Energy Savers Blog

Turn Down the Temp, But Don't Let Your Pipes Freeze!

2009-11-16T18:42:00-08:00

I can be a strange and particular person at times. So here is a post wherein I will be strangely particular about setting the temperature on your thermostat.

You often hear about how you should turn down the thermostat to save energy, and there are a slew of helpful ideas on the subject. I'm sure you've heard some of them right here on this blog: You can turn the thermostat down when you're out, when you're sleeping, and you can save about 1% on your energy bill per degree you turn your thermostat down! This is all very exciting.

But before you go crazy with turning down the thermostat really low, I'd like to point out some things you might want to keep in mind.

But first I have a story! Once upon a time, I knew someone who wanted to save money on her energy bill. And she was in a very drafty old place that got almost no sunlight and leaked air from every single crevice, so she was spending oodles on heating. So she decided to save money on heating! And she turned her heating off. Like, completely off. As far as I know, she went through every year I knew her without any heat at all on in her house. Goodness, she may very well be still doing it today.

Thankfully, she lives in the Pacific Northwest, where this is not that crazy an idea. But she can't be the only person out there who thought of this, so I'd like to remind you all out there: Please, save energy! Saving energy is good. But please, please think of your pipes before you go too crazy with the idea.

Frozen pipes are a big deal. If the water in your pipes starts freezing, you run the risk of that pipe exploding—and goodness knows that's not what most people are hoping to do when they're trying to save energy in the dead of winter. Unfortunately, I can't just say "keep your thermostat over X degrees to avoid pipe freezing." It depends on where you live, where your pipes are, and how well insulated those pipes are.

There are relatively few places in the United States where you'd never have to worry about frozen pipes. According to Weather.com, southern states generally start having issues with frozen pipes when the temperature reaches about 20 degrees Fahrenheit (the distinction is made because houses in the south are less likely to build pipes inside or in the "warm" parts of your home.) EERE's own Federal Energy Management Program has a file that shows the probability of frozen pipes in your region (PDF 115 KB). Download Adobe Reader.

So, unless you live in a place where it never gets below freezing (you lucky souls, you), you'll need to know some things about your house or apartment: Some water pipes will be in the "warm" parts of your house. This is why you don't want the temperature inside your house to drop too low, because bathroom and kitchen pipes are generally not insulated, and they rely on whatever system you're using to heat the rest of your house to keep warm.

And if you rent, you might want to see if the owners require their tenants to keep their thermostat above a certain level—my apartment requires all tenants to keep their thermostats above 65, for example, and asks us to consider leaving the taps dripping.

But while these are all good reasons to be careful with the temperature you keep your thermostat at, don't forget the rest of your pipes—some of your water pipes may be in "cold" parts of your house, like crawl spaces or attics, where they don't get any of your home's ambient heat and may, in fact, be subjected to air directly from the outside. What you'll need to do is based on the region you live in, so you may want to look up your state or city's Web site and see if they have recommendations on how to prepare your house for the winter, because you may want to insulate those pipes.

And, lest I forget to bring up something from the renewable energy field, you should also know that you need to take special precautions to make sure your solar water heaters don't freeze if you live in a cold enough climate.

In the end, I suppose it's still a judgment call, but just remember: Your pipes are vulnerable, frozen pipes are a pain, and you should always consider how your house is built before you make any drastic decisions on how to heat your home in the winter.

Elizabeth Spencer is a communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

How Does Your Fuel Economy Compare to the Test Ratings on Fueleconomy.gov?

2009-11-12T07:36:00-08:00

On Monday, you read about the resources on Fueleconomy.gov and how they can help you compare the fuel economy of vehicles.

Fueleconomy.gov also offers a tool called Your MPG, where you can track your own fuel economy and compare it to that of other users and to the test ratings. Many factors affect your mileage, and you may see different numbers than those list on Fueleconomy.gov. Whether you are using Your MPG or just keeping track on your own:

How does your fuel economy compare to the test ratings on Fueleconomy.gov?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a question about energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

Efficient Living in a Small House: Could You Make the Switch?

