Wat si the best ways of trying to save electricity in your home?
ive been trying hard to try and save the environment and my pocket with the global warming and the credit crunch. but what is the best way of doing this? hmm...
If you have a clothes dryer, try hanging your clothes out to dry. My electric bill drops dramatically in the summer when I hang my clothes out.
Power4Home Review - Generate Your Own Power For Your Home
Should I turn off the TV to save electricity, if I know I'll watch again later?
Frequently in the evening I'll watch for a while and then stop watching for a while, and then watch again later. Is it better to turn the TV off to save electricity, or is turning the TV off and then on again bad for it? Is there a specific time limit I should observe, like 15 minutes, or an hour? I have a 42" LCD screen. Thanks!
Turning a TV ON is when parts fail.....you ever notice when TVs die is when you power it up and you say "Damn! Why isn't it coming on?! It worked last night! Grrrrrrrr......"
Well turning "on" is when power "applied" stresses the components....
And since you may only be saving PENNIES by turning it off....Do you think that a $300 repair bill justifies the "Penny-savings"?
And they'll still shovel coal into that steam generator (figuratively speaking).
Air Conditioner or Heat Pump in Western PA, which one should we buy?
We are looking to install either an air conditioner or heat pump to an existing 80% efficient two-stage furnace (Carrier Weather Maker). We've gotten quotes for both an AC and Heat Pump in 13 and 15 SEER ratings.
(cheapest being 13 SEER AC, most expensive 15 SEER Heat pump)
We don't know which one is the best option for us. Will the 2 additional SEER rating be that much more energy efficient? How much energy will using a Heat Pump save? There are so many variables involved with the cost of gas and electricity that it's hard to figure. Here's a link to Pittsburgh's average temperatures.
It all boils down to how long you plan to stay in your current house. Of course the 15 SEER heat pump unit is going to be better in the long run, but would you ever recover the extra cost? Well, national average is right around 2-3 years for a break even point over a 13 SEER A/C only unit. I'd personally go with the biggest, baddest unit I could. It will add to your home's value and lower your utility costs. Get good installers to put it in! That's probably the best advice I can give you.
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In order to give you an exact break even point, I'd need to know the heat transfer coefficient of your house, its exposed area, how the house is oriented, the average cost of electricity per kWh in your area, the cost of natural gas per cubic foot in your area, the size of your system, and your square footage. The beast is gonna be figuring out the actual average heat transfer coefficient over the entire surface area of the house.
Save money on your bills (UK only) Help Dreamflight charity.
The fridge is an appliance with one of the biggest consumption of electricity in a typical household. So it pays to explore simple ways in which we can make savings on energy consumption of the fridge.
Here are some of the top tips for saving electricity on your fridge:
1. Let food cool down a little first before putting it into the fridge, as the fridge uses up more electricity in order to bring the temperature of warm or hot foods down.
2. Defrost your fridge and freezer regularly. Frost makes the freezer run more inefficiently and consume more energy than necessary.
3. Place the fridge away from appliances such as an oven or a dishwasher. It should also stand away from direct sunlight.
4. Leave a couple of inches of space around the fridge so that air can circulate around the condenser coils. This helps the heat generated from the fridge to dissipate quicker.
5. Place the fridge along an outside wall, if possible, for the heat generated to be removed more easily.
6. Defrost frozen food in the fridge as this helps cool the fridge as the food thaws.
7. Keep the number of door openings to a minimum, and when the door is open, don't open it for too long. If a lot of cold air escapes, the fridge has to work harder to chill the air back down.
8. For the same reasons as the tip above, check that the seal between the door and the fridge is airtight and not leaking cold air when the door is shut.
9. Avoid putting the fridge in an environment subject to extreme summer and winter temperatures such as an uninsulated garage. For example, a fridge working in a 90F environment can consume 45 to 50% more energy than one working in a 70F environment.
10. Measure your fridge electricity consumption with an electricity monitor. If you have an old fridge, use the monitor to help you decide if you should upgrade to a newer, more energy efficient model.
Regarding the last point, a leading manufacturer has come up with an electricity monitor that not only measures the electricity consumption but also works out the projected annual cost of running an electric appliance such as a fridge. You input the electric rate found on the utility bill and it does the calculation for you. For more accurate results, let the electricity monitor run for a week or so.
Once you have a number for the projected annual costs of your old fridge, you can then shop around for a new fridge. These days a new fridge comes with an energy guide label that tells you the estimated amount of electricity it uses per year and the estimated yearly operating costs. When you compare the operating costs between the old and the new fridges, you will find it easier to decide whether it makes sense to upgrade.
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