It takes green to go green
After a brutal winter on the energy front - everyone's electric bills soared this winter - it's time to take stock. While December and February were relatively mild, January ended 3 degrees below the long-term averages. Heating degree-days, a temperature-based measure of heating demand - are running 7 percent above average. So, it's the season to take a look around and find ways to cut down on energy use in the future.
I'd like to get a discussion going here about how readers are dealing with their energy consumption issues. Perhaps you're feeling depleted by this winter's high bills, and you're looking for ways to conserve energy. Maybe you've already converted to solar, or geo-thermal and you're reaping the rewards in the form of lower utility bills than last year. Maybe you've found simple, low-tech ways to tighten up your house and now you're seeing some payback.
Drop us a comment and let us all know what you're doing and how it's working out. Ask questions, and maybe I can find an answer, or another reader can chime in and help.
I'll start. After 12 years in our townhouse, and some of the biggest winter utility bills we've seen, my wife and I decided it was time to replace the old heat pump. It serves the second floor and loft (we have gas heat on the lower floors). It still ran. But it had developed a noisy clatter, seemed to run a lot, and our HVAC guys said it was going to need $400 or $500 worth of work.
There were other problems. To start with, it was, from the beginning, a cheap builder's model, with the lowest energy efficiency ratings available at the time. Our bedroom, in the rear, was frequently 10 degrees colder than the front rooms. The heat pump just was never up to the task when temperatures fell much below freezing.
Knowing that heat pumps - at least the compressors - typically have a 10-year life expectancy, we decided it was time to get a new model. After some discussion with our contractor, we decided on a high-efficiency, Energy-Star model from Bryant. In addition to some energy savings, it comes with the promise of a $1,500 credit on our 2009 federal tax return, knocking the effective price down to about $4,500. Ouch, but ...
The new unit was installed this week and, well, it is HUGE. It dwarfs the old model, and looks like a dirigible has landed on the patio. It took some finagling to make it fit in the space available. Likewise, the indoor half of the system had to be shoehorned into a loft closet, and it occupies every available cubic inch. But bigger, we were told, means a bigger surface area for heat exchange, and that contributes to its higher efficiency.
There's also a fancy computerized programmable thermostat that comes with a small book of instructions. We also added a new register and return to the loft, which never cooled properly with the old system. Eventually, we plan to add a humidifier to the gas furnace, which may allow us to turn the thermostat settings lower in winter.
So the new system is running now, although it is so quiet you can barely hear it, especially after living with the old clattertrap for so long. The neighbors may appreciate that. The back bedroom does seem warmer, but it's too soon to tell whether we're actually spending less to run the new system compared with the old. Years until our savings cover the cost of the new system? Who knows? I should live so long.
But I will watch the bills, and report back. In the meantime, let us hear what you're doing to reduce your carbon footprint, or cut the costs of heating and cooling your home.
Comments
Most households probably have lots of "low-hanging fruit". Swapping out all bulbs for CFL's helps, a programmable thermostat and adding extra insulation can all help lower utility bills. I recently went around the house and found a number of leaks (by using a candle and looking for blowing air) which I patched. We also recently switched our electricity supplier to cleancurrents.com 100% wind power and currently cheaper then BGE rates, and the best part is its locked in for 2 years, so when BGE rates spike in the summer, ours won't! It all comes down to caring enough to do something about it, I believe every household has room for improvement you just have to get up and do it.
FR: I agree. We have added many CFLs, and have long had a programmable thermostat (although the new one is much more capable). We could use some new door weatherstripping. I read Jay Hancock's columns http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/business/hancock/blog/ on energy supplier shopping and will look into that, too. Thanks.
Posted by: Tim Skane | March 26, 2009 12:07 PM
About a year ago my partner and I finally became homeowners. Last summer we signed up with BG&E's peak rewards program, which gives us a yearly $100 discount on our bill in exchange for BG&E being able to turn off our AC on days with high power demand. Along with the savings we received a programmable thermostat for free.
During the winter we kept the thermostat low, and wore lots of sweaters and sweatshirts.
In summer time we make use of fans and only use the AC when it becomes unbearable (3 or 4 days total last summer I believe).
We also replaced almost every light bulb in the house with CFLs, we unplug things like the coffee pot and the Wii which constantly draw a little bit of power when we're not using them. It's not like we need the tiny little clock on the coffee pot when the stove next to it, and the microwave on the other side of the kitchen, and the clock radio next to the microwave all have digital clocks on them!
