Post on 25-Dec-2014
description
Simple, Easy Ways to Save Energy and Money
Clean Energy Advocate
www.srcity.org/CEA
Outline • What is the CEA program?
• Free: • Clothes Dryer
• Hot Water Heater
• Standby Power
• Water Efficiency
• Inexpensive: • Weather stripping
• Lighting
• Air Filters
• Hot Water Pipe Insulation
• Programmable Thermostat
• Moderate: • Refrigerator
• Freezer
• Dishwasher
• Clothes Washer
• Moisture barrier
• Pool/Hot tub
• An investment: • Air sealing
• Duct sealing
• Insulation
• How do you pay for this?
Clean Energy Advocate
• The CEA program is grant funded through the Department of Energy grant.
• We are an independent, unbiased advocate available to assist homeowners in navigating the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water efficiency upgrade process.
Goals of the Clean Energy Advocate
1. Provide education to the public to improve energy use by changing behavior
2. Increase solar PV and solar thermal in Sonoma County
3. Improve the experience of installing solar
4. Increase employment
5. Reduce greenhouse gases
FREE STUFF!
Behavior change- Clothes dryer
• Use auto dry setting instead of timer
• Clean lint filter, vent, hose and outside vent:
Cleaning the filter after every
load will improve air circulation
and increase the efficiency of the
dryer.
• Use a drying rack instead
Average Cost $450+
Behavior change- Hot Water Heater
Cheap:
• Insulation:
If the tank is warm to
the touch it needs
more insulation
• Use an insulation blanket if the heater is old or warm ($20+)
Free:
• Set the thermostat to 120° (or A) if there is no dishwasher
Average Cost: gas or electric: $300+. Varies per fuel type.
Rebate up to $50 from PG&E and tax credit for $300
Behavior change- Standby Power
What to look for:
• Plugged in appliances • Standby power is when
an appliance uses power 24 hours a day even when it is turned off
• Unplug appliances
• Use a power strip to turn the appliance off at the strip
Water Use Efficiency
• Free water and energy audit:
• Indoor and outdoor
• Look for water leaks
• Free showerheads, aerators, hose nozzles
• Attend water wise gardening workshops, and graywater workshops
City of Santa Rosa
707-543-3985
www.srcity.org/WUE
Inexpensive Stuff!
Weather stripping
Unimportant:
• Type of windows, double or single paned (payback of ~10 years)
Important:
• Look for leaks around the windows and doors
• Weather stripping is DIY, and inexpensive
• Storm window can be built
Average Cost for windows $600+, Tax credit up to $200
Lighting What to look for:
• Standard vs. CFL’s and LED’s
**Better to replace standard bulbs right away with CFL’s or LED’s than wait for the standard bulbs to burn out.
$1.00+ $10+
CFL’s
• Last 10 times longer
• Produces less heat that standard bulbs
• Disposal concerns
LED’s
• Lasts 35 to 50 times longer than a standard bulb
• Durable: not made out of glass
• Turns on immediately
Air Filters • A dirty air filter makes
the whole heating and cooling system work harder.
• Solution: • Replace or vacuum filters
every 3 months
Average Cost $13+
Hot Water Pipe Insulation
Insulating hot water pipes can raise the water temperature 2°- 4° F hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing for lower water temperature setting.
Also means you don’t have to wait for the water to warm up as long at the faucet.
Average $0.97 per 6ft
Programmable thermostat
Setting Temp (hot) Temp (cool)
Home 70° F or less 78° or greater
Not home (work) Minus 8° F Plus 8° F
Sleep Minus 8° F or off Plus 4° F or off
Get one ($40+) and set it.
Moderate Stuff!
Refrigerator
What to look for: • Age: older than 1980, replace
and save $100/year
• Energy Star label
When replacing a fridge: • Skip the automatic ice maker
and through the door ice maker
Free- Unplug your extra fridge unless it’s full and used often.
