1. Dial Down

10 Energy Saving Tips for the Home

Dial Down

• Turn the thermostat down in the winter & up in summer.

• You save about 2% to 3% on your heating bill for every 1º that you lower the thermostat setting.

Example: If thermostat is set at 73ºF in the winter, & lowered by 3º to 70ºF, you save about 9% or 9 cents for every dollar you spend on heating costs.

Dial Down

A programmable

thermostat, costing about

$30 to $200, schedules

temperature adjustments.

– It can automatically cut back on heating at night, turn the heat up again before people arise, & adjust for weekends.

– If used properly, ENERGY STAR labeled thermostats can save up to $100 a year.

Photo: UN-L, S. Niemeyer

2. Select Energy Efficient Products

10 Energy Saving Tips for the Home

Select Energy Efficient Products

• Products have 2 price tags

• The ENERGY STAR label means the product meets or exceeds the increased energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. EPA & U.S. Department of Energy for that product line.

$690 $40/

mo.

Purchase

Price

Operating

Price

More than 40 categories of products are involved

Appliances: Battery Chargers Clothes Washers Dehumidifiers Dishwashers Refrigerators & Freezers Room AC Room Air cleaners Water Coolers

Electronics: Computers Copiers External Power Adapters Fax Machines Laptops Monitors Printers Scanners Mailing Machines Etc.

Heating & Cooling: Home Electronics Geothermal Heat Pumps Cordless Phones Insulation Power Adapters Programmable Thermostat Home Audio Room AC TV Ventilating Fans VCRs Air-source Heat Pumps DVD Products Boilers Battery Chargers Central AC & Furnaces Dehumidifier Ceiling Fans

Lighting Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs Light Fixtures

Home Sealing (Insulation & Air Sealing): Roof Products Windows, Doors & Skylights

Save Energy & Dollars

Example comparison of current Energy Star rated products . . .

• Energy Star qualified: – Refrigerator – save more than $35/yr. over older models

– Dishwasher – about $20/yr.

– Clothes Washer – about $60/yr.

– Room Air Conditioner: about $15/yr. if replace a 10 year old model

– 40 pint dehumidifiers can save $20/yr.

Estimated TOTAL SAVED/YR. *About $1,500 (*varies with model, efficiency, use & cost of energy)

Look for Energy Guide Labels

Photo: NREL

EnergyGuide label on appliances indicates:

1. scale for use in comparing energy usage of models &

2. approximate annual operating costs

for each model

Photo: DOE

3. Seal Air Duct Seams

10 Energy Saving Tips

Air Ducts Can Leak

• Typical heating & cooling air ducts leak about 15% to 20% of the heated or cooled air into unconditioned (unheated or non-cooled) spaces such as into crawlspaces, attics, walls, basements, & garages.

Mastic on duct

seams & joints

Photo: NREL

Seal Air Duct Seams

Photos: NREL

Seal with:

• Mastic - a paste found at

some wholesale & retail

heating & cooling

businesses, & can be

brushed on seams.

• Or approved foil-based

duct Tape (UL 181 label)

– not regular duct tape

Inspect Air Ducts

• Seal & insulate duct systems – Can improve a heating & cooling system’s

efficiency by as much as 20% & result in savings of up to $150 annually (U.S. Dept. of Energy).

• Ask a professional heating & cooling contractor trained to inspect & test for duct leakage, to evaluate ductwork & leakage.

• Insulate ducts in unheated attics

crawlspaces. Protect any water

pipes in area from freezing.

Photo. U.S. DOE

4. Select Energy Efficient Windows

10 Energy Saving Tips

• Replace single pane windows with double-pane windows with high performance glass or add high performance storm windows.

• Installing storm windows can reduce heat loss by as much as 50% over a single pane window.

• Tighten up existing windows

Creating Higher Performance Windows

• Windows in heating-dominated climates (cold climates) – account for up to 25 % of typical house’s heating load

• Windows in cooling-dominated climates – account for up to 50 % of cooling load.

When replacing & selecting windows • Look for EnergyStar label & EnergyGuide labels • Look on-line for Energy rating systems to compare

brands & styles. Go to: http://cpd.nfrc.org/pubsearch/psMain.asp

Look for High Performance

Look for High Performance

• High performance Look for National Fenestration Rating

Council NFRC label – Lower U-value means better insulated.

Select .35 or below if possible

– Select air leakage rating of about 0.3 cubic ft/min. or less

– Select low-e (low emissivity) and/or selective coatings for the climate

– Compare SHGC – Solar Heat Gain Coefficient for climate & orientation of home

Label example

Label program is

voluntary

Correct Installation

• Correct installation is essential for any window style.

• Poor installation may lead to poor performance including air leaks & water moving into inner wall cavity causing damaged wood & siding.

• If in doubt about the installation methods, contact the manufacturer.

• For more tips on windows, go to – www.eren.doe.gov/consumerinfo/energy_savers/windows.html

5. Caulk & Weatherstrip

10 Energy Saving Tips

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension

Inspect for leaks

• About 1/3 of air that infiltrates homes through holes & cracks in ceilings, walls, floors & foundations.

• Inspect for cracks & holes yearly & especially look for leaks into the attic.

Photo: VA

Energy

Savers

Handbook

Caulking

Where are the areas that may need to be inspected & caulked?

