House heaters can be powered by different sources of energy: wood fuel, natural gas fuel, electricity, and the sun. Natural fireplaces that make use of logs have been replaced with natural gas to prevent suffocating fumes from getting trapped in the room. With the increasing cost of energy consumptions especially with the increasing prize of electricity and gas, people are finding ways on how to save on both energy and money.
Here are some tips on how to save energy with your house heater.
1. Check if the rooms/house is/are sufficiently insulated.
The house itself should have proper insulation. Check if there are holes and gaps between window and door hinges. If your house has many glass windows, heavy curtains drawn at night can help conserve heat. Leaks between windows and door hinges can easily cool a room by allowing cold air to enter. Holes in walls can also bring the temperature down. Bare, concrete walls are cold and can easily draw out the warmth away from any warm body that comes into contact with it. Carpets, as well as curtains help insulate rooms. Wooden panels or carpeted walls can also help warm the room. These though are costly so if the family cannot afford them, at least make sure that the windows and door hinges do not have gaps, and that the walls do not have holes where air can easily escape the house, or enter the house from the outside.
2. Check the status of your house heater.
Most house heaters are powered by natural gas. Natural gas heaters make use of natural gas, an odorless, tasteless, and colorless gas that is lighter than air. Natural gas heaters have pipelines that go through the wall of the house to find their way into your house’s furnaces. Make sure that the pipes do not have leaks for the family’s safety and to save energy. A simple way to test for leaks is to pour water on the pipes. If there is a leak, bubbles will form. If the pipelines are old and rusted, have them replaces. Also, check if your furnaces are also in order: the vents should not be blocked to allow fumes to escape from the room. Consider annual maintenance check-ups if you want to avoid expensive repairs and replacements.
If your house heater makes used of electricity, make sure that the wirings are not worn o. Look for signs of rusting and other physical damage. Clean the heater regularly like twice a year to make sure that every thing is in order. If the house heater has been working beyond the prescribed number of years, consider changing the unit. Older heaters eventually become less-efficient with wear and tear.
3. Consider newer model/units of house heaters.
There are more energy-saving house heater equipments, whether solar or electricity powered, available in the market. Consider buying one to replace an old existing home heating system. These heaters have been engineered to give maximum performance with the least energy consumption possible relative to their forerunners.
The following are some of the energy-saving house heaters in the market today.
a. Electrical-powered
Electrical-powered house heaters provide the advantage of safety (relatively safer than natural gas and wood fuel), cleanliness (no bad fumes and debris from burning), and versatility (can be programmed to adjust the temperature and the length of time it will be used), and flexibility (portable) over other house heaters. Moreover, no pipelines are required thus, easy installation.
Electrical house heaters may come in the form of a portable unit (e.g. Air King 8540 Ceramic Oscillating Space Heater) similar to a portable air-conditioning unit like the. They can also be in the form of heat convector panels (e.g. Elnur Panel by Elnur), and electric thermal radiators.
b. Solar-powered
Engineers and consumers are gradually looking into harnessing the energy from the sun to run appliances, warm water, and warm the house. Solar-collecting panels placed on the roof where maximum sunlight is absorbed, makes use of silicon tiles to collect heat from the sun. Solar air heaters (e.g. Ra240 Solarmax Solar Air Heater and Solar Max 240 Solar Space Heating Unit by Cansolair) provide the advantage of being a cleaner source of energy than electricity, more safe since the possibility of fires due to electrical shorting is eliminated and there are no fumes generated unlike natural-gas heaters. Although the initial cash-out is definitely higher than that of electrical and natural-gas heaters, the household is able save up on electricity in the long run thus monthly electrical bills eventually go down.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Energy Saving Ideas Guaranteed to Save You Money!
Did you know that a bigger and heavier automobile is more expensive to use? They take up more fuel. So if you have more than one vehicle, and you’re not planing to car pool, why not use your car instead of the family van? This is a wonderful energy saving idea that would save you some money.
Another good energy saving idea when it comes to transportation is to not always use your car. On those beautiful, sunny days, why not try walking or taking your bike for a ride for those short-distance destinations.
Now that we’ve got your transportation covered, let’s talk about your home. One good energy saving idea that you can incorporate into your lifestyle is to use fluorescent lighting.
Fluorescent lights take up lower wattage, but effuses the same amount of light as regular light bulbs, therefore taking up less energy.
Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you are not using it. This is an energy saving idea that would not cost you a single penny.
Always unplug appliances when you are not using them. This is a great energy saving idea, especially around the living room where most of the entertainment appliances are kept. Some appliances take up energy even if they are not being used.