2009-11-10T06:00:00-08:00

From time to time over the last few years, I've come across articles and blogs discussing the "Small House Movement." The movement encourages homeowners to reject the huge homes that dominate many suburban neighborhoods and embrace smaller homes and simpler living. Do a quick Web search on the movement and you'll find many photos and testimonials for these small homes—some smaller than 100 square feet.

Many of these homes are fascinating. Not only are the designs innovative, attractive, and comfortable, they are also relatively inexpensive—especially when you consider long-term maintenance costs.

I also like them for their energy efficiency. Think of the potential savings: a smaller home means fewer lights, less space to heat and cool, and smaller appliances. Simply having less room to store things means you would likely buy fewer items that use electricity. Not to mention the time savings; less space and fewer possessions means less to maintain, fix, and clean. Less time cleaning is a definite plus in my book!

Some of my favorite small homes are those built by the Solar Decathlon teams. At roughly 800 square feet, they are larger than some of the truly tiny homes out there, but they are excellent examples of beautifully designed small homes that are energy efficient and that you might actually want to live in. Check out the photos, videos, and virtual tours to get a closer look at these amazing homes. You'll see that they are not just energy-efficient, but also space-efficient homes. The homes still have all of the features and amenities you could want, fit into a smaller space and often ingeniously designed so they are out of the way when not in use.

Small home living would take some adjusting for some of us, but many people have shifted to this way of life and are singing its praises. What do you think about the Small House Movement? Would you consider moving to a smaller house? What changes would you have to make for it to work for you?

If you've already moved to a smaller home, tell us what it was like for you. In your experience, what are the advantages and disadvantages? Any advice for others interested in making the switch?

Allison Casey is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

Buying a Car? Find Out What it Will REALLY Cost You Each Year

2009-11-09T11:52:00-08:00

If you're in the market for a new car, you've probably been doing a lot of research. Talking to friends, reading reviews, scoping out other cars on the road, maybe even taking some test drives.

You probably have a list of things you want in car, and you should consider all of these points of comparison before you make a final decision. Buying a car can be confusing, and you may feel overwhelmed by data points, but I'm going to give you more! Aren't you lucky?

Before you start banging your head on the desk, read on. This one might be even more important than the car's color.

It's fuel economy.

I know, I know. You're probably already thinking about it—whether you're buying a car or not. Last year's high gas prices got fuel economy on the brain, but it's something you should especially think about if you're buying a car. And you may want to look beyond just the sticker on the car.

Fueleconomy.gov is a great way to quickly compare vehicles, and estimates are now available for model year 2010 vehicles. You can even print the guide to take it with you while you're out shopping, or if you're not into paper, you can use the mobile version at fueleconomy.gov/m.

Beyond just the fuel economy numbers, though, the site gives you info on the annual fuel costs, the carbon footprint, the energy impact score, and the air pollution score for a vehicle. You can even enter information on own driving habits and fuel prices in your area to adjust the estimates. Just look up a vehicle and click on the link that says "Use Your Gas Prices & Annual Miles" to enter your data. So if you drive more or less than most people, or if you spend a lot of (or no) time on the highway, you'll more accurately see what you're likely to spend fueling a particular car each year.

Finally, if you like to track these things, you may want to consider signing up for Fueleconomy.gov's "Your MPG." With this tool, you can calculate and track your own fuel economy and compare it to the test ratings and to the ratings reported by other users. Many factors affect your mileage, and if your own results vary from the test ratings and the results of other users, you may want to look into how you can improve your gas mileage.

Good luck with your decision if you're buying a car, and don't forget to compare the fuel economy of the vehicles you're looking at. You could save a lot of money over the life of the vehicle.

Allison Casey is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

Blog note: Our blog's comment feature has had a few problems over the last couple of weeks, and unfortunately, a few comments have been lost. We sincerely apologize if your comment was lost and we're working to correct this problem. We hope you'll stick with us and keep your great comments coming.