Use correct caulk for material & purpose

Gap

Rope caulk

Photo: S. Niemeyer UN-L

Weatherstripping

Source: VA Energy Savers Handbook

• Weatherstripping comes in various forms for

specific purposes such as door bottoms &

sides, sections of windows, & around attic

hatches.

• Select a durable product & inspect it yearly.

• You may pay a little more for quality, but you

will not replace it as often.

Examples

6. Increase Heating Efficiency

10 Energy Saving Tips

Increase Heating Efficiency

Geothermal

Heat Pump

High Efficiency

Furnace

Photo: NREL

• Correct sizing of heating &

cooling units for the space is

essential.

• Have systems

serviced annually &

maintain clean filter

systems as specified.

• Maintenance is critical

for efficiency.

• Change/clean filters.

Replacing & Choosing Heating System

Look for EnergyStar &

EnergyGuide Labels

Also compare: – AFUE rating (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency)

– HSPF Factor (Heating Seasonal Performance Factor) OR

– COP (Coefficient of Performance)

Generally, look for higher ratings on these rating systems.

Photo: S. Niemeyer

UN-L

Efficiency Ratings Heating Systems

Heating System Rating

System

Range –

higher rating

more efficient

Furnaces AFUE 90% to 96%

Boilers AFUE 85% and up

Heat pumps Ground-source

Water-source

Air-source

COP

COP

HSPF

3.3 to 4.9

3.6 to 5.6

7.7 to 10

Also look for EnergyStar &

EnergyGuide labels

7. Increase Cooling Efficiency

10 Energy Saving Tips

Selecting High Performance Cooling Equipment

• Compare cooling efficiency ratings.

– Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER)

– Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER)

• Select systems with the higher ratings.

• Some systems heat & cool

– Example: Ground source heat pumps

Photo: Virginia Energy

Handbook

Photo NREL

Selecting High Performance Cooling Equipment

Cooling

System

Rating

System

Range – higher rating

more efficient

Central air-

conditioning

SEER

EER

14 to 18

11 or higher

Heat pumps

Ground-source

Water-source

Air-source

EER

EER

EER

SEER

14.1 to 25.8

16.2 to 31.1

11.5 and up

14 to 18 or

Room air

conditioners

EER 9.4 to 10.8

(Depends on type and

style)

Also look for EnergyStar & EnergyGuide labels

• Place window air conditioners in windows on north side or shaded areas.

• Insulate or store window air conditioners in the winter.

• Trees can provide evaporative cooling.

Utah House

Photo: S. Niemeyer

Overhangs &

shade important

Increase Cooling Efficiency

8. Check Insulation

10 Energy Saving Tips

Is Insulation Adequate?

Photo: NREL

Source: Virginia Energy Savers

Handbook • Check that the insulation

is adequate in your

home.

• In Nebraska, generally

the recommended value

for attics is R-49; walls,

R-18; floors, R-25; & slab

edge, R-8.

• See also NE Energy

Office at: www.neo.ne.gov/

9. Switch Out Light Bulbs

10 Energy Saving Tips

Choose Efficient Light Bulbs

Photo: NREL

• Lighting accounts for about 5% to 10%

of total home energy use.

• Compact fluorescent bulbs produce the

same amount of light or lumens as

incandescent, but use less energy or

watts.

• Newer very efficient light source is

LED (light emitting diodes) in traffic lights,

flashlights & appearing for home

use.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Photo: NREL

Photo: NREL

• ENERGY STAR qualified compact

fluorescent light bulbs

– Provide bright, warm light while

using about 2/3 less energy than

standard lighting,

– Generate about 70% less heat, &

– Lasts up to 10 times longer than

traditional incandescent

light bulbs.

Fluorescent

Replace Incandescent Bulbs

• Replacing one traditional incandescent bulb with an ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent will save about $25 per bulb in energy costs over its lifetime.

• Although the bulbs may cost more up front, they save over the life of the bulb.

Photo: NREL

Long-life compact

Fluorescent

10. When “Off” is “On”

10 Energy Saving Tips

Turn Equipment Off

• Household appliances, TVs, & electronics continue to use energy when turned off if they power clocks, remote controls, & other features.

• About 40% of the electricity

used to power home

electronics is used while the

products are turned “off” but

continue to power features.

Power Down

• Electronics in “sleep mode”

• can use up to 20% of electricity needed when fully on.

• Electronics with EnergyStar label can use as much as 50% less energy to perform same functions

• Power down & turn completely off when

not in use.

Conclusion

Conclusion

Manage heat loss & gain in homes through:

• Caulking, Weatherstripping & Insulating

• Sealing & insulating air ducts

• Selecting high performance windows, or adding storm windows or repairing existing windows

• Selecting EnergyStar & high performance appliances, equipment, heating & cooling equipment, lighting, electronics & other products

Resources Used in Developing the Program

U.S. Department of Energy www.climatevision.gov Energy Savers: Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home www1.eere. energy.gov/consumer/tips/ pdfs/energy_ savers.pdf Geothermal Heat Pumps–Department of Energy: www.eren.doe.gov/RE/geo_heat_pumps.html Consumer Information (800) 342-5468 www.eere.energy.gov/consumer Air-Source Heat Pumps:

www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/space_heating_cooling/ index.cfm/mytopic=01262 Energy Star® (888) 782-7937 www.energystar.gov Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse 1-800-363-3732 Fax: 1-703-893-0400 www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/pdfs/ energy_savers.pdf Energy Fact Sheets: www.eere.energy.gov/office_eere/factsheets.html U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR Programs www.energystar.gov