The Green Business Resource Center

Nowadays, more and more people are becoming more concerned on how to conserve energy. The recent downfall of economies all over the world has caused so much awareness to many, making them want to save and conserve energy and money as much as possible, especially now that it is almost winter time.

There are a lot of ways to conserve energy or make improvements in our household for a more efficient and economic way of living. Here, we will try to discuss some.

According to the Department of Energy in the US, house drafts usually wastes up to thirty percent of energy. A simple solution would be to place rolled towels or cloth on the bottom parts of windows and doors where there is leakage. Try to see if your house thermostat is making accurate readings and see the difference after placing your homemade solution.

Though most times it maybe a tedious task, it is very important that filters at furnaces should be cleaned or replaced at least once a month when used often. There is restriction of airflow when the filters are dirty and more energy is required for the process. It is ideal that you mark your calendar on the dates when filters are to be checked or cleaned.

A permanent filter is recommended due to its easy maintenance and waste reduction property. While disposable filters of fiberglass only trap an average of 30% of waste, electronic filters can filter almost 90% and therefore makes it ideal for bacteria control. Its cost greatly varies from fifty to more than a thousand dollars. One of the best filters is the HEPA filter which is said to remove almost 100% of particles which are airborne.

Exhaust fans on the ceiling or fans run in reverse produces an upward draft which can collect warm air which can be diverted back to the living area. This can actually help you conserve energy by around ten percent.

Most water heaters are set at around 140 degrees Fahrenheit, by lowering it to a mere 20 degrees down, there is again an energy savings of around 10%. In reality, if the heater is set up, most times the heated water is not used and collects there to cool down again. Or you can even make use of a water heater which does not require a tank, or better yet, a solar water heater.

You can also use some plastic insulation which is readily available in most hardware stores to install on your windows with drafts. It is easy to install and can hardly be seen once in place. You can also hire a contractor to install “low-e”, a film which is placed directly to glass of your windows.

You can also purchase an energy monitor such as the Energy Detective which can actually monitor energy use in real time and even calculate your monthly energy bills. By saving even as low as 15% on your monthly bill, it means saving up on hundreds of dollars yearly.

Tags: energy detective, house drafts, save energy, Winterize home

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