Stickies: 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips
 

I just noticed that ER doesn't have a general "How to save water/electricity/energy" list, with tips for beginners. Do you think we should start a project like that? Something like EcoModder's 65+ Efficiency Mods and 100+ Hypermiling Tips, a sticky list and a forum to discuss it. I'm thinking one list for water conservation and one for reducing electricity/heating needs.

Thats a great idea Piwoslaw. This thread can be the start of that list. I'm sure our list will be a fair amount larger and will be broken into sections like EM's list. For now we can just list them. Later I can organize them all and make a nice list.

Here are a quick few:

- Use CFL or LED lights
- Turn your water heater temperature down
- Turn your heat down and A/C up as much as is comfortable
- Wear appropriate clothing for the season (bundle up in summer, dress light in summer)
- Use a clothes line to dry your clothes

- Insulate your hot water tank
- Put a timer on it
- Block sunlight from entering through windows (eg. blinds, even better are awnings)
- Unplug electronics when not in use (powerstrip)
- Buy a Kill-a-Watt
- Buy energy efficient appliances when the time comes
- Go solar

Each tip should have scale of how easy/fast/expensive it is do and how big gains can be expected.

Yup, I was thinking the same thing. :)

Turn off the circuit breaker for the electric hot water heater (HWH) when you are going to be gone for a couple of days or more. By the same token, turn your gas HWH to its vacation setting when you're going to be gone.

get up in your attic and seal up all penetrations, all phone lines, electric wires, pipes, and heating duct penetrations. use expanding foam. you may need to bridge the gaps using scrap wood if openings were cut sufficiently large
make sure your duct work is not losing air to the outside. go along them and pull back insulation at joints and apply a good foil backed duct tape to ALL joints.
add additional insulation to duct work if needed. In my house, some of it was coming lose. At a minimum, tape it all back into place.
when the above three are done (in the attic at least) blow in more insulation. Make sure your soffits are not blocked
make sure your attic door has a good seal and is insulated, make an insulated door if you don't already have one
buy programmable thermostats, then install them ;)
if your basement/crawl space is not insulated, do so.
If your walls are in poor shape, you may want to look into removing the drywall/plaster and installing a Mooney Wall for a higher R-Value
If you are going to replace your windows, get ones that do a better job at keeping sunlight out and heat/cool in.
If you are replacing your roof, consider going with a lighter colored shingle, the lighter the better, better yet, consider a non-asphalt based shingle, or steel roof... better than any of these, consider a thin-film-solar steel roof, like Marathon Solar Roofing has.
When doing your roof, consider adding overhangs for windows to keep sun out during the summer, but allow it in during the winter
Check the seal around your doors, odds are it's pretty old and could use replaced. Very easy to do, and prevents some major drafts
Seal up windows in the winter, use the plastic kits you can get almost anywhere to prevent leaks, and increase the insulation between you and the outdoors.
Grill out during the summer, or look into making a solar oven, or eat more salad... anything to avoid using your oven indoors!

I would suggest we break it down further into "summer tips" and "winter tips"

That's a good idea. Maybe small symbols for winter and for summer. For example insulating the attic and/or walls would be both winter and summer, but shading windows would be only summer.

- If your attic doesn't have any, add some soffit vents and ridge vents.
- Plant trees on the south side of the house. Deciduous trees, so you get shade in the summer, but sun in the winter.
- Plant evergreen trees on the north side.

- Use the microwave in the summer, stove top and oven in the winter.
- Don't use the dishwasher dry cycle. When it finishes, open the door and let the steam out.

Biggest energy use in the house tends to be heating and cooling, having an energy audit done will give you insight as to where your house needs sealing, most houses need more insulation in the attic, houses with crawl spaces also almost always need insulation in the crawl space and every house needs more in the sill box, digging around your house to add insulation to the outside will also help with keeping the basement warm and if you make a foam skirt with 2" foam it will help shed water and keep your basement dry.

Heating water is the next big energy use, insulate the snot out of the water heater and the pipes, if installing a new water heater get the most efficient you can (forced vent gas is normally ideal) and install anti-siphon traps, any water heater with an electrical input (pure electric or forced vent) can be put on a timer, time it so it turns off before your main use so it's not reheating water that you don't need hot.

Cooking is another big users, a plug in counter top tea kettle water boilers use half of the energy of heating in the microwave and the microwave uses half of heating on the stove top, most counter top water boilers also have a toaster style switch so it pops and turns off when your water is hot so it only uses as much energy as it takes to boil and then stops.

Fridges and freezers do not belong in garages, they stop working correctly if it's to cold and they draw alot of power if it's too warm!
I like fridges that don't have a freezer, they tend to use less energy and your food is at a hight that you can see it, you can then have a small chest freezer in your basement and use it for storing foods that you stock up on when they are on sale.

Computers and other electronics use alot of power just sitting, switches on power strips can help alot _if_ you remember to use them, for things that you have a set schedule for, like watching your favorite TV show in the evening, you can put a cheap timer on your home entertainment system to kill the phantom loads.