Average Cost: $700, Recycling through PG&E $35
Free- Clean your fridge coils which can improve your efficiency by up to 30%!
Recycling $35
Freezer What to look for:
• Age: 1980, replace it and save $70/year
• Energy Star label
Things to remember: • Get top mounted freezer
not side by side.
• A manual defrost uses 50% less energy than auto-defrost, ONLY if it is defrosted on a regular basis.
• Stand alone freezer: chest freezer is more efficient than an upright freezer
• The larger the freezer, the greater the consumption.
Dishwasher
What to look for:
• Age: 1994+, replace it and save $40/year
• Energy Star label
Save energy and water
• Dishwasher built before 1994 uses 10 gpc more than Energy Star labeled model.
• Behavior change: Choose a wash cycle according to how dirty the dishes are.
• Choose the right size- compact or standard.
Average Cost: $300, rebate through PG&E up to $50
Clothes Washer
What to look for: • Energy Star label
• High spin speed option: reduces the amount of moisture in your clothes, decreasing drying time
• Efficiency: front loading, or efficient top loading.
Behavior change:
• Wash with cold water • 90% of energy used in
washers goes to heating the water.
Average Cost: $500+, rebates through local gov. and PG&E
Moisture barrier
• Why this is important:
• Moisture control (Mold, mildew, rot)
• Comfort (i.e getting ride of cold floors)
Add plastic
sheeting to control
moisture from
coming through ground.
Pool or Hot tub • Pool efficiency:
• Pool covers save about 50% of heating costs per year.
• Get a clear pool cover.
• The smaller the pump, the more energy efficient.
• Turn the pool temperature off when not using the pool for several days.
• It’s better to run the pump for longer periods of time at a slower speed than a faster speed for a shorter amount of time.
Rebate up to $100 for variable speed pool pump through PG&E
Swimming pools can account for up to 20% of the energy a residence consumes. Get a variable speed pool pump.
An Investment
Air Sealing • Seal cracks, and air leaks with caulking, and other methods
• Also includes weather stripping, sealing leaks around pipes, vents, fans, outlets etc
Energy Star estimates
that a homeowner can save
20% on heating and cooling
costs by air sealing.
Usually one of the most cost effective measures (in concert with insulation) for a home.
Insulation • What to look for
• Depth of insulation: should be about 12 to 15 inches deep, or check if floor joists are exposed
• R-value: The recommended insulation level for SR attics is R-38
• R value- An insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation effectiveness.
Rebate up to $500 through PG&E, tax credit up to $500
Duct Sealing • Duct sealing:
• Seal with metal foil tape or mastic- NOT duct tape
• Make sure connections at vents and registers are well-sealed where the joints meet.
• Symptoms of needing ducts sealed:
• Too cold in a room
• Dirt insulation around ducts
• Finding kinked flexible ducts in the system
• Difficulty heating or cool rooms and keeping them at a steady temperature
Rebate up to $200 through PG&E
Energy Analysis • A whole home “physical”
• 4-5 hours: testing building envelope, insulation, windows, house leakage
Home energy analysis:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YolBP0-vkBU&feature=relmfu
How to pay? SCEIP (Sonoma County Energy Independence Program)
www. sonomacountyenergy.org • Up to 100% rebate on home energy analysis.
• Property lien for energy efficiency measures. 7% interest.
Energy Upgrade CA www.energyupgradesonoma.org • Up to $6,000 for energy efficiency measures.
PG&E www.pge.com/rebates • Single measure rebates vary on measure.
• Financial assistance (CARE, FERA, Medical Baseline, Energy Savings Assistance Program).
Helpful Resources:
• www.EnergyStar.gov
• How to guides
• www.SRCity.org/CEA
• Financing Resources, Tips
• www.EnergySavers.gov
• Tips, Helpful reference
Questions?
Contact information:
Claire Nordlie
Clean Energy Advocate
707-543-3886
CEA@srcity.org
www.srcity.org/CEA