Feb 2011

If you have any suggestions or requests for future topics, please forward them to me.  My email address is in the left column.
 

Saving Energy in the Home
Because this is a continuation from last month's newsletter, this starts with # 8.

8. Insulate windows and doors.

About one-third of the home's total heat loss usually occurs through windows and doors. The following are ways to reduce energy lost through windows and doors:

• Seal all window edges and cracks with rope caulk or seasonal caulk.  If you want to remove the rope caulk you have to make sure you do NOT get butyl tape.  It looks like rope caulk but it is almost impossible to remove.  Seasonal caulk comes in a tube that fits in a caulking gun.  These are the cheapest and simplest options.
• Windows can be weather-stripped with a special lining that is inserted between the window and the frame. For doors, weather-strip around the whole perimeter to ensure a tight seal when closed. Install quality door sweeps on the bottom of the doors, if they aren't already in place.
• Install storm windows at windows with only single panes. A removable glass frame can be installed over an existing window.
• If existing windows have rotted or damaged wood, cracked glass, missing putty, poorly fitting sashes, or locks that don't work, they should be repaired or replaced.
• A very simple but quite effective method is the installation of a plastic film on the inside of the window frame.  In effect it makes a thermo pane out of a single pane window.

9. Cook smart.

An enormous amount of energy is wasted while cooking. The following recommendations and statistics illustrate less wasteful ways of cooking:

• Convection ovens are more efficient that conventional ovens. They use fans to force hot air to circulate more evenly, thereby allowing food to be cooked at a lower temperature. Convection ovens use approximately 20% less electricity than conventional ovens.
• For cooking small portions or for warming up left-overs, microwave ovens use much less energy than conventional ovens.
• Pans should be placed on the correctly-sized heating element or flame.  A lot of heat is wasted when the heating element is bigger than the bottom of the pan.
• Lids make food heat more quickly than pans that do not have lids. 
• When using conventional ovens, food should be placed on the top rack. The top rack is hotter and will cook food faster. 

10. Change the way you wash your clothes.

• Do not use the “half load” setting on your washer. Wait until you have a full load of clothes, as the “half load” setting saves less than half of the water and energy.
• Avoid using high-temperature settings when clothes are not that dirty. Water that is 140 degrees uses far more energy than 103 degrees for a "warm" setting, but 140 degrees isn’t that much better for washing purposes.
• Clean the lint trap before you use the dryer, every time. Not only is excess lint a fire hazard, but it will prolong the amount of time required for your clothes to dry.
• If possible, air-dry your clothes on lines and racks.
• Spin-dry or wring clothes out before putting them into a dryer.