Another tip for saving water popped up at Ecomodder.com: Put a brick in your toilet tank to decrease the amount of water in each flush. Nice read: EcoModder - Pooping Bricks:)

And here's a controversial tip that the Wife and I practice: We try to pee one right after the other. This allows the first person to not flush, while the second flushes using grey water from washing hands. Saved water = 8-10 liters, 2-4 times a day.

Has the creation of the WIKI made it any further?

Woo, I totally forgot about this post. I can look into the wiki. I haven't even done that yet though.

In the mean time I don't want to let this go. I think we should get a list up soon. We can always add to it. However, I'd like to keep this list to a list of things people can do right now. That means air sealing stuff, and even buying things like a kill a watt, but not remodeling ideas or buying a new fridge.

Anyways, I typed up a list of things from this thread plus a few more ideas I thought of. There are only 36 tips and I broke them down into the sections they help in. Of course there is some overlap between areas. I'd really like to get at least 50 tips though before putting the list up.



Air Sealing
-seal all penetrations in the ceiling to attic that might leak air (light fixtures, plumbing, ducting...) with caulk or expanding foam
-check weather stripping around doors and windows
-check caulking on outside of the house, windows, doors, and other trim. recheck every ~2 years.
-use magnetic weather stripping for exterior steel doors
-use window film to stop air leakage around windows
-use seal'n peel to stop air leakage around windows
-do a DIY home leakage test or have a professional energy audit done to identify problem areas
-seal the rim joist in the basement
-seal any outside penetrations in the wall (electrical, plumbing, ducting)
-seal the attic access door
-install switch and power outlet gaskets



Heating
-Turn your furnace thermostat temperature down as much as is comfortable
-Wear appropriate clothing for the season (bundle up in winter, dress light in summer)
-seal ducting with aluminum tape or mastic, do not use duct tape
-insulate ducting that is not in conditioned space (attic/basement)
-use a programmable thermostat
-open blinds/shades during the day to let solar heat in, close them at night to stay warmer
-have a professional come out and inspect/clean/tune up your natural gas / LPG furnace every ~2 years
-make/buy interior storm windows to increase a window's R value
-make/buy window quilts or insulating blinds to increase a window's R value
-make/buy insulating window curtains to increase a window's R value
-use an electric blanket to allow you to turn down the temperature more at night and still stay comfortable
-use a humidifier to ensure proper levels of humidity in the house. This will allow you to turn down the temperature and still be comfortable.
-remove window screens in winter to let more sun light through the window
-use ceiling fans on low to mix the air in the room up to prevent hot air from staying up near the ceiling
-close off rooms and their vents if they aren't being used regularly
-change your furnace filter regularly


Cooling
-Use blinds (good) or awnings (better) to block direct sunlight
-if possible, open the house up at night and use box fans in windows or a whole house fan to vent cool the house down instead of relying on the A/C
-install radiant barrier insulation in your attic
-place window A/C units on the north side of the house or other place where the sun does not shine on them
-turn the A/C thermostat temperature up as high as is comfortable, sometimes using the A/C just to dehumidify the house may be enough to be comfortable
-use fans to allow you to increase the A/C temperature and still stay comfortable



Water Conservation & Domestic Hot Water
-Turn your water heater temperture down as much as possible
-add additional insulation your hot water tank
-put a timer on your hot water tank
-turn off the water heater when you are away for extended periods of time
-use low flow showerheads and faucet aerators to reduce water usage
-install a dual flush conversion kit on your toilet
-put a brick or something else in your toilet's water tank to displace the amount of water used per flush
-plug the tub and let it fill with water as you take your shower. Leave the water in the tub until it has cooled down (heating your house) instead of letting that heat go down the drain.
-insulate hot water lines
-install heat traps on tank style water heaters
-turn the water off when not needed when showering, just use it for rinsing.



Electricity
-use CFL or LED lighting
-unplug electronics when not in use, a powerstrip makes this easier
-use a smart power strip to kill phantom loads, especially useful for tv and computer setups
-find phantom loads with a kill a watt
-turn your fridge temperature up to ~40F and freezer temperature up to ~0F



Clothes Washing
-wash clothes with cold water whenever possible
-use a clothes line to dry your clothes when possible
-only do full loads of laundry
-make sure the exhaust ducting for the dryer is clean. This can slow drying as well as become a fire hazard.



Cooking
-use a microwave when possible, it is more efficient at heating than most other forms of heating food
-studies show that using a dishwasher is more efficient than the average joe washing dishes. Users on EcoRenovator think that hand washing can be more efficient if done carefully.
-only do full loads of dishes in the dishwasher

Alright, with MetroMPG's help we got it to 50+. Still looking for more of course, and/or ideas on organizing them.

In addition to a 1.5 gpm shower nozzle, I turn the water off after I get all wet, and then after I lather up and am ready to rinse, I turn it back on. What some may see as going too far, I see as a convenience. I don't have to try and dodge the flow of water whilst I lather up. :thumbup:

A few minutes after I finish my shower, I can hear our gas HWH kick on. On average, my time in the shower is less than 10 minutes with ~ half that time no water flowing. I would guesstimate that I use maybe 8 to 9 gallons of water maximum to take a shower.

