Home Energy Solutions

1. Home Energy Solutions Easy Ways to Help Yourself Donna Coffin, UMaine Extension Educator

2. Why Save Energy? • Save on costs • Reduce fuel needs • Be good steward of environment • Reduce carbon footprint (Governor’s challenge) www.maine.gov/dep/innovation • Other?

3. Direct Energy Use- Household How We Use Energy in Our Homes in the Northeast Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of a typical utility bill. Source: Building Energy Data Book, Table 2.3.10: 2001 Energy End-Use for an Average Household by region

4. How America Stays Warm Household Heating SystemsAlthough several different types of fuels are available to heat our homes, more than half of Americans use natural gas. http://www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/heating_cooling.html

5. How Maine Stays Warm A recent Maine Lung Association survey indicated the 48% or Maine households intend to use wood stoves or pellet stoves as the main source or supplemental source of heat this winter. Source: Historical Census of Housing – House Heating Fuel – 2000: www.census.gov/hhes/www/housing/census/historic/fuels.html accessed 8/20/08

6. Basic Rule of Heat Transfer Heat always flows from a warmer area to a colder area HOT COLD

7. Four Types Heat Loss • Conduction - heat transfer through solids 6 inches of fiberglass = 8 feet brick • Convection - heat transfer through liquids & gases 1/8” door gap = 6” round hole • Radiation - heat transfer w/o solids, liquids or gases Example: Warming by sunlight • Ventilation - for health, moisture control, comfort 30-50% R.H. indoors is ideal

8. Personal Empowerment • Estimate how much energy your home uses • Look at different energy saving techniques • Evaluate the cost and payback options • Make changes that make sense for you • Use less • Increase efficiency

9. Step One Assess what you have • Fill out form • Measure or estimate the size of the house • Measure or estimate the size of the windows • Use one year’s worth of utility bills to estimate total energy use for the year

10. Do You Need a Certified Audit? • Certified auditor list http://www.mainehousing.org/ ENERGYAuditServices.aspx • Online self audit http://hes.lbl.gov/ • Home Energy Evaluation - see sample form

11. Do-It-Yourself Evaluation Things to check: • Joints and Penetrations (infiltration) • Insulation (heat loss and gain) • Ventilation (crawl space and attics) • Ductwork • Doors and Windows • Heating & Cooling Systems • Appliances • Water Heating • Lighting

12. Energy Evaluation Resources • UMaine Extension Energy Evaluation Check List http://www.extension.umaine.edu/energy/checklist.htm

13. DIY Evaluation Things to check: • Joints and Penetrations – caulk • Insulation – enough? • Ventilation – to let excess moisture out • Ductwork – wrap pipes with insulation • Doors and Windows – seal, pull curtains, indoor shutters • Heating & Cooling Systems – clean upgrade? • Appliances – upgrade • Water Heating – insulate tank • Lighting – fluorescent

14. Step Two • Calculate the heating costs Btu per Standard Heating Unit • Use the mBtu to calculate savings • mBtu = million Btu = 1,000,000 Btu

15. Definition: BTU A British Thermal Unit (BTU) is the amount of heat energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree F. This is the standard measurement used to state the amount of energy that a fuel has as well as the amount of output of any heat generating device.

16. Heat content of fuel

17. Efficiency of Fuel Burning Systems

18. Heat Cost Comparisons Formula for cost per million BTU (Cost per unit of fuel ($) x 1,000,000) divided by (Energy content per unit of fuel (BTU) and the product of this divided by the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency of your heating appliance

19. Human Thermal Comfort is determined by six variables: • air temperature • air velocity • relative humidity • clothing • metabolic rate (activity level) • mean radiant temperature Fanger, P.O., Thermal Comfort, McGraw Hill C., 1972, pag 256.

20. Apartments and Homes Low cost ways to save energy • Personal attitude & behavior • Wear layered warm clothes indoors during winter • Take short showers instead of baths • Close windows & doors (train family)

21. Apartments and Homes No Cost… Low Cost • Reducing heating costs • Turn down thermostat • Unblock heating and return air vents • Place reflectors behind radiators • Leave south-facing window curtains open in winter and closed in summer to collect or prevent solar heat gain.

22. Apartments and Homes No Cost… Low Cost • More Keeping Warm Tips • Clean and inspect furnace annually • Use foil tape to repair heating ducts • Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air • Check hot air furnace filters every 1 to 3 months • Add humidity • Close off unused rooms

23. No Cost… Low Cost • Reduce Air Infiltration • Insulate attic access doors • Re-level blown – in attic insulation • Caulk and weather strip around foundation, pipes, windows, etc. • Install door sweeps or use draft dodgers • Insulation for light switches and outlets • Don’t use fireplace and close it off • Insulate air conditioner if left in window

24. Checking for Drafts • Turn on a bathroom or kitchen exhaust fan • Attach a 6” piece of tissue paper to a pencil and hold next to a window or outlet. • Observe the paper moving slightly to show areas that need to be insulated.