Also remember that you can join the conversation on our Facebook page. You should become a fan.

Finally, a reminder that this blog is not the place to advertise your business. Any comments advertising a commercial product or service will not be published, per our blog policy.

With this in mind, you might as well use a real name when commenting (first name only is fine). I doubt that any of you were named "Free Money" at birth, and if you were, you have my sympathy!

What Is Your Energy-Saving Success Story?

2009-11-05T05:00:00-08:00

On Tuesday, Chris discussed National Weatherization Day and some of the personal stories being highlighted on the new Energy Empowers site.

Stories like these are good reminders that people all around the country care about saving energy and using clean, renewable technologies—and they're working to make it happen. Whether you are making improvements in your home, are joining the energy workforce, or are helping others adopt efficient practices, tell us:

What is your energy-saving success story?

Leave your comments here, and then be sure to visit Energy Empowers to read the stories and submit your own.

Weatherization and Energy Efficiency Success Stories

2009-11-03T05:00:00-08:00

Last Friday was National Weatherization Day, which brought attention to the cost-saving and environmental benefits of:

Weather stripping and caulking
Properly insulating your home
Reducing electricity use
Replacing incandescent light bulbs with CFLs
Buying energy-efficient appliances
And other ways to save energy and money at home.

In this video, Matt Rogers, a senior advisor at DOE, talks about the benefits of weatherization and how it provides a high return on investment for home owners. He says that for every one dollar invested in weatherization and energy efficiency practices, consumers get 30 cents back per year. Additionally, Matt mentions that weatherization has become a national priority by creating new jobs, reducing our environmental footprint, and making our homes more live able.

Also, DOE Secretary Steven Chu's Op-Ed was published in last Friday's Huffington Post. Secretary Chu even talks about his day-to-day efforts to save money and energy at home through weatherization practices.

Similarly, last week, the U.S. Department of Energy also unveiled a new Web site, Energy Empowers, which highlights other weatherization success stories. Some of the stories include:

A slideshow illustrating weatherization work in Las Cruces, New Mexico
How an energy-efficiency window company is saving home owners' energy and money
One of the first production builders in the United States to offer zero-energy construction as an optional upgrade on every home it builds

Although Friday marked our nation's "official" weatherization day, it's important to remember that we only truly realize the value of saving money and energy at home when we make these weatherization and energy efficiency behaviors part of our day-to-day lives.

Chris Stewart is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

Going Ductless with Heat Pumps

2009-11-02T08:06:00-08:00

My home, unlike most homes in the United States, has no ducts. My wife and I bought the house nearly 20 years ago. Window air conditioners provided air conditioning during the hot muggy Washington, D.C., summers. Baseboard electric heaters provided heating in winter. Before a lot of you post your sympathies in the comments, let me say this: my house is well insulated and very air tight, as a whole house energy audit demonstrated about 15 years ago. Yet, even though electric baseboard heating is about 100% efficient, it is a costly way of heating a house. And as I got older, each year I enjoyed installing and removing the window air conditioners less and less.

To cut costs and energy consumption, we had a ductless heat pump installed in our bedroom. We liked it so much that we had an identical unit installed on the other end of the house in our dining room the following year. This provided efficient heating and cooling for the upper floor of our two-story house, totally eliminating the window air conditioners. We kept the baseboard heaters as a backup, and for use in the guest bedrooms. Since our house is built into the side of a hill, the downstairs stays fairly cool during the summer but requires dehumidification. I had bought a high efficiency dehumidifier about 15 years ago, and it performed great until last year, when it was unable to keep the humidity level in check. So I started thinking about replacing it.

Well, I recently learned that several models of ductless heat pumps were eligible for the federal energy efficiency tax credits. I decided to retire the dehumidifier and had two ultra-efficient ductless heat pumps installed downstairs. This summer we used them in dehumidification mode and they work great. Last month's electric bill was a pleasant surprise, so they seem to be dehumidifying efficiently. They have an incredible 25 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) in the air conditioning mode, and a high 10 Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) in the heating mode, thanks to inverter technology, qualifying them for the federal tax credits.