FR: So, have the energy savings been worth all the sweaters and the almost-unbearable heat?
Posted by: David | March 26, 2009 2:34 PM
Well, my January/February bill was only about $200, as opposed to the $4-700 my friends and coworkers have been paying, and my average summer bill was $60-70/month.
FR: Hard to compare numbers without also comparing houses, but lots of us would love to pay that little. My colleague, Jacques Kelly, recently had a BGE energy audit and used it to tackle some serious weatherization issues in his antique Baltimore home. He thinks he's already seeing a savings on his March bill, which was lower than his bill for March 2008, despite colder weather this year. Conservation does pay off.
Posted by: David | March 26, 2009 4:07 PM
We installed Steel Panel Radiators in place of our baseboard heat. The radiators are a European design and are from a company called Pensotti. The best thing about these steel panel radiators is that they put off a good amount of heat with lower water temperature from our boiler. Lower water temperature means less fuel used. Our boiler has a outdoor sensor that tells the boiler how hot to make the water. Even if yours doesn't these radiators can have individual thermostats put on them, so that each can be set to its own temperature. This makes everything so much more efficient. I bought everything online from a website called www.hitechheat.com and had my plumber install them. We replace these a few at a time, to save on the expense and it worked great for us!!
FR: A modern update to the ancient radiator! That should interest plenty of homeowners in Baltimore's older neighborhoods.
Posted by: Ricky | March 27, 2009 8:15 AM
We had a $331 bill in February, and then a $230 bill in March for our townhouse, which were much higher than usual.
Even before those bills, I had contemplated replacing all of our windows and an old basement sliding glass door.
Well, with our tax return money, we are partially funding the replacement of all our windows and the sliding door, which were all original from the home (1985).
Our new windows meet the '09 tax credit U and SHGC ratings, so I expect to see some decent or pretty good savings in the months to come on our electric bill.
Of course, we're heading into the season where we may not have the air on much at all, so I may not have a true measure of savings until the summer...
Posted by: Sam | March 27, 2009 10:28 AM
Conserving liberally has always been much more than a 'personal virtue.'
The easy...everyday savings come from turning off the TV no one is watching...the PC and monitor no one is using...and lamps when a room becomes empty.
Blocking drafts helps...too. I have a gap under the walk-up attic door that chimneys heat out of the house if it/s not sealed off with a rolled towel.
Hunker down behind lined curtains....shades...or mini-blinds. To some extent they all block heat loss and can be fashionable...too
These are small things...but they maximize savings with little...if any...cost.
We saw a sizable drop in the monthly 'lectric bill after replacing a 20-yr old frig. The savings will be enough for the unit to pay for itself in less than five years.
Surprised at the savings from swapping the ol' Edison light bubs with CFLs. Flouros initial $7-a-pop has come down considerably in recent years making them a much more affordable. Time will tell whether they have real value by lasting as long as advertised.
Replaced two 15-yo 10-SEER heat pumps with hier-efficiency units last autumn. Ultra-high SEER units are not worth the extra cost b/c the savings pay-back period is too long.
An outside air temp belo ~35° is a problem for HP users. Since there/s little...if any...heat...to pump...you end up roasting pure electrons. Dialing back thermostats and running a space heater will save more money. Closing vents and doors of unused rooms will reduce home heating costs...too.
We have used programmable thermostats...dearly priced back in the day...for 15 years. Even if they haven/t paid for themselves by now...it was money well spent for the 'set-it:forget-it' convenience alone.
After doing all that though...the real energy savings for us comes courtesy a modest wood stove. It runs 'round the clock from early NOV through yesterday. Three cords keep the floors toasty warm all winter long...even through the coldest of nights and inevitable power outages. Radiant heat is _the_ best.
Come spring...a winter/s worth of wood ash ends up as a soil amendment for the vegetable garden.
Heating with wood in the city is not an easy solution b/c it comes with a premium price and storage issues; however...check out Liberty Brick/s (.com) all-new...brick-sized...compressed-wood fuel product. Sure beats those overly-pricey bag-o-pellets and corn. The bricks come shrink-wrapped on a small pallet with a cord-o-wood equivalent price of ~$125.
Posted by: TQ | March 27, 2009 11:27 PM
a fireplace insert.We heat using wood so this was logical. Fans instead of AC
FR: Fans are great, but they don't cut the humidity like an air conditioner.
Posted by: patty | March 30, 2009 9:03 AM