As the cost of living continues to rise, energy reports and broadcasts are crammed with energy saving tips and suggestions. Some energy saving tips require initial investments, some just solicit a change of lifestyle. The best energy saving tips are those that require almost nothing but changing a habit. This one is about the wise energy saving choices.
1.Limit, as much as possible, the use of water. Of course water is not that expensive (at least for now); but saving water saves energy. When cleaning the driveway, the deck or patio, using the broom instead of the hose would save several hundreds of gallons of water a year.
2.A push mower is a good idea to mow a small lawn. Aside from not using electricity or fuel to ride the mowing machine, it is also good exercise.
3.Rakes are good leaf movers. Like the push mower, you do not need energy to fuel up a machine to get the job done. There is also a sense of nostalgia in using this traditional tool.
4.Use compact fluorescent light bulbs to light up your driveway or as a security light. CFLs are one of the most handy and energy efficient products that you can have. If you are worried about bugs sticking to the light, there are yellow CFLs that are available.
5.When shopping, avoid going for the disposable ones. Disposable products need more landfills and landfills emit dangerous gasses. Go instead for items that could be used several times over. Again when shopping, go for products that are made of better quality. They might be a little more expensive but generally, quality products last longer.
6.Bring your own bags when shopping. Paper bags are made from trees; the environment can use more of them. Plastic bags on the contrary are oil based and are not biodegradable. If you bring your bag with you, you do not only help in saving energy, you could also get a discount from your store.
7.Batteries contain toxic materials. They produce heavy metal like zinc, zinc, arsenic, cadmium, mercury etc. Thus, disposal needs proper care. Once the heavy metal in batteries seeped into the ground it has a good chance of contaminating the ground. When buying products that would need batteries, pick those that are rechargeable. That way battery disposal is limited and you save on the cost of buying new batteries.
8.Good thing that SUV sales everywhere are going down (well, at least for the environment and not for car manufacturers). SUVs use much more energy than compact sedans for the same distance. While using SUV’s could be fun, there is also that tinge of indifference to the current energy issues and environmental problems we are facing. Reducing the use of SUVs on the street may not mean much in terms greenhouse gas emissions but is a signal to manufacturers to build more energy efficient vehicles.
9.The use of solar power is an excellent idea if you want to tackle the issues of energy conservation and environment protection. If there is one thing that the world needs most at this time, it is the widespread use of solar power.
10.Energy saving devices may cost a little extra but the pays offs are much more than the extra cost in terms longer life spans and energy saved.
Saving Energy Without Breaking A Bank
Energy is not just the monthly bill you have to pay each month; it is the foundation of everything you do and the life to everything you have. But with the increasing cost of energy, it cannot be denied that we need to take important measures to limit our energy consumption. Saving energy becomes a must and a habit that everyone should seriously adapt.
Heating and Cooling.
Almost half of your electric bill goes for your heating and cooling systems so if you really want to maximize your savings here are the following things you can do:
Clean your air filters at least once a month.
Clean baseboard heaters, radiators, and warm-air registers as often as necessary; make sure that they are working properly; and that they are not blocked by drapes, carpeting, and furniture.
Set the thermostat as high as is comfortable when it is hot or as low as is comfortable when it is cold.
Turn off exhaust fans (kitchen, bath, others) 20 minutes after cooking or bathing. Keeping them on for a long time affects the temperature of the room.
Lighting and Appliances
As much as possible, use natural lights – working near the windows will prevent you from turning on the light and consuming energy. Utilize the power of the sun.
Switch off the lights every time you leave the room even if it is just of a minute.
If you are using the 4-foot fluorescent lights, install reflective backings to maximize the light.
Switch to compact fluorescent lights. There are 4-watt minifluorescent lights and 40-watt fluorescent lights have the same illuminating effect.
Turn off all lights and appliances when not in use. Unplug unnecessary appliances like microwaves, television, stereos, computers, and VCRs if you are not using them. Also, unplug chargers and devices with bloc-shaped transformer on the plug. All of them consume energy when plugged in. Do not leave them on “stand-by” mode.
Look of Energy Star label when purchasing lighting product.
Use task lighting instead of lights that cover the entire room. For example, use lamp shades when reading and not the lights for your room.
Laundry
Washing your clothes cold will reduce washer’s energy consumption by as much as 90%. Air drying eliminates the energy use for machine drying.
Always do full loads whenever possible. If you are washing a small load, use appropriate water level and wash setting.