How to identify ductless heat pumps that qualify for the federal tax credits

Set your browser to the CEE Directory Web site and select Find Variable Speed Mini-Split and Multi-Split Heat Pumps. Qualifying split system heat pumps must meet CEE Tier 2 standards, their highest tier for these systems.

Our ductless heat pumps are incredibly quiet. Outdoors, I can't even tell when they are running; the next door neighbors' conventional air conditioner drowns out the little noise our units make. I never have to clean ducts, nor worry about the many problems associated with leaky ductwork. Ductless heat pumps aren't for everyone, though. They're most appropriate for large open spaces. Multiple walled-in rooms would require many separate units, or one or more outdoor units connected to multiple indoor units, which gets quite expensive.

Ductless heat pump models are available anywhere in the continental United States. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) and its partners recently launched a ductless heat pump pilot program to determine cost and energy savings potential of inverter-driven ductless heat pumps in single family homes across the U.S. Northwest. Their goal is to install 2,500 ductless heat pumps. NEEA is a private non-profit organization funded by Northwest utilities, the Energy Trust of Oregon, and the Bonneville Power Administration.

Certain ductless heat pumps are even suitable for quite cold areas. Although I didn't order the cold climate model, it is designed to provide 100% of rated heating capacity at 5°F and 87% at -4°F, and is also guaranteed to provide heating down to -13°F outdoor temperature.

None of my heat pumps contain back-up electric resistance heaters. Yet I'm surprised how effective my older models have been in winter, even when the temperatures drop below freezing. This again is due to the inverter technology they incorporate. I'm confident the newer models will perform even better. Though I don't look forward to winter, I'm sure my heating bills this winter will be much more palatable than last year.

John Lippert is an employee of Energy Enterprise Solutions, a contractor for EERE. He assists with technical reviews of content on the Energy Savers Web site.

How Do You Encourage Your Family to Use Less Water?

2009-10-29T07:00:00-07:00

On Monday, Allison discussed fifteen ways you can save on your water heating costs. While there are many ways to keep your HOT water use to a minimum, sometimes the best thing to do is just shut off the water as much as possible!

But if you have multiple people living in your home, it can be difficult to convince everyone to do their part to use less water. Maybe one likes to linger in a hot shower while another leaves the water running while brushing his teeth—all of these little habits add up!

How do you encourage your family to use less water?

What I Do to Save Energy and Money in the Winter

2009-10-27T06:00:00-07:00

Colorado's cool autumn weather has arrived, which was marked with an exclamation point last week with cold rain, sleet, and snow in Denver. With the quiet hum of my heater periodically firing up, I'm reminded of what I do to save energy and money at home in the winter.

Program my thermostat to keep my home cool during the day (when no one is around) and during the night when I'm sleeping. Otherwise, I try and keep the inside temperature at 68 degrees, which is what my local utility company recommends—saving me up to $100 per year.
Let the sunshine in. The solar heat gain from the day keeps my place warm during daylight. (And closing the drapes or blinds at night can help keep the heat in and insulate the inside—preventing as much as 15% of the heat from escaping.)
Keep my hot water heater a little below the recommended temperature setting. Setting the heater to a slightly cooler setting of about 120°F reduces the amount of energy used to heat the water while still keeping the water warm enough for home use. In fact, each time you lower the temperature by 10°F you’ll save 3%ndash;5% on your water heating costs.
Use cold water when using the washing machine, which saves me about $60 per year.
Continue to replace my old light bulbs with CFLs, which saves me about $50 over the life of just one bulb.
Reverse my ceiling fan to spin clockwise, which takes the rising hot air and blows it down in my bedroom.
Touch up the weatherstripping around my doors and windows.
Take care of my ENERGY STAR® appliances. Fortunately, when I moved into my home a little more than three years ago, all the appliances were ENERGY STAR-rated. This helps save me up to $75 a year in appliance energy usage. (And if you're in the market for new appliances, stay-tuned for more information about a new state-administered ENERGYSTAR appliance rebate program.)
Bonus: This past spring, I added a storm window to the only remaining window in my home that wasn't double-paned. I'm looking forward to 25%–50% efficiency savings this season!

