Suburban Blog

Energy Saving Tips

A fireplace can be a major drain on home energy. To burn, a fire draws warm air from your rooms to be replaced by cold outside air.  Warm air will escape through the chimney to the outside if the damper is not completely closed or sealed when not in use.  The fireplace should have well-closing glass doors unless it has a direct source of outside air.  If you do not use your fireplace at all, seal the damper {flue} with a specially designed inflatable plug or balloon inserted into the fireplace beneath the damper.  This type of product is available at hardware stores or on line and can pay for itself in one mid-winter bill. Remember air leaks in the home account for much of your homes energy loss.  Your fireplace is just one of the many simple things you can do to save energy, save money and make your home more comfortable. Suburban Windows & Siding can help you identify problem areas and save you energy with our Heat Mirror replacement windows and energy efficient doors.

Home Improvements: Energy We Use vs. The Energy We Waste

     The debate over energy-consumption and how to preserve our resources has been an ongoing conversation in the 21st century. Regional climate differences impact your energy consumption greatly in terms of heating vs. cooling your home, and what type of energy-efficient technology you are using for your appliances, heating system, air conditioning, and insulation. So what exactly can you do in your home to help improve your energy efficiency? First take a look at how the average home's "energy dollar" is used according to the Department of Energy:

• 45 cents: Heating and Cooling your Home
• 34 cents: Lighting, Cooking, and other Appliances
• 13 cents: Water Heating
• 8 cents:   Refrigeration

Energy is wasted in your home due to a number of reasons:

1. Inadequate insulation throughout your home.
2. Older replacement windows that lose heat during the winter.
3. Inefficient heating/cooling systems and inefficient appliances.
4. When hot water is used instead of cold water for laundry.
5. If any faucets around the house are leaking.
6. If you don't have automatic thermostats and lighting controls

 

 

Replacement Windows and Drafts In Your Home

It's a lovely fall weekend in New England but we all know that it wont be long  before the cold winter weather will be a pone us. This is the time to look at the thermal envelope of your home and make it as energy efficient as possible.  HouseGuru will continue to post energy saving tips for your home and offer ways to help you conserve energy and save money.

The most important thing to be aware of now are the air leaks around your home.  You can start by looking at your windows and doors since these are two of the areas that can lose energy to air infiltration.  Remember the  the energy tax rebate program ends December 31st where you can recieve a $1500 dollar tax credit from the government for Energy Efficient Replacement Windows that qualify for the program. One of the most efficient windows on the market that meet and exceed the programs qualifications are Heat Mirror Windows.

More than any other time of year, you notice your home's air leaks in the winter. Most people call these air leaks "drafts." You may feel these drafts around windows and doors and think these leaks are your major source of wasted energy. In most homes, however, other significant air leaks are hidden in the attic and basement. These are leaks that also significantly raise your energy bill and make your house uncomfortable. But locating leaks can be difficult because they are often hidden under your insulation. In cold weather, warm air rises in your house, just like it does in a chimney. This air, which you have paid to heat, is just wasted as it rises up into your attic and sucks cold air in all around your home - around windows, doors, and through holes into the basement.

Common Household Air Leaks

* Behind Kneewalls
* Attic Hatch
* Wiring Holes
* Plumbing Vent
* Open Soffit (the box that hides the recessed lights)
* Recessed Light
* Furnace Flue or Duct Chaseway (the hollow box or wall feature that hides ducts)
* Basement Rim Joists (where the foundation meets the wood framing)
* Windows and Doors

Locating Basement Air Leaks

A common area of air leakage in the basement is along the top of the basement wall where cement or block comes in contact with the wood frame. These leaks can easily be fixed in portions of the basement that are unfinished. Since the top of the wall is above ground, outside air can be drawn in through cracks and gaps where the house framing sits on top of the foundation. This perimeter framing is called the rim (or band) joist. In the basement, the above floor joists end at the rim joist creating multiple cavities along the length of the wall, and many opportunities for leakage.

