Alternative Cooling

My favorite alternative cooling device is a gin and tonic. It’s portable, easy to operate and provides instant on-demand refreshment.

Is there such a thing as a Tanqueray energy tax credit?

Although you can install solar panels, a wind turbine or micro hydro to generate the electricity to run an air conditioner, the only true whole house alternative cooling method is a geothermal ground source pump.

The cost of this type of system can be recouped in as little as two years on a new house installation, but the initial capital outlay is more than most homeowners can afford.

Let’s say you re-mortgage your house for $20,000 and you have a choice between a new kitchen and a geothermal heat pump; how many new heat pumps have your neighbors been showing off lately?

Less expensive options to consider:

Weatherization

The only people who haven’t learned the value of caulking, weather stripping and insulating yet are living in caves or tents.

Fans

Ceiling, paddle, and portable fans produce air motion across your skin that increases evaporative cooling. A moderate breeze of one to two miles an hour can extend your comfort range by several degrees.

Whole House Fans and Evaporative (Swamp) Coolers

These devices can reduce your air conditioning costs by 50% or more but are only effective if you live in a dry climate (less than 40%humidity).

White Roofing

Elastomeric roof coatings reflect 90% of the sun’s rays and will reduce the indoor temperature by 7 degrees according the independent research laboratory MER Corporation. These coatings are for flat roofs and cost around .50 per square foot to apply.

Radiant Barriers

These shiny, reflective barriers keep excess heat out of your attic in the summer or keeping your floors warm in the winter. Stapled under the rafters or joists, it reflects 97 of the radiant heat that strikes it. The non-profit Florida Solar Energy Center has shown that an attic radiant barrier can reduce air conditioning costs by at least 20%.

Air Conditioners

Clean the filter once a month. Turn off your A/C when you leave for more than an hour. It saves money. Draw the shades while you’re at work. Close off unused rooms or, if you have central A/C, close the registers in those rooms and shut the doors.

Set your A/C thermostat at 78

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Posted on June 29th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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Four Easy Home Energy Audit Areas

You can conduct your own home energy audit to reduce your energy bill. Energy prices are rising rapidly due to the natural disasters that hit the U.S. Gulf Coast and disrupted oil well operations. Here’s four areas you can easily assess for energy savings.

Find Air Leaks In Your Home:

Did you know you can increase your energy savings 5 - 30% per year just by plugging air leaks in your home? Here’s how you
investigate air leaks and plug them.

Check for air gaps along floor edges and baseboards. Look for air gaps around:

- Electrical outlets

- Switch plates

- Door weatherstripping

- Window frames

- Attic hatches

- Fireplace dampers

- Window or wall-mounted air conditioners

Here’s other places where air leaks drive up your energy bill:

- Pipes

- Wires

- Mail slots

Poorly done caulking and weather stripping are prime locations for air leaks. Run your hand along these areas to see if you can feel any drafts. Inspect all doors and windows. If you can rattle them, movement indicates possible air leaks. Can you see light coming through windows frames? If so, that’s an air leak you can plug.

Be sure your storm windows are properly closed and fit well. If you can’t afford to replace old ones, tape plastic sheeting over them for the winter to cut down on air leakage.

You can also check the outside of your home for air leaks. Look at the exterior corners, and where your siding and chimney
meet. Plug and caulk any gaps you see in these areas. Look where your house foundation and the bottom of your brick or siding meet. If you see holes there, seal and/or caulk them to shut off the leak.

Insulation:

If your home is not properly insulated, you’ll suffer enormous heating and air conditioning loss. Since energy prices are rising, you may wish to evaluate the present insulation in your home, and figure out if you need to replace or add to the insulation.

Check out your attic insulation, particularly around the attic hatch. Make sure it closes tightly and is properly weather stripped.

While you’re poking around your attic, be sure the pipes, ductwork and chimney is sealed as well. Expanding foam caulk is an excellent sealant for these areas.

Do you have an adequate vapor barrier in your attic? Some possible barriers are tar paper, Kraft paper, or plastic sheeting. If you don’t have vapor barrier material, you can paint the interior ceilings with a vapor barrier paint. Vapor barriers reduce moisture. Less moisture increases insulation effectiveness and decreases structural damage.