Now for your kitchen, it’s a wonderful energy saving idea to always keep your refrigerator clean. A clean refrigerator takes up lesser energy, because it runs more effectively. So make it a habit to clean your refrigerator regularly. Plus, always keep your freezers and refrigerators full. An empty refrigerator requires more energy to run.
When it comes to baking it would not be a bad energy saving idea to use your toaster instead of your oven whenever possible. Economize your use of your oven by baking in batches.
Also a good energy saving idea is to use the microwave instead of your regular stove. You can use your microwave to boil water, cook dishes and make desserts. Microwaves cost less to run that traditional stoves.
A great energy saving idea for your washing machine would be to wash in full loads. Don’t throw just a shirt or two in the washer. Wait until your dirty laundry piles up before you do your washing. Try using warm or cold water temperature. This is an energy saving idea that once it becomes a habit will lessen the cost of your electricity bill over time.
Another good energy saving idea when it comes to transportation is to not always use your car. On those beautiful, sunny days, why not try walking or taking your bike for a ride for those short-distance destinations.
Now that we’ve got your transportation covered, let’s talk about your home. One good energy saving idea that you can incorporate into your lifestyle is to use fluorescent lighting.
Fluorescent lights take up lower wattage, but effuses the same amount of light as regular light bulbs, therefore taking up less energy.
Make it a habit to turn off the lights when you are not using it. This is an energy saving idea that would not cost you a single penny.
Always unplug appliances when you are not using them. This is a great energy saving idea, especially around the living room where most of the entertainment appliances are kept. Some appliances take up energy even if they are not being used.
Now for your kitchen, it’s a wonderful energy saving idea to always keep your refrigerator clean. A clean refrigerator takes up lesser energy, because it runs more effectively. So make it a habit to clean your refrigerator regularly. Plus, always keep your freezers and refrigerators full. An empty refrigerator requires more energy to run.
When it comes to baking it would not be a bad energy saving idea to use your toaster instead of your oven whenever possible. Economize your use of your oven by baking in batches.
Also a good energy saving idea is to use the microwave instead of your regular stove. You can use your microwave to boil water, cook dishes and make desserts. Microwaves cost less to run that traditional stoves.
A great energy saving idea for your washing machine would be to wash in full loads. Don’t throw just a shirt or two in the washer. Wait until your dirty laundry piles up before you do your washing. Try using warm or cold water temperature. This is an energy saving idea that once it becomes a habit will lessen the cost of your electricity bill over time.
Stop Throwing Money Out the Window
Have you ever felt your window as cold as ice during the winter or burning hot during the summer, while your heater (or air conditioner) is operating at full blast? If so, you are definitely throwing money out the window ! Consider making changes on your existing window, before you have to sell your heater (or A/C) to pay for energy bills.
Window technology has improved dramatically in recent years because of the conscious effort to save on energy. Below are some of the features to improve the thermal efficiency window.
1. Glazing.
Gone are the days when a window is made up of a frame, a glass pane and a latch. Today, energy-efficient window-designs require a minimum of two (2) layers of glass, called double-glazed windows. Double-glazing insulates almost twice as well as single glazing (single glass pane). It is also possible to add a third or fourth layer to further improve the results. Some of these windows use clear glass only; others opt to install additional layer of thin plastic films for tinting as well as further insulation.
2. Thickness of air space.
In between the two glass panes in a double-glazed window is a space filled with the air. With a thicker air space, the window will be better insulated because it will have a better transfer of heat. Thicknesses range from ¼ " to 1”. If the air is wider than 1”, however, there is no further gain in performance.
3. Type of air in the space.
Traditional double-glazed windows were filled with air or flushed with dry nitrogen to ensure that the air does not leak. In a sealed glass pane, heat is carried to the top of the air space while cold pools settle at the bottom. By filling the space with a less conductive gas like argon (Ar), carbon dioxide (CO2), krypton (Kr), and argon-krypton mixtures, the overall transfer of heat between the inside and outside is reduced. It should be noted that the thickness of the airspace also depends on the kind of gas that is used to fill it.
4. Edge spacers.
What holds the panes of glass apart are the edge spacers. These also provide the airtight seal in the window. Before, hollow-aluminum channels filled with desiccant beads were used as edge spacers. Since Aluminum is a highly conductive material, heat loss (or gain) is now occurring through the edges. Improvements to the material used include thin-walled steel with thermal breaks, or silicone foam or butyl rubber. A low-cost option when ordering windows would be to consider insulating edge seals with traditional aluminum spacers.