Chris Stewart is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.

15 Ways to Save on Your Water Heating Bill

2009-10-26T13:49:00-07:00

Sometimes it surprises me to see that the most popular pages on the Energy Savers site are the ones about solar water heaters and demand (or tankless) water heaters. But considering that water heating can account for around 12% of a family's utility bill—the biggest chunk after space heating and cooling—it really shouldn't be that surprising that you want to know how to heat your water more efficiently.

Obviously, not everyone is in a position to go out and buy a new water heater, but we can all do something to use less water and save on our bills.

Whether you're looking for no-cost habit changes, low-cost purchases or improvements, or large investments like new water heaters or appliances, there's something here for you:

Take short showers instead of baths. Of course, your savings here depends on your and your family's habits. A long, hot shower may use a lot more hot water than a bath where the tub isn't filled to the brim. But even a bath with only a few inches of water can use a heck of a lot of water if you have one of those HUGE jetted bathtubs! A warm bath is a nice luxury, but for daily bathing stick with a short shower. And if you can stand it, you might even try turning off the water while soaping up, shampooing, or shaving!
Reduce your time in the shower. I know I sometimes spend too long in the shower because I'm just too cold to get out! This is anecdotal, but keeping the bathroom door tightly closed seems to keep the air much warmer; just run the fan to take care of the steam. Having a big towel and big fluffy robe nearby also helps!
Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120°F; for every 10ºF reduction in temperature, you can save from 3%–5% on your water heating costs. Learn more about lowering your water heating temperature.
Don't let the water run. Are you guilty of leaving the water on while you brush your teeth? Or when you step away to grab dirty dishes, or find the soap? All of those extra minutes can add up to a lot of wasted water. It only takes a second to shut it off!
Use cold water for most laundry loads, and always use cold water for the rinse cycle.
Use your dishwasher efficiently. Wash only full loads, choose shorter wash cycles, and activate the booster heater if your dishwasher has one.
Fix leaks. A leak of one drip per second can cost $1 per month. That may not seem like much, but this drip calculator from the American Water Works Association puts it into perspective: at 60 drips per minute, you waste 8.64 gallons per day, 259 gallons per month, and just over 3,153 gallons per year. That is a LOT of good, clean water just going to waste!
Install low-flow fixtures. Federal regulations require new showerheads and faucets to have low flow rates. Showerheads and faucets that pre-date 1992 can use more than twice as much water as new ones. For a small investment, you can achieve water savings of 25%–60%. Learn more about low-flow showerheads and faucets.
Install heat traps on your water heater tank. You could save $15–$30 on your water heating bill. You may need a professional to help you install them on your existing tank, but some new storage water heaters include heat traps. Learn more about heat traps.
Insulate your hot-water storage tank. For electric tanks, be careful not to cover the thermostat, and for natural gas or oil hot water storage tanks, be careful not to cover the water heater's top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. (Follow the manufacturer's recommendations). Learn more about insulating your hot water tank.
Insulate the first few feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater. Learn more about insulating your water pipes.
Install a timer that turns off your electric water heater at night or times when you don't use it. You could also use it to turn off the water heater during your utility's peak demand times. Learn more about when you might want to use a timer.
Consider upgrading your clothes washer. ENERGY STAR® says that you could fill three backyard swimming pools with the water you save over the life of a new ENERGY STAR-qualified washer. If you're replacing a washer that's over 10 years old, you can save over $135 per year.
Consider purchasing a new water heater. Don't limit yourself to just conventional storage water heaters! There are other efficient options that might be right for you. Learn more about your options and considerations when selecting a new water heater. Don't forget: some water heaters are eligible for a tax credit if you buy in 2009 or 2010.
Consider purchasing an ENERGY STAR-qualified dishwasher that uses 31% less energy and 33% less water.

Allison Casey is a senior communicator at DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.