25. Weatherize Against Infiltration • Caulk at any joint or penetration to the exterior -wiring, pipes & duct penetrations in the attic, under floor &through walls • Caulk where dissimilar materials meet • Weatherstrip doors, windows, & sills • Vapor barriers - 20GPD evaporates from crawl space into air of 1400 sq.ft. home • Install 4-6 mil plastic on “warm-in-winter” side

26. Caulking & Weather Stripping Caulking and Weatherstripping will payback in one year and make you more comfortable

27. Banking House • Plastic sheeting • Tar paper • Bags of leaves • Bales of straw or hay

28. Apartments and Homes Effect of Window Treatments

29. Apartments and Homes Door Draft Stoppers Window Draft Snakes • Fill with • foam pipe insulation • Sand • Plastic bags

30. Apartments and Homes No Cost… Low Cost • Water Heating • Turn down temperature on hot water heater (110o to 120o F) • Drain a few gallons from the bottom of your hot water heating tank • If leaving for more than two days, turn off water heater • Install low flow showerheads and aerators in your faucets • Repair all leaking faucets • Insulate your water heater* and supply pipes *not recommended to insulate gas water heaters

31. Apartments and Homes Low Cost – No Cost • Lighting • Keep lights clean; shut off when not in use • Compact florescent bulbs • Timers • Other appliances • Use power strip for computer, television, VCR, recorders, satellite, etc. so you can turn them off completely when not in use.

32. Apartments and Homes Lighting • Watt – amount of energy used • Lumen – amount of light produced • CFLs – cost 4x more that incandescent, last 10x longer, use ¼ the energy http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls

33. Apartments and Homes Holiday Lighting…Light Emitting Diode (LED) *typical amount of lighting used on the exterior and interior for one holiday season. ** Assuming 240 hours of use (6 hours of use for 40 days) at an electric rate of $0.16.kWh)

34. Apartments and Homes Low Cost – No Cost • Refrigerator / Freezer • Remove frost from freezer • Replace worn gaskets • Keep full • Clean the coils Consider replacing appliances that are over 20 years old and/or in need of major repairs with energy star models

35. Apartments and Homes Energy Costs of Various Methods of Cooking

36. Apartments and Homes Save energy in the kitchen • Match pan size to heating element • When cooking small meal, use microwave, crock pot or toaster oven • Use the smallest pan necessary for the job • Keep the lid on to hold in heat • Reduce cooking time by defrosting food in refrigerator first • Avoid looking in the oven as you cook! Source:You Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina Cooperative Extension

37. Apartments and Homes Save energy in the laundry room • Use lower temperature settings • Wash in cold water whenever possible • Load the washer to capacity • Don’t over dry clothes • Dry two or more loads in a row • Clean dryer filter after each use • Dry full loads • Clean exhaust vents • Hang clothes outside! Source: You Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina Cooperative Extension

38. Apartments and Homes Save energy while doing dishes • Use energy saving cycles • Use no-heat dry cycle • Don’t pre-rinse • Wash full loads • Load dishes according to manufacturers instructions • If washing dishes by hand, turn water on only to rinse

39. Moderate Initial Cost • Energy – saving (programmable) thermostats ($50-$100) • Repair ductwork • Install window treatments • Put tight-fitting doors on open fireplaces • Replace fireplace with wood stove • Energy efficient appliances • Landscaping

40. Programmable Thermostats • More convenient and accurate than manual thermostats and: • Improve comfort • Contain no mercury • Save energy and money on utility bills Save 1% annually for each degree setback for 8 hours per day

41. Repair Ductwork • Ducts might need repair and sealing when: • Rooms are too warm or too cold • High summer and winter utility bills • Little or no air flow from registers in some rooms • Air filters gets dirty quickly • Streaks of dust at registers or duct connections • No insulation on visible ducts (attic or crawl space) • Flexible ducts are tangled or kinked • Clean or vacuum ducts

42. Apartments and Homes Using Window Treatments • Heavy Drapes • Roman Shades • Insulation Boards

43. Significant Initial Cost • Add insulation to walls and ceiling • Replace/add ventilation systems • Replace doors and windows with NFRC-rated ones (National Fenestration Rating Council) • Replace heating systems and air conditioners with Energy Star-rated ones • Alternative fuels and heat sources • Other energy alternatives

44. R-value: thermal resistance which indicates the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating effectiveness. The R-value depends on the type of material, its thickness, and its density. U-value or coefficient of heat transmission: Measurement of ability to pass heat through materials or combination of materials U = 1/R R = 1/U R-value and U-value are inverse of each other Insulation

45. Insulation Maine R-value Recommendations • Ceilings/attics: R-38 to R-49 • Walls: R-13 to R-21 • Floor over Crawl Space: R-25 to R-30 • Crawl Space Wall : R-19 • Slab edge : R-8 • Basement Wall : • R-11 (interior) R-10 (exterior)

47. R- Value of a Wall Section

48. Example: Annual Energy CostsIncrease Attic Insulation

49. Insulation with ventilation • Ventilation Requirements- Roof • 1 square foot of ventilation opening per each 150 square foot of roof area • ½ at eave ½ at roof edge or higher area of roof is ideal

50. Insulation with ventilation to prevent ice dams