Refrigerator
Maintain a right temperature for your freezer and refrigerator.
Do not hold the refrigerator or freezer open. The energy consumption increases if the motor works endlessly just to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer.
Check for leaks and cracks in the gasket. Make sure that your refrigerator is completely sealed to maintain the temperature inside.
Insulation
Heat loss happens when your house is not properly sealed. Use sealants or weather-stripping on windows.
Make sure that air cannot escape or enter in to the pipes, doors, walls, floors and ceilings. A properly insulated home saves as much as 10% in electric bill.
In a typical household monthly electric bill, 44% goes to the heating and cooling systems; 33% goes to lighting and other appliances; 14% goes to heating the water; and 9% goes to the refrigerator. Take note of this power distribution to know where exactly you can maximize your saving.
Heating and Cooling.
Almost half of your electric bill goes for your heating and cooling systems so if you really want to maximize your savings here are the following things you can do:
Clean your air filters at least once a month.
Clean baseboard heaters, radiators, and warm-air registers as often as necessary; make sure that they are working properly; and that they are not blocked by drapes, carpeting, and furniture.
Set the thermostat as high as is comfortable when it is hot or as low as is comfortable when it is cold.
Turn off exhaust fans (kitchen, bath, others) 20 minutes after cooking or bathing. Keeping them on for a long time affects the temperature of the room.
Lighting and Appliances
As much as possible, use natural lights – working near the windows will prevent you from turning on the light and consuming energy. Utilize the power of the sun.
Switch off the lights every time you leave the room even if it is just of a minute.
If you are using the 4-foot fluorescent lights, install reflective backings to maximize the light.
Switch to compact fluorescent lights. There are 4-watt minifluorescent lights and 40-watt fluorescent lights have the same illuminating effect.
Turn off all lights and appliances when not in use. Unplug unnecessary appliances like microwaves, television, stereos, computers, and VCRs if you are not using them. Also, unplug chargers and devices with bloc-shaped transformer on the plug. All of them consume energy when plugged in. Do not leave them on “stand-by” mode.
Look of Energy Star label when purchasing lighting product.
Use task lighting instead of lights that cover the entire room. For example, use lamp shades when reading and not the lights for your room.
Laundry
Washing your clothes cold will reduce washer’s energy consumption by as much as 90%. Air drying eliminates the energy use for machine drying.
Always do full loads whenever possible. If you are washing a small load, use appropriate water level and wash setting.
Refrigerator
Maintain a right temperature for your freezer and refrigerator.
Do not hold the refrigerator or freezer open. The energy consumption increases if the motor works endlessly just to maintain the temperature of the refrigerator and freezer.
Check for leaks and cracks in the gasket. Make sure that your refrigerator is completely sealed to maintain the temperature inside.
Insulation
Heat loss happens when your house is not properly sealed. Use sealants or weather-stripping on windows.
Make sure that air cannot escape or enter in to the pipes, doors, walls, floors and ceilings. A properly insulated home saves as much as 10% in electric bill.
In a typical household monthly electric bill, 44% goes to the heating and cooling systems; 33% goes to lighting and other appliances; 14% goes to heating the water; and 9% goes to the refrigerator. Take note of this power distribution to know where exactly you can maximize your saving.
Saving Energy With Proper House Insulation
Why is efficient home insulation good for saving energy?
Almost half of your electric bill goes to regulating the temperature of your home. Thus if you want to save on your electric bills, the best place to start is your home’s insulation system.
Insulation is important to minimize or eliminate the heat exchange/loss inside your house. Good insulation keeps the interior warm during winter and cold during hot summer days. A well-insulated house allows your heating and cooling systems to effectively work as needed. Proper insulation can save as much as 10% of your monthly electric bill.
Meanwhile, if your house has leaks or if it has insufficient insulation, air will pass through; and heat exchange will occur on areas where insulation is inadequate. This results to heat loss. And because a house with leaks and insufficient insulation requires more power to regulate its temperature, energy consumption will likely increase.
Where to insulate?
Areas of the house including the switches, power outlets, plumbing fixtures, walls, windows, doors, ceilings, floors, basement, crawl spaces and attic should be properly insulated.
Insulation Tips
Make sure that you consider factors such as building design, budget and climate when selecting the R-values of the insulation materials. Use the proper R-values insulating materials for particular parts of the house.