Thanks, thats a good one. Its on the list!

-Seal all the joints in your ductwork, using foil tape, or the brush-on sealer. If you're going to spend money to heat/cool the air be sure it gets where it's supposed to be. Be sure all your registers and cold air returns are free of obstructions. Have your ductwork cleaned, let the air flow as easy as possible. Keep the filters clean.
-Clean the vent pipe on your laundry dryer, a partially clogged vent can impede the moist air to the point that it extends the drying time. Lint accumulations are a serious fire hazard.
-Speaking of filters, don't forget the ones in your car or truck, clean filters allow your vehicle run at it's best efficiency.

Well, we got the tips list up (thanks Darin)! There is now a link at the top of the page. Its extremely basic right now. I'd love to see it full of links to examples and other things eventually as we build it up. That being said I'm still looking for more tips! I know I missed a bunch.

50+ Home Energy Saving Tips You can do Right Now - EcoRenovator

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...1&d=1316723356

Woohoo:D Glad to see this up:)

In the Water Conservation section: I'd add washing hands over bucket/basin to use the grey water for flushing. Cheap, no remodelling needed, and fully reversible;)

Still looking (always looking) for more tips! :)

Here are a few I mentioned in another thread:

• Clean the furnace's/boiler's heat exchanger before heating season. The built up dust and grime reduce its efficiency.
• Put a radiant barrier behind radiator to reflect heat into the room and not the wall.
  
  http://ecorenovator.org/forum/attach...d-radiator.jpg
• Clean your windows before winter. In my case it let more light in than removing the screens. On the other hand, dirty windows in the summer should slightly reduce the amount of heat the enters the room.

Do you think you could post a DIY on cleaning the heat exchanger Piwoslaw? That would be really cool because I don't know how I'd go about doing that.

Woo, added Piwoslaw's tips. That brings us up over 60 tips now! :thumbup:

Aluminum Foil works too and most people already have it in their house. It's probably less effective though.

I like to keep a "house book". Just a cheap 3-ring binder, or duo-tang. In it I record as many of the details as I can about our house. I have started books for customers on occasion as well.
-Record details about the furnace, such as filter sizes, service dates, repairs. It makes it much easier and convenient to keep the furnace running at it's best.
-Keep a record of the catalogue numbers, make and model of all the faucets, toilets, filters, and any other plumbing system parts that you have, including any parts manuals and warranty information. It makes it so much easier to find a replacement cartridge for a faucet, saving wasted trips to the store.
-Keep the paint codes for the interior/exterior paints that you use. Most retailers will happily print you a second label for your records. Very useful if you have refinish a wall around a replacement window or fix minor damage.
-Keep records of such things as smoke detectors, Co2 detectors, thermostats. Smoke detectors, for instance, have a date stamp inside, and should be replaced at specific intervals. ( Check with your local, provincial or state regulations.)
-Locks and door hardware, again, manuals and warranty information.
-Any other feature or system in your home or on your property.
The point of doing this, to me, is to be able to fix things quicker and more accurately, saving repeated trips to the store ( replacement faucet cartridges have got to be one of the most frustating things, the differences between one and the next can be very subtle, and sometimes you find out after the fact that the one you've purchased was actually warranteed for life!) The savings are not only your fuel, but also saved water, hot water, paint, and so on. The easier it is to find parts, filters etc., the easier it is to keep everything at it's best.

Done! DIY: Cleaning my boiler's heat exchanger

Lots of great water/electricity saving tips everyone. In my home I keep the blinds closed in the summer to keep my apartment cool. I also keep the blinds open in the winter and keep the lights off as much as possible. All of my light blubs are CFL's which at first was expensive to replace but they were replaced over a year ago and I haven't had to buy one new bulb since then!

Small tip, more like micromanagement, for the cooling season: Take any heat sources/activities outside, if possible. Ironing, cooking, baking, making toast, watching TV, maybe even using a hair dryer. If you can't take your stove/oven outside, then change your menu to the weather: On the hotter days eat a salad or barbeque. How about a solar oven?

Good one!

Also, if you cook a pot of pasta or something, drain the water outside to remove the heat.

In winter, let it sit in the sink to reclaim the heat before draining it out.

I took some time today to improve the list. There are now links to examples of the tips from the forum and blog. This should make it much more useful.

Most of these came from the blog series I wrote recently. As usual, we're always looking for more tips and now we're looking for examples for the tips as well. Take a look and see if anything comes to mind:

60+ Home Energy Saving Tips You can do Right Now - EcoRenovator

Not seen on the list:

Track ALL your energy/utility consumption using a spreadsheet with a graph. You can't manage what you don't measure.

Another couple of suggestions:

- plant / maintain trees or shrubbery to provide summer shade. Deciduous trees perhaps better than evergreens since they let some sunlight through in the winter, but not in summer.

- remove portable window a/c units in the winter

- add a link from the tips list to this thread to invite list readers to make more suggestions / comments

- in addition to window awnings, also consider covered porch/verandas designed to block high summer sun, but let low winter sun inside

A wall of evergreens on the north side (northern hemisphere) of the house will help block cold wind in the winter.