load use. And the fervent appetite for new and as-yet-unimagined appliances and electronic devices is expected to climb. Growth is why base-load end use is an important topic.
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Subscribe to the magazine and read the rest.
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More next week.

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ArcticPro Air Conditioners Are A Fraud – 380 $$$ for one you can buy for 100

Normally I reserve this space for the freezer pack and fan “coolers” that make the paper every year. This year they actually put an air conditioner in them. Do not get excited however because they are still a ripoff. One, anyone could modify a regular small super efficient air conditioner to do this. Two, they require a exhaust port at every window you would use and it does not look like you can move the ports from window to window. Three, they are really really inefficient air conditioners but they hide that by reducing the price to operate to the smallest unit of measure possible. Finally they take out an ad that costs $1,500 dollars per day (like the coin sellers, the gold buyers, and the fake antiques roadshow people), where if they where legit they would just send out a press release. But with respect and the highest praise to this lady blogger, while using nicer language, she tears them a new you know what. Way to go lady!

http://daughternumberthree.blogspot.com/2011/06/articpro-air-conditioners-not-free-and.html

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Just a taste here. Go bookmark her page.

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Thursday, June 16, 2011

ArticPro Air Conditioners — Not Free, and Not the Best Choice

The UMS designers have outdone themselves in making the ad appear to be a free giveaway. The use of a black reversed box at top left with MINNESOTA DISTRIBUTION NOTICE and the year just above it, I would say, is designed to mimic the look of government notices, such as IRS publications. There’s the usual UMS limited availability offer (only 1,573 units!), now embellished with a county-by-county listing that makes the ad look even more official.

Nowhere in the top half of the ad is a price given or the fact that you have to buy the machines even mentioned — for instance, there’s no price called out in larger type with a dollar sign anywhere in the ad, including the call to action box at lower right.

It’s been several months since I saw an ad in the local papers from the Universal Media Syndicate, but their newest product appears to follow the pattern of their many earlier offers.

Today’s Star Tribune contained this full-page ad for an ArcticPro™ portable air conditioner:

Full page ad for ArcticPro air conditioner by Universal Media Syndicate

The UMS designers have outdone themselves in making the ad appear to be a free giveaway. The use of a black reversed box at top left with MINNESOTA DISTRIBUTION NOTICE and the year just above it, I would say, is designed to mimic the look of government notices, such as IRS publications. There’s the usual UMS limited availability offer (only 1,573 units!), now embellished with a county-by-county listing that makes the ad look even more official.

Nowhere in the top half of the ad is a price given or the fact that you have to buy the machines even mentioned — for instance, there’s no price called out in larger type with a dollar sign anywhere in the ad, including the call to action box at lower right.

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Go there and read. More next week.

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DYI Green Energy For Homes – Another link request

This guys don’t realize it but I have posted about them before. They know what they are talking about.

 

http://diygreenenergyforhomes.com/

DIY Green Energy | Home Made Energy

diy green energy for homesAre you sick and tired of having to pay huge energy bills? If you answer yes to this question, then DIY green energy is a sensible option for you. You can begin utilizing free, eco-friendly power and reduce your household power bill by more than 80% while doing your part in saving the Earth.

The most significant benefits of DIY green energy is the ability to make big savings in the long run. Bear in mind though that there are significant start up costs associated with the setting up of solar, magnetic or wind power, and it’ll require a bit of time before you start to enjoy the rewards.

Setting up green energy power is really an enjoyable task that can be done by yourself – there is no better satisfaction than the experience associated with getting this done yourself. The very first time I assembled a residential wind turbine involved a couple of weeks, however the thrill of seeing it working in motion is priceless.

There are numerous methods to construct your own homemade green energy generators online which depicts the procedure and show you which components are needed. Don’t ever doubt yourself and don’t forget that anyone can create a workable and effective machine by yourself.

If you wish to reduce your month-to-month electricity bill, become self sufficient or increase the value of your property, this is all merely an arm’s reach away using homemade energy. It is possible to construct DIY solar panels or wind power generator by using simple, straightforward, “any kid could understand it” instructions. We’ve placed together some terrific information on DIY solar panels and homemade wind turbines that will make a massive difference in saving energy if you put them into application.

Regardless of whether you’ve questions on home made green energy or don’t have the slightess idea what is green energy, we have answers for you here. Before you know it, your free electricity dreams will turn out to be a reality.

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More tomorrow.

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My Air Conditioner Failed – So this week it is personal

Our 26 year old York air conditioner failed on Saturday. We had it recharged 2 months ago but it did not hold. It was worth a try because it had never been tapped before. Now we have to get a new one. I spent an hour today taking 2 east facing windows out of service to help cut down on the heat load. They don’t really talk about that here.

So here are the standard tips on cooling your house without AC. I will be doing this for the rest of the week.

http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/422/10-ways-to-keep-cool-at-home-without-a-c.html

10 ways to keep cool at home without A/C

By Chaya, selected from Hometalk

Posted Tue Jun 21, 2011 12:18pm PDT

Save energy this summer. It’s easy to keep your house cool without air conditioning. Employing a few basic environmentally friendly principals will help keep you cool and will help you save money.

1. Hot Air Out, Cool Air In

The most basic thing you can do to keep your house cooler without air conditioning is to keep as much sunlight out as possible and let cooler air in at night. During the day, keep windows, drapes, blinds or shades closed, especially on the southern and western sides of your home. If you have a porch, you can put up large plastic or bamboo shades to cut down on sunlight.

2. Windows

Use white or light colored window dressings to reflect light. You can also apply reflective slicks to windows to further cut down on light. At night, leave cabinets open as well, as they will store heat.

3. Be a Fan of the Fan

Moving air is cooler air. At night, place fans in windows to bring more cool air in. Ceiling fans can also make a big difference. In terms of cooling, even a one-mile-per-hour breeze will make you feel three to four degrees cooler. In terms of energy savings, if you run a ceiling fan full-blast for 12 hours, you will only spend about $10 a month in electricity. Ceiling fans have two settings, one to pull air up (for winter use), and the other to push air down. Make sure your ceiling fan is blowing down.

4. Turn Your Fan Into an Air Conditioner

Another easy way to cool your home without air conditioning is to place a bowl of ice or a frozen milk jug in front of one or more fans.

5. What’s Hot in Your Home?

It’s one thing to keep hot air and sunlight out; it’s another to identify the appliances in your home that generate heat. If you aren’t at home during the day, it is easier to simply shut off as many electric appliances as possible. If you spend more of your day at home, try to use heat-generating appliances only during the coolest part of the day.

Keeping your electronics on a power strip provides a quick way to “power-down” before leaving for the day.

7. Light Bulbs

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Please. If you are still using incandescent lightbulbs you are insane. That means at least 80 member of the House Of Representatives. But then you knew that. Please go to the site and read the rest. Has some interesting links as well.

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More tomorrow.

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