Reducing Home Energy Consumption – Where Do You Start?

  • By: Karen Skubik
  • October 21, 2013
  • 439
                        
The topic of home energy when considering how to be more efficient, environmentally friendly, and cost effective can feel overwhelming. With so much information available on heating systems, window treatments, energy efficient appliances, lighting, insulation, rebate programs, etc – where does one start? Step one should be to prioritize for your particular situation. According to Keith Speirs, Wayne County Sustainable Energy Network Project Manager, “Everyone’s situation is unique to them and there is no one solution that is right for everyone.” In order to prioritize, you need to consider your circumstances. Are you a short-term renter, a homeowner who plans to stay in your house for at least 25 years, or somewhere in between? What are your resources in terms of money, time, and tools? Understanding your unique set of conditions will help you weigh projected savings v/s cost. Speirs noted that consumers may also like to consider the impact of their decisions on the environment, although often it isn’t a trade-off between being a good steward of the planet and making the most cost-effective home energy improvement. Making green decisions and “helping the bigger cause will ultimately help you too, noted Speirs who is also a professional architect. Many homeowners have a good idea of what are their biggest energy drains, but not always. So, how does one determine what would do the most good and save the most money? A home energy audit is an excellent place to start. The range of cost for an audit varies by hundred of dollars. You can use an on-line assessment or a Do-It-Yourself Home Energy Audit for free like the one on the Department of Energy website (htpp://energy.gov). Private inspectors are also available for a few hundred dollars or you can contact your utility company to see what programs they offer. Local gas and electric companies are excellent places to start and will often offer incentives and rebates or may install compact fluorescent bulbs and programmable thermostats. During most professional audits, the auditor will analyze your energy bills and complete a visual inspection of your property. They may use special equipment like an infrared camera, blower door, manometer, draft gauge, moister meter, etc. They should determine where energy is being wasted and help you prioritize efficiency upgrades. If you aren’t up for a full audit, there are still many green cost-saving strategies you can use. Looking at American Electric Power’s website (https://www.aepnationalaccounts.com/save/learn/Tips.aspx) for example, you can find ten no-cost or low-cost savings tips. Some of these include changing your habits, which according to Speirs, “everyone always likes to do the other things first”, but some of the “non-technical solutions to reducing energy consumption should be looked at first”. Habits that should be addressed include how you use your water (do you keep it running while you brush your teeth, for example), do you keep lights on when you aren’t in a room, do you leave exterior doors open when unloading groceries, do you change your thermostat when you aren’t home, etc. Since heating and cooling requires the largest use of energy in most homes, it is no surprise when Tim Wolff, field operations manager for Curry Lumber, explained, “attic insulation is the bulk of what we do” when their clients request help in reducing their home’s energy usage. The latest building codes upgraded the R-value of attic insulation to R-38, so most older homes need to improve their current situation. The Wooster lumber company performs free inspections to determine a home’s needs and uses a variety of products including an itch-free expanding blown-in insulation. Speirs felt the famous “Don’t Panic” phrase suggested in “Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy” (when referring to a device that looked insanely complicated to operate) should be applied to homeowners who feel overwhelmed by the myriad of energy-saving options and technologies currently available. He said, “you could just consider what is bugging you the most about your house” and make incremental steps towards improving the issue, but “Do something. Anything is better than nothing.”


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