Consider parts of your house such as the attic, floors, kitchen, bathroom, windows, walls, door and other parts where heat loss are more likely to happen. Use the required insulation materials on these parts to effectively control the temperature.
Sunk-lights can be a source of heat loss but you need to be careful on how close you place the insulation next to these fixtures. Check with your local building codes for reference.
When constructing a home, check on some construction materials that provide both structural support and good insulation.
Follow the product instruction when installing the insulation. Product instructions are the best source of information on how to maximize the use the products.
More Energy Saving Tips
Reduce your light consumption. Some lights produce heat that affects the temperature of the house.
Keep your temperature sensor away from hot materials like stove, oven, lights and other appliances that emit heat to get accurate temperature reading for effective heat regulation.
If the temperature outside is comfortably warm or cold, turn off your heating or cooling system. During heat season, open the drapes of the south-facing windows to allow natural light to enter your home. Close it at night to prevent cool winds from coming in. During winter, keep the drapes and shades closed to help reduce heat loss.
Buy energy-efficient products that will help minimize heat loss and reduce power consumption. Find a reputable contractor and ask advice on good heating and cooling equipment to buy.
During winter, adjust your thermostat at the lowest comfortable level; during summer, highest comfortable level.
Minimize the use of heat generating appliances to reduce the use of cooling system and save on electric bill.
A well-insulated house is like a well-sealed refrigerator. Lesser heat loss means lesser power consumption; and more heat loss means the motor will work harder to maintain the desired interior temperature and thus more energy consumed.
Saving energy means saving money. Make sure that you routinely check your house for leaks and holes and replace or repair leaking parts as soon as you discover them.
Almost half of your electric bill goes to regulating the temperature of your home. Thus if you want to save on your electric bills, the best place to start is your home’s insulation system.
Insulation is important to minimize or eliminate the heat exchange/loss inside your house. Good insulation keeps the interior warm during winter and cold during hot summer days. A well-insulated house allows your heating and cooling systems to effectively work as needed. Proper insulation can save as much as 10% of your monthly electric bill.
Meanwhile, if your house has leaks or if it has insufficient insulation, air will pass through; and heat exchange will occur on areas where insulation is inadequate. This results to heat loss. And because a house with leaks and insufficient insulation requires more power to regulate its temperature, energy consumption will likely increase.
Where to insulate?
Areas of the house including the switches, power outlets, plumbing fixtures, walls, windows, doors, ceilings, floors, basement, crawl spaces and attic should be properly insulated.
Insulation Tips
Make sure that you consider factors such as building design, budget and climate when selecting the R-values of the insulation materials. Use the proper R-values insulating materials for particular parts of the house.
Consider parts of your house such as the attic, floors, kitchen, bathroom, windows, walls, door and other parts where heat loss are more likely to happen. Use the required insulation materials on these parts to effectively control the temperature.
Sunk-lights can be a source of heat loss but you need to be careful on how close you place the insulation next to these fixtures. Check with your local building codes for reference.
When constructing a home, check on some construction materials that provide both structural support and good insulation.
Follow the product instruction when installing the insulation. Product instructions are the best source of information on how to maximize the use the products.
More Energy Saving Tips
Reduce your light consumption. Some lights produce heat that affects the temperature of the house.
Keep your temperature sensor away from hot materials like stove, oven, lights and other appliances that emit heat to get accurate temperature reading for effective heat regulation.
If the temperature outside is comfortably warm or cold, turn off your heating or cooling system. During heat season, open the drapes of the south-facing windows to allow natural light to enter your home. Close it at night to prevent cool winds from coming in. During winter, keep the drapes and shades closed to help reduce heat loss.
Buy energy-efficient products that will help minimize heat loss and reduce power consumption. Find a reputable contractor and ask advice on good heating and cooling equipment to buy.
During winter, adjust your thermostat at the lowest comfortable level; during summer, highest comfortable level.
Minimize the use of heat generating appliances to reduce the use of cooling system and save on electric bill.
A well-insulated house is like a well-sealed refrigerator. Lesser heat loss means lesser power consumption; and more heat loss means the motor will work harder to maintain the desired interior temperature and thus more energy consumed.
Saving energy means saving money. Make sure that you routinely check your house for leaks and holes and replace or repair leaking parts as soon as you discover them.
Saving Energy for Kids: Teaching Your Kids to be Energy Efficient
Saving energy and saving money should not be your sole responsibility as parents. Your kids must also learn to contribute in keeping the electric bills down. This way, your effort will not get wasted and at the same time, your kids will learn good values while growing up.