Don’t block your attic vents with insulation. Seal electrical boxes with caulk and cover your attic floor with the recommended amount of insulation.

Don’t forget to check your basement. If it’s not heated, be sure your living room floor has insulation underneath it. In many parts of the U.S., the insulation R value should be 25. If your basement is heated, the insulation R value should be 19. Consult with your local home improvement store for more details.

Furnaces, Heat Pumps, and Air Conditioners:

Proper maintenance of your furnace, heat pump, and air conditioning unit will do two things: it’ll extend the life of the system, and each unit will operate at peak energy efficiency. Be sure to replace system filters monthly with forced-air furnance systems.

This is a simple maintenance task anyone can do, but if you forget to do it, expensive repairs could be necessary.

Is your furnace, air conditioner, or heat pump more than 15 years old? If so, you should seriously consider replacing the system, since new units are very energy efficient. If your current system is in poor condition, a new one will reduce your energy consumption and energy bills.

Insulate your ductwork and pipes in unheated spaces with insulation material that has an R value of at least 16.

Lighting:

Inspect the wattage size of your light bulbs. If you’re using 100-watt bulbs when 60 or 75 watt light bulbs will do, swap them out. Fluorescent lighting is a good energy efficient method for lights that are on for hours at a time. Check with your local electric company to see if they offer rebates or incentives for using energy-efficient lighting.

Doing these four simple energy audits are easy. They don’t take up a whole lot of time, but they can certainly reduce your
energy bills and make your home more energy efficient.

nancy@improveyourhomesvalue.com

http://www.improveyourhomesvalue.com

Cut your energy costs with the “Six Home Improvement Money and Energy Saving Techniques” ebook.

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Posted on June 9th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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Heat Pump Key to Your Heating and Air Conditioning

A heat pump is simply an air conditioner that contains a valve allowing it to let you decide whether you want heat or cool air to circulate throughout your home. The heat pump valve can be adjusted based on your specific needs - providing you with a cool breeze or reversing its flow of Freon, located in the air conditioning refrigerant, and delivering a toasty feel to the room. The heat pump is an electric component that has come a long way from the proprietary gas furnace.

Most people are at least familiar with heat pumps and how it can be a cost-effective way to provide the very best in central air conditioning . Depending on your climate and your heating and air conditioning needs, choosing an advanced heat pump system can range anywhere from $2,000 up to a top-of-the-line, more popular brand that is around $8,000. Some of the best heat pumps can be very expensive but are very quiet and are sure to give you more “bang for your buck.”

Maintaining your heat pump system so it can last you years, comes from taking care of the entire air conditioning system and air conditioning parts . Cleaning the air conditioning air filter at least once a month properly (some air conditioning systems now even have disposable air conditioning filters, ) doing an annual air conditioning inspection with a creditable air conditioning company , and simply paying attention to the heat pump thermostat are all ways to make your heat pump air conditioner last.

If you are shopping around for a new heat pump thermostat , look for one that has a variety of features to deliver an overall performance that will give you the best in temperature control. There are two main types of heat pump thermostats and the options are simply based on preference. There are electro-mechanical and electronic heat pump thermostats, used for residential purposes. Many buy the electro-mechanical who do not really want a lot of fuss and are weary of new technology. The electronic heat pump thermostats can provide any temperature you’d like and are entirely programmable, where you can set it to 60 degrees at night and then have it programmed to be at a comfortable 70 degrees when you wake up in the morning. Electro-mechanical thermostats contain a bi-metal coil or strip that are two different types of metals, which expand and contract at different rates. When this takes place, the coil or strip moves and connects to a device that will provide the electrical circuit. They are set at standard temperatures and you adjust them with a little switch to the appropriate temperature.

The heat pump clearly plays an important to the air conditioning system whether this application is residential or commercial. Understanding this component is important for maintence of your heating or cooling system.

Sanjeev Shroff, the author has expertise in air conditioning system management and installation in both residential and commercial applications. Futher information can be found on his web site including information on search diverse topics as heat pumps to evaporator coils. www.AirConditioning-Filter.com: The Ultimate Guide to Filters and Much More.

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Posted on March 30th, 2008 by itbsuperrich
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