House Energy LLC: Your Great Defense Against Over Consumption By. Weerad D. Arma
[caption id="attachment_169745" align="alignleft" width="308" caption="House Energy"][/caption] As a result of this human craving, the cost of energy consumption is affected. Through all the time, the amount paid for the house energy consumption is continuously rising. In most of the households in the country, the cooling and heating procedures are the biggest factors that trigger the energy costs to rise. Like for example, a home which is poorly insulated prompts a great dose of cool and warm air to escape towards the exterior portion of the home.
The poorly set fittings of the windows and doors are also contributory factors to the wasting of house energy. Logically seeing things, the summer days allow the warm air to leak inside your home while the winter days let the air leak out of the home. Hence, this continuing practice promotes a great deal of house energy waste. Check out the air tightness your home has. Storm windows or double-pane windows must be installed as replacements for the single-pane windows.
To be Energy Efficient
The first national appliance efficiency standards for water heaters took effect in 1990. New standards, which took effect in January 2004, increased the minimum efficiency levels of water heaters.
The most efficient gas-fired storage water heaters have energy factors ranging from 0.63 to 0.67, corresponding to estimated gas use below 170 therms/year. Condensing water heaters have energy factors as high as 0.86. The most efficient electric storage water heaters have energy factors ranging between 0.93 and 0.95, resulting in estimated annual energy use below 4,725 kWh/year.There is little difference between the most efficient electric resistance storage water heaters and the minimum efficiency standard.
Fortunately, heat pump water heaters using less than half as much electricity as conventional electric resistance water heaters are becoming commercially available. If you use electricity for water heating, consider installing a heat pump water heater.    Conserve Water: Your biggest opportunity for savings is to use less hot water. In addition to saving energy (and money), cutting down on hot water use helps conserve dwindling water supplies, which in some parts of the country is a critical problem. Water-conserving showerheads and faucet aerators can cut hot water use in half. That family of four can save 14,000 gallons of water a year and the energy required to heat it.
Insulate Your Existing Water Heater: If your water heater was installed before 2004, installing an insulating jacket on your existing water heater is one of the most effective do-it-yourself energy-saving projects, especially if your water heater is in an unheated basement or space.
The insulating jacket will reduce standby heat loss--heat lost through the walls of the tank--by 25-40%, saving 4-9% on your water heating bills. Water heater insulation jackets are widely available for around $10. Some newer water heaters come with fairly high insulation levels, reducing the economic benefits of adding additional insulation. In fact, some manufacturers recommend against installing insulating jackets on their energy-efficient models.
Insulate Hot Water Pipes: Insulating your hot water pipes will reduce losses as the hot water is flowing to your faucet and, more importantly, it will reduce standby losses when the tap is turned off and then back on within an hour or so. A great deal of energy and water is wasted waiting for the hot water to reach the tap. Even when pipes are insulated, the water in the pipes will eventually cool, but it stays warmer much longer than it would if the pipes weren't insulated.
Lower the Water Heater Temperature: Keep your water heater thermostat set at the lowest temperature that provides you with sufficient hot water. Each 10°F reduction in water temperature will generally save 3-5% on your water heating costs. Look for a water heater that satisfies your hot water needs and uses as little energy as possible. Often you can substantially reduce your hot water needs through water conservation efforts.Resource Credit: Commission of Public Works, South Carolina© 2007 Avis Ward of AWard Consulting, LLC