Because teaching your kids to be energy efficient requires some effort, here are easy to follow suggestions you can do:
Education
Teaching your kids the importance of saving energy should be your first goal. Take note that making them understand the value of being energy efficient is more effective than enumerating the ways to save energy and leaving it at that. Teach them how conserving energy helps the environment. Tell them stories or read educational books about the importance of energy.
Lead by example
You know very well that kids tend to follow what elders do. Practice what you preach. You may have listed and posted a litany of things-to-do to conserve energy but if you don't follow them yourself, you cannot expect your kids to follow it too. Do not just tell them to turn the lights off before leaving their room; show them by always turning the lights off every time you leave a room in your house. Education and leading by example are a good combination if you want to make good habits stick.
Make it fun
Find educational materials where your kids will learn the value of conserving energy as well as the ways on how to save it. Computer software, educational websites, books and television shows that educate and entertain kids would really make a difference on how well they will respond. This is especially applicable to kids from 5 to 10 years old.
Get your kids involved
Family activities should not limit to eating, playing and entertainment. Chores can also be a good way to bond with your kids. Manually wash the car, water the plants, clean the table, wash the dishes, clean the house etc. These are some of the things you can do with your kids while conserving energy.
Teach your kids according to their age.
Kids of different ages have different attitude on things around them. If your 5-year son doesn't know how to turn off the lights before leaving the room, all you need to do is to talk to him well about its importance and showing him that you practice what you teach.
Your 10-year old daughter may require different approach like showing her your electric bill and explaining to her that it will greatly help if she will change her bad habits. You are teaching your 5-year old good habits while you are teaching and emphasizing your 10-year old good habits and responsibility.
Same thing applies to kids of different ages. The point is, make sure that you teach your kids proper ways to conserve energy using an approach suited to their ages.
*Energy saving tips for kids.
1-Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
2-Always turn the lights off before leaving the room.
3-Turn the computer off after use.
4-Do not hold the refrigerator open.
5-Unplug unnecessary appliance.
6-Use natural light if possible.
Saving energy is not so hard if your kids are involved. And just like any family activities you do, energy conservation should be fun, educational and driven by good motivation.
Because teaching your kids to be energy efficient requires some effort, here are easy to follow suggestions you can do:
Education
Teaching your kids the importance of saving energy should be your first goal. Take note that making them understand the value of being energy efficient is more effective than enumerating the ways to save energy and leaving it at that. Teach them how conserving energy helps the environment. Tell them stories or read educational books about the importance of energy.
Lead by example
You know very well that kids tend to follow what elders do. Practice what you preach. You may have listed and posted a litany of things-to-do to conserve energy but if you don't follow them yourself, you cannot expect your kids to follow it too. Do not just tell them to turn the lights off before leaving their room; show them by always turning the lights off every time you leave a room in your house. Education and leading by example are a good combination if you want to make good habits stick.
Make it fun
Find educational materials where your kids will learn the value of conserving energy as well as the ways on how to save it. Computer software, educational websites, books and television shows that educate and entertain kids would really make a difference on how well they will respond. This is especially applicable to kids from 5 to 10 years old.
Get your kids involved
Family activities should not limit to eating, playing and entertainment. Chores can also be a good way to bond with your kids. Manually wash the car, water the plants, clean the table, wash the dishes, clean the house etc. These are some of the things you can do with your kids while conserving energy.
Teach your kids according to their age.
Kids of different ages have different attitude on things around them. If your 5-year son doesn't know how to turn off the lights before leaving the room, all you need to do is to talk to him well about its importance and showing him that you practice what you teach.
Your 10-year old daughter may require different approach like showing her your electric bill and explaining to her that it will greatly help if she will change her bad habits. You are teaching your 5-year old good habits while you are teaching and emphasizing your 10-year old good habits and responsibility.
Same thing applies to kids of different ages. The point is, make sure that you teach your kids proper ways to conserve energy using an approach suited to their ages.
*Energy saving tips for kids.
1-Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
2-Always turn the lights off before leaving the room.
3-Turn the computer off after use.
4-Do not hold the refrigerator open.
5-Unplug unnecessary appliance.
6-Use natural light if possible.
Saving energy is not so hard if your kids are involved. And just like any family activities you do, energy conservation should be fun, educational and driven by good motivation.