5. Low-E coatings.
Low-emittance (Low-E) coating are very thin, metal or metallic oxide layers set on a window glazing surface primarily to improve the heat transfer (reduce the U-factor). Heat is transferred in multilayer glass from a warm pane to a cooler pane. With a low-emittance coated material facing the air space between the glass layers, it blocks a significant amount of heat transfer, thus reducing the total heat flow through the window. Different types of low-e treatment are now available for different climate zones and different applications in any particular location.
Enough about the glass pane, let’s now focus on the materials surrounding the glass, the window frame. Different kinds of materials can be used for the encasement, depending on aesthetics (suits the design of the home), durability (resistance to storm, wind or extreme weather) and, of course, energy efficiency (U-factor).
Metals (aluminum, or light metal) for example are lightweight and easy to clean, but conducts heat rapidly. If metals must be used for window frames, ensure to place insulating material between the inside and outside of the frame and sash.
Wood (natural and composite) have better thermal properties, but must be treated for moisture and termite decay. Natural wood also contracts and expands through weather changes and can be heavy and thick, thus reducing the view and light passing through.
Plastics (fiberglass, PVC, vinyl) have the highest thermal resistance as compared to the previous, especially if treated with insulation. It has good moisture resistance and need no painting because color treatment is already incorporated in its production. However, at extreme temperatures, they may expand, warp or crack. Also, if exposed to sunlight for long hours, colors tend to fade over time.
Lastly, here are simple steps to ensure you are buying an energy-efficient window:
a. Look for NFRC label as your guide to energy performance (U-rating) and to suit your climate, before buying a window.
b. Choose windows with good warranties against the loss of the air seal. If the glazing seal is lost, not only will fogging occur, but also any low-conductivity gas between the layers of glass will immediately be lost.
c. Hire only skilled contractors to install your new windows. This will ensure that they will perform as well as they should.
What else are you waiting for? STOP throwing money OUT YOUR WINDOW!
Window technology has improved dramatically in recent years because of the conscious effort to save on energy. Below are some of the features to improve the thermal efficiency window.
1. Glazing.
Gone are the days when a window is made up of a frame, a glass pane and a latch. Today, energy-efficient window-designs require a minimum of two (2) layers of glass, called double-glazed windows. Double-glazing insulates almost twice as well as single glazing (single glass pane). It is also possible to add a third or fourth layer to further improve the results. Some of these windows use clear glass only; others opt to install additional layer of thin plastic films for tinting as well as further insulation.
2. Thickness of air space.
In between the two glass panes in a double-glazed window is a space filled with the air. With a thicker air space, the window will be better insulated because it will have a better transfer of heat. Thicknesses range from ¼ " to 1”. If the air is wider than 1”, however, there is no further gain in performance.
3. Type of air in the space.
Traditional double-glazed windows were filled with air or flushed with dry nitrogen to ensure that the air does not leak. In a sealed glass pane, heat is carried to the top of the air space while cold pools settle at the bottom. By filling the space with a less conductive gas like argon (Ar), carbon dioxide (CO2), krypton (Kr), and argon-krypton mixtures, the overall transfer of heat between the inside and outside is reduced. It should be noted that the thickness of the airspace also depends on the kind of gas that is used to fill it.
4. Edge spacers.
What holds the panes of glass apart are the edge spacers. These also provide the airtight seal in the window. Before, hollow-aluminum channels filled with desiccant beads were used as edge spacers. Since Aluminum is a highly conductive material, heat loss (or gain) is now occurring through the edges. Improvements to the material used include thin-walled steel with thermal breaks, or silicone foam or butyl rubber. A low-cost option when ordering windows would be to consider insulating edge seals with traditional aluminum spacers.
5. Low-E coatings.
Low-emittance (Low-E) coating are very thin, metal or metallic oxide layers set on a window glazing surface primarily to improve the heat transfer (reduce the U-factor). Heat is transferred in multilayer glass from a warm pane to a cooler pane. With a low-emittance coated material facing the air space between the glass layers, it blocks a significant amount of heat transfer, thus reducing the total heat flow through the window. Different types of low-e treatment are now available for different climate zones and different applications in any particular location.
Enough about the glass pane, let’s now focus on the materials surrounding the glass, the window frame. Different kinds of materials can be used for the encasement, depending on aesthetics (suits the design of the home), durability (resistance to storm, wind or extreme weather) and, of course, energy efficiency (U-factor).
Metals (aluminum, or light metal) for example are lightweight and easy to clean, but conducts heat rapidly. If metals must be used for window frames, ensure to place insulating material between the inside and outside of the frame and sash.
