Top ten tips for energy conservation

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Nevada Daily Mail

Higher fuel prices and limited family budgets make cheap home energy conservation measures appealing.

"No one thing will magically cut energy expenses a lot but attention to many little things can all help add up to greatly-reduced costs," said Bob Schultheis, natural resource engineering specialist, University of Missouri Extension.

Here are Schultheis's top 10 quick payback tips for colder weather.

1. Insulate older water heaters and set back the thermostat to 135 degrees.

2. Caulk all outside joints where dissimilar materials meet, like where wood meets masonry. Use acrylic latex tube caulk for joints one-quarter inch wide or less, and use oakum, expandable foam or other filler material plus tube caulk for joints wider than one-quarter inch.

3. Weatherstrip exterior door and window gaps to reduce heat loss. A one-eighth inch wide gap around a door is the same as a six-inch diameter hole through it. Install foam gaskets under electrical outlet plates on exterior walls and put plastic plugs in unused sockets.

4. Add attic insulation if it is less than six inches thick. If it's more than six inches thick, insulating the floor and underfloor water pipes pays back quicker. Minimum insulation levels for Missouri homes are R-30 in the ceilings, and R-19 in floors and walls.

5. Add interior storm windows on single-pane windows.

6. Put tight-fitting doors on fireplaces to slow heat loss. Give your furnace its annual tune-up.

7. Use south-facing windows to passively collect solar heat during daytime. Close drapes at night to retain heat in the house.

8. Keep lights clean for maximum illumination. Shut them off when not in use.

9. Wear clothing in layers. Then set back the house thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night. Stay near heat sources and away from cold windows and outside walls. Locate furnishings for active functions, such as eating and playing, away from direct heat sources.

10. Involve the whole family in your energy management program to assure success.

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Good ideas. I would add a few more:

Use expanding foam to seal gaps between heated areas and attic space. Common gaps are near drain vents and electrical wiring. Do the same in the basement and crawlspace. It's easier to do this before adding additional insulation.

Replace several lightbulbs with compact florescents. Some bulbs are less than $2 each, should last 7 years or more and will save over $30 over the life of the bulb. 3-way and dimmable CFLs are now available, but cost more.

Install a programmable thermostat and turn the heat down while at work and at night. Heat pumps should be set back 3-4 degrees, while gas furnaces can be set back more.

Wash south facing windows so more heat comes through during the day.

Consider extra window coverings on north windows. A cheap trick is to cover the glass with bubble wrap to decrease heat loss.

Place your TV and computer on a power strips and turn them off when not in use. Most electronic equipment uses electricity even when turned off.

Open blinds and drapes during the day to save on lighting. Turn off lights when leaving the room at night.

-- Posted by Izzy99 on Thu, Dec 4, 2008, at 10:14 AM

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