Saving Energy For Home-Based Folks
Working from home brings a lot benefits. It saves you from commute and dressing up everyday, it gives you tine for that extra minutes of sleep and it lets you work from your most convenient hours. But working from home it may also increase your energy bills - unless you carefully choose your office equipment and do some energy saving measures.
Buy energy efficient office equipment – computers, fax machines, scanners, printers, monitors and multifunction devices (scanner, copier, fax). Some ENERGY STAR office equipment can save as much as 90% of the standard energy consumption.
Most ENERGY STAR office equipments consume 50% less energy than standard ones. Aside from energy saving advantage, some office equipments reduce electromagnetic field emissions (for monitors), air-conditioning loads, and noise from transformers and fans.
An ENERGY STAR computer is 70% more energy efficient than computers without this designation. When left inactive, this computer shifts into a low-power mode, which only uses 15 watts of power or less.
Some office equipments that do not have to be turned on all the time should be shut down and unplugged because they still draw power when turned off.
Unplugging unused electronic devices is not limited to office equipments; unplug your television, VCRs, stereos, microwave oven, electric stove and other appliances when not in use.
Do not leave other appliances turned on while working. Avoid leaving unused appliances on “standby” mode.
Turn off the computer monitor if you are going for a break. Manually turn off your computer if you are leaving for an hour or more. Avoid using screensavers because they consume the same amount of energy as with normal computer use. Activating the computer’s sleep mode is also a better way to save energy.
Do not believe that office equipment should always be turned on because it will last longer. Practicing this belief may only result to higher electric bill.
On your next upgrade, consider buying a laptop as a computer replacement as they consume less energy than desktop computers.
When the battery chargers are not in use or if the batteries are fully charged, unplug the charger immediately.
Set up your home office where you can utilize the natural light to minimize the use of lamps and room lights.
If you are working at night, prefer task lights that consume less energy instead of using room lights. Close the drapes and shades of the windows to keep cold air out and save energy on heating the room.
If you are alone in the house, make sure that you lock all the doors and windows before working.
Set the thermostat of your cooling or heating system to a comfortable level. A digital thermostat can provide better electricity savings. Work where you can reduce the use of heating or cooling system and lights. Prefer a small room as an office rather than the entire living area. Always maintain your air conditioning system clean.
Make energy saving improvements to your home. Home energy saving improvements like insulation, repairing of crack and holes (on the windows, walls, ceiling, floors, attic and basement) and switching to compact fluorescent bulbs can bring down your electric bills.
Not only that, if you are planning to sell your home, making your home energy efficient is a good strategy.
Buy energy efficient office equipment – computers, fax machines, scanners, printers, monitors and multifunction devices (scanner, copier, fax). Some ENERGY STAR office equipment can save as much as 90% of the standard energy consumption.
Most ENERGY STAR office equipments consume 50% less energy than standard ones. Aside from energy saving advantage, some office equipments reduce electromagnetic field emissions (for monitors), air-conditioning loads, and noise from transformers and fans.
An ENERGY STAR computer is 70% more energy efficient than computers without this designation. When left inactive, this computer shifts into a low-power mode, which only uses 15 watts of power or less.
Some office equipments that do not have to be turned on all the time should be shut down and unplugged because they still draw power when turned off.
Unplugging unused electronic devices is not limited to office equipments; unplug your television, VCRs, stereos, microwave oven, electric stove and other appliances when not in use.
Do not leave other appliances turned on while working. Avoid leaving unused appliances on “standby” mode.
Turn off the computer monitor if you are going for a break. Manually turn off your computer if you are leaving for an hour or more. Avoid using screensavers because they consume the same amount of energy as with normal computer use. Activating the computer’s sleep mode is also a better way to save energy.
Do not believe that office equipment should always be turned on because it will last longer. Practicing this belief may only result to higher electric bill.
On your next upgrade, consider buying a laptop as a computer replacement as they consume less energy than desktop computers.
When the battery chargers are not in use or if the batteries are fully charged, unplug the charger immediately.
Set up your home office where you can utilize the natural light to minimize the use of lamps and room lights.
If you are working at night, prefer task lights that consume less energy instead of using room lights. Close the drapes and shades of the windows to keep cold air out and save energy on heating the room.
If you are alone in the house, make sure that you lock all the doors and windows before working.
Set the thermostat of your cooling or heating system to a comfortable level. A digital thermostat can provide better electricity savings. Work where you can reduce the use of heating or cooling system and lights. Prefer a small room as an office rather than the entire living area. Always maintain your air conditioning system clean.