Wood (natural and composite) have better thermal properties, but must be treated for moisture and termite decay. Natural wood also contracts and expands through weather changes and can be heavy and thick, thus reducing the view and light passing through.
Plastics (fiberglass, PVC, vinyl) have the highest thermal resistance as compared to the previous, especially if treated with insulation. It has good moisture resistance and need no painting because color treatment is already incorporated in its production. However, at extreme temperatures, they may expand, warp or crack. Also, if exposed to sunlight for long hours, colors tend to fade over time.
Lastly, here are simple steps to ensure you are buying an energy-efficient window:
a. Look for NFRC label as your guide to energy performance (U-rating) and to suit your climate, before buying a window.
b. Choose windows with good warranties against the loss of the air seal. If the glazing seal is lost, not only will fogging occur, but also any low-conductivity gas between the layers of glass will immediately be lost.
c. Hire only skilled contractors to install your new windows. This will ensure that they will perform as well as they should.
What else are you waiting for? STOP throwing money OUT YOUR WINDOW!
Friday, June 6, 2008
Save Money With Energy Saving Tips
Let’s face it: No matter how you budget your finances wisely, things will go out of hand in spite of everything that you have done. There will always be bills to pay and electric bills that escalates high up to the sky.So, the next best thing to do is to turn your home into an energy saving home so that you can cut-back the bills to as far as 50% from your current total consumption.How to do that? Here are tips that will guide you in making your home an energy saving home.1. Create your own energy.One of the best ways in creating an energy saving home is to produce your own energy. This is, in particular, one of the most lucrative alternatives to hefty electric bills.One way to make an energy saving home is to use the renewable energy. This means that you will utilize more and maximize the capabilities of unlimited sources of energy like the sea, the sun, or the man-made energy-generating inventions.These devices are very important especially in places wherein the climate is continuously changing.2. Make use of the Solar PV.This is one of the methods that will make your home an energy saving home. Basically, Solar PV utilizes the energy that is coming from the sun in order to generate energy. The energy that will be produced is the one that will be used to operate different domestic devices and illuminations.One good thing about Solar PV is that it does not make use of direct sunlight so as to produce energy. It is simply operational during day time.With Solar PV, you can truly transform your house into an energy saving home. All you have to do is to purchase PV systems and attach them to your wall or roof that is looking towards the south, within the 90 degrees range, provided that there will be no tangible things that will take the limelight out of your house.3. Use the natural heater.If you want to turn your home into an energy saving home, it is best that you employ the services of a solar water heating system. This system uses the high temperature coming from the sun and transforms it into your water heater.Solar water heating system has solar panels that are placed on your roof so as to collect heat coming from the sun’s rays. With this system, it naturally heats the water in your water storage system and eventually keeps the heat intact so that you can still use it on the later part of the day.With Solar water heating system, you can be sure that your home will soon be an energy saving home minus the hefty electric bills. 4. Make a wind mill.As a part of the energy saving home, small scale winds are also created in order to generate energy coming from the speed of the wind that operates the blades. These blades, in turn, will be the one that will generate electricity for your home.However, because its energy is fully dependent on the speed of the wind, it is advisable that you place your small scale wind at the highest place in your area.Nevertheless, using small scale wind can still lessen your electricity consumption and will definitely turn your home into an energy saving home.5. Insulate your walls.In order to make an energy saving home, it is best that you do cavity wall insulation. This refers to the insulation system that is placed in between your cavity walls or between the internal and external sheets of bricks that makes up the exterior part of your house.For most places that have colder temperature, having a cavity wall insulation will definitely make an energy saving home by merely using it. It suspends the release of confined warm air and insulates the wall so as to impede “heat loss.”With the cavity wall insulation, you will no longer make use of your heater, and so, you can save more money by cutting back your electric consumption.6. Go for that glazed-window.An energy saving home is one that has glazed-type windows. This means that the windows are layered with a certain protective coating and curbs any possible heat loss.In this manner, the heat that enters your room or your house, for that matter, will not be lost instantly. And so, with enough heat to warm you through, you no longer have a use for a heater. Simply out, no heater means eliminated high electricity bills.So, now that you know how to convert your home into an energy saving home, the next thing you have to do is to budget your other finances wisely. It doesn’t necessarily mean that with an energy saving home, you’ll be confident enough that there will be no high bills to pay and that you indulge into a shopping spree.Having an energy saving home means there’s a solution to your financial problem but not as a means for a bigger financial problem.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