 

 

How to Buy The Right Showerhead!

Today's shower head fixtures are relatively Eco-friendly. If your shower head was made after 1992 then its government mandated to pump a maximum of 2.5 gallons of water/per minute. However if your shower head is looking a bit outdated, check out the new energy efficient "low flow' models that will pump around 1.5 gallons of water/per minute which can save your family up to $100 annually. Here at Suburban, we have made a list of features to look for next time you upgrade:

1. The Water Pressure! Most new models are Eco-friendly, which means that they range in water usage between 1.5 to 2.0 gallons/per minute.
2. The Spray. Most shower heads have at least 2-3 settings: Aerated, Mist, Needle Point and Pulsating. A shower head with multiple body sprays sounds appealing to most, but be careful because the water usage is extremely higher.
3. The Finish. Choose a shower head with PVD (physical vapor deposition) because this will reduce your corrosion and tarnishing over time.
4. The Price. Most Eco-friendly shower heads range in price from $35- $70. However, a hand held shower head will cost you around $100. 

Are You Juggling Your Energy Bills?

 I thought this  Video Clip was pretty cool and wanted to share it with our readers. It's an entertaining way to demonstrate how your household bills can get out of control. Did you know that the Average American uses 20 times the amount of oil/per year than any other citizen in the world. Take a walk around your house with our Energy Conservation Checklist (located below this article) and look for ways you can reduce next month's energy bill!  Subscribe to our HouseGuru blog for interesting and useful information on saving energy and living green. Even know we specialize in Replacement Windows and Vinyl Siding we are dedicated to helping homeowners save money and live more comfortably.  

 Enjoy the video and have a great day !

 Your friends at Suburban Windows & Siding

 

Your Free Energy Conservation Checklist

Did you know that there are several ways to conserve energy at home for little to no cost? As the winter is closing in on us in Connecticut, Suburban Windows and Siding would like to help you learn how to reduce your energy bill's effectively. Take a walk through your house using our Energy Conservation Checklist to figure out where you can eliminate unnecessary expenses.

1) Use dimmers on your indoor lighting and remote sensors on your outdoor lighting. This will help you save energy whether or not you are home.

2) Use automatic controls for your thermostats, heaters, and hot-water heaters. It is suggested to keep your thermostat no higher than 68* degrees in the winter.

3) Close off unused parts of your house that don't necessarily have to be heated everyday (attic, basement, guest bedroom, etc.)

4) Make sure that you are not obstructing any vents or air returns in your home.

5) Check to see if you need to replace any filters in your heating/cooling system.

6) Seal any cracks in your windows or consider replacement windows that will ensure you are heating your house and not your neighborhood. 

7) Take advantage of natural or existing light when heating and/or lighting each room in your house.

8) Check to make sure that there are no cracks or spaces in the siding of your home. Consider replacement vinyl siding if your home cannot hold in your heat as well as it used to be able to.

 

5 Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill Today

This time of year in New England is responsible for several changes in our daily life, whether we realize it or not. For example the cold weather is starting to increase everyday while the amount of light starts to decrease. Many of us are too busy to adjust to the changing season at home, and in return turning the heat up seems to be the quickest solution to our problems. Here are a few tips that can dramatically lower your energy bill without too much hassle.

1. During the winter you should turn your ceiling fan on a slow speed to push warm air that has settled up there around your entire room making you feel more comfortable.
   
2. Upgrade your light bulbs to florescent. Although they cost more initially, they will last up to 13 times longer and use only 1/3 of the energy that a normal light bulb needs.
3. When operating your washing machine, use COLD water. Laundry detergents are so advanced these days that using warm water is not necessary anymore. Using cold water can cut your energy bill to 1/5 of what it is now.
4. When using your dishwasher, turn off the Heat Drying feature because it uses extra energy for something that doesn't really need to be done.
5. When you are not using your fireplace, make sure you have closing glass doors installed because naturally a fireplace will drain your warm air and replace it with cold air from outside.