Make energy saving improvements to your home. Home energy saving improvements like insulation, repairing of crack and holes (on the windows, walls, ceiling, floors, attic and basement) and switching to compact fluorescent bulbs can bring down your electric bills.
Not only that, if you are planning to sell your home, making your home energy efficient is a good strategy.
Saving Energy – Using CFLs Gets You 66% Less In Energy Cost
For most homes in the developed countries, lighting alone accounts for 9% of the total energy requirement. For other parts of the world, it is far more than that. Thus, using cost-efficient lights can be a real life-saver, or should we say, energy-saver.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are made to be very efficient; it uses 66% less energy than the conventional light bulbs. Just by changing from the incandescent to the CFLs could already reduce electrical consumption to 7%.
When compared to the regular light bulbs, CFLs give the same amount of luminescence for less power and while it has a higher purchase price than the incandescent, CFLs have longer lifespan (approximately 12 times than the incandescent light bulbs, about 11,000 hours), enough to save $US30 in electrical costs during the bulbs lifetime.
A US published article claimed that if a household changes 30 fixtures in their home, investing $90, the money saved in the span of five years could be anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the areas electrical costs. For commercial buildings and other bigger establishments, the savings are even greater. An average CFL at 75 watts could save $22 dollars in direct energy savings per year. If that is multiplied by the number of light bulbs in a building, and include the cost of labor that could be saved from changing light bulbs, the savings could rise exponentially. True, there is a capital investment of about $2 USD per fixture; however that could be recovered in a month from money saved.
Other manufacturers of CFLs also apply titanium dioxide coating. This is because titanium dioxide is claimed to neutralize bacteria, odors and molds. Still many manufacturers of CFLs apply a luminous coating to the bulb for the purpose of luminescence after the CFL is turned off. The idea behind is that a little light could still remain, even for a short while, in cases of power failure and accidents.
Because Carbon Fluorescent lamps do not emit as much heat as the incandescent light bulbs, there is also less work for air conditioners in cooling up the space.
Surely there must be a downside.
If this could be called a downside, CFLs behave differently from the ordinary incandescent bulbs. For one, it takes longer to attain its full brightness depending on the temperature. The colder the climate is, the longer it will take for the bulb to give off full brightness. CFL also gives off the brightest light during its first use and begins to dull gradually, giving off less light as it nears the end of its life; a CFLs is expected to reduce its brightness by 20% from its original brightness on first installation. But that is just about it.
Saving energy, in almost all conceivable phases of production, is in focus today. The fuel that is currently in use, as we are all aware, is non renewable. This is why even in the field of lighting, continuous research is being done to further reduce the coefficient of energy that has to be saved.
Solid state lighting, for example, is widely used in traffic lights; although for now, using this technology to be an energy saving method for domestic consumption is still being developed as the current cost is still high. For now, saving energy through the CFLs remains to spell a definite advantage compared with incandescent light bulbs.
Compact fluorescent light bulbs are made to be very efficient; it uses 66% less energy than the conventional light bulbs. Just by changing from the incandescent to the CFLs could already reduce electrical consumption to 7%.
When compared to the regular light bulbs, CFLs give the same amount of luminescence for less power and while it has a higher purchase price than the incandescent, CFLs have longer lifespan (approximately 12 times than the incandescent light bulbs, about 11,000 hours), enough to save $US30 in electrical costs during the bulbs lifetime.
A US published article claimed that if a household changes 30 fixtures in their home, investing $90, the money saved in the span of five years could be anywhere from $500 to $1,500 depending on the areas electrical costs. For commercial buildings and other bigger establishments, the savings are even greater. An average CFL at 75 watts could save $22 dollars in direct energy savings per year. If that is multiplied by the number of light bulbs in a building, and include the cost of labor that could be saved from changing light bulbs, the savings could rise exponentially. True, there is a capital investment of about $2 USD per fixture; however that could be recovered in a month from money saved.
Other manufacturers of CFLs also apply titanium dioxide coating. This is because titanium dioxide is claimed to neutralize bacteria, odors and molds. Still many manufacturers of CFLs apply a luminous coating to the bulb for the purpose of luminescence after the CFL is turned off. The idea behind is that a little light could still remain, even for a short while, in cases of power failure and accidents.
Because Carbon Fluorescent lamps do not emit as much heat as the incandescent light bulbs, there is also less work for air conditioners in cooling up the space.
Surely there must be a downside.
If this could be called a downside, CFLs behave differently from the ordinary incandescent bulbs. For one, it takes longer to attain its full brightness depending on the temperature. The colder the climate is, the longer it will take for the bulb to give off full brightness. CFL also gives off the brightest light during its first use and begins to dull gradually, giving off less light as it nears the end of its life; a CFLs is expected to reduce its brightness by 20% from its original brightness on first installation. But that is just about it.
Saving energy, in almost all conceivable phases of production, is in focus today. The fuel that is currently in use, as we are all aware, is non renewable. This is why even in the field of lighting, continuous research is being done to further reduce the coefficient of energy that has to be saved.
Solid state lighting, for example, is widely used in traffic lights; although for now, using this technology to be an energy saving method for domestic consumption is still being developed as the current cost is still high. For now, saving energy through the CFLs remains to spell a definite advantage compared with incandescent light bulbs.
Saving Energy – Solutions That Will Not Change Your Lifestyle
The rise and drop in temperatures in the coming years, place intense pressures on consumers around the world as this means only one thing, more energy and fuel are needed to control the environment and make homes more comfortable.
Over the years, new technology has been invented to improve the manner of living - energy saving devices are not excluded. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable energy saving devices, let us apply our common sense today and do some effort in saving energy.
•Avoid “phantom” energy users.
Electrical appliances that are plugged in to sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance that remains plugged in may not give a significant increase in your electric bill but letting every appliance on “standby” can be a real money spender. Make sure to pull the plugs of every appliance from their sockets whenever you don’t use them.
•Turn down temperature of water heaters.
Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that is sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.
•The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.
The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled - in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer homes, the problems may be few as today’s’ builders take more attention to sealing drafts potential areas and slots. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are insulated, air leaks often occur around wall outlets, switches and vents that could result in water condensation around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.
•If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.
Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.
•CFL lights are energy savers.
Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. Sure CFL lamps are a little more expensive but these are recovered easily because of its longer life and the energy saving feature it has.
•Clean appliances regularly.
Dirt and dust interferes with the efficiency of appliances. Likewise, place a good distance; allow about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat for your walls not to retain the heat.
•When in the market always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features of the appliance you are buying.
Over the years, new technology has been invented to improve the manner of living - energy saving devices are not excluded. However new technology, as always, is a bit expensive at first. And the prices will go down after some time. But instead of waiting for a more affordable energy saving devices, let us apply our common sense today and do some effort in saving energy.
•Avoid “phantom” energy users.
Electrical appliances that are plugged in to sockets even when not in use consume energy. It is like a turning on the engine of your car and idling for a very long time. A single appliance that remains plugged in may not give a significant increase in your electric bill but letting every appliance on “standby” can be a real money spender. Make sure to pull the plugs of every appliance from their sockets whenever you don’t use them.
•Turn down temperature of water heaters.
Water heaters hold about 40 gallons of water and maintain it at a constant temperature. Forty gallons of water that is sitting in your tank for a very long time consumes a lot of energy. If the water heater is not expected to be used for a while, it is advisable to maintain it at a lower temperature.
•The openings and leaks in doors and windows create drafts.
The stronger the draft is, the longer it will take for homes to be heated or cooled - in addition to the extra work that a heater or an air-conditioning system is doing to regulate the right temperature of the house. In newer homes, the problems may be few as today’s’ builders take more attention to sealing drafts potential areas and slots. Older homes may not be as well sealed. Even if the outer walls are insulated, air leaks often occur around wall outlets, switches and vents that could result in water condensation around these areas. A good foam patch could fix the problem.
•If there is really nothing to prepare much cooking for, let the stove and oven rest.
Instead, use the microwave. When cooking in stoves though, the closer the bottom of the pan used for cooking matches the hob ring of the stove, the more energy is saved. Too much flame for the pan and you are paying for heating the air around it.
•CFL lights are energy savers.
Using CFL bulbs will save you more than sixty percent of the cost of lighting compared with using incandescent light bulbs. Sure CFL lamps are a little more expensive but these are recovered easily because of its longer life and the energy saving feature it has.
•Clean appliances regularly.
Dirt and dust interferes with the efficiency of appliances. Likewise, place a good distance; allow about four inches of distance between the wall and appliances that generate heat for your walls not to retain the heat.
•When in the market always look for the energy coefficient and the energy saving features of the appliance you are buying.
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