An energy efficient water heater can aid in many formats. The first format is a storage water heater. A storage water heater is a storage tank which holds between twenty and eighty gallons of water at a time and uses electricity, natural gas, oil, or propane to keep the water heated and insulated. This method is not a very energy efficient water heater, as it costs quite a bit of money to maintain the constant heating.

The demand water heaters, also known as instant heaters, are tank less and circulate the water through a large coil. The coil is only heated using electricity or gas when it is needed. Heat pump water heaters actually include a storage tank which uses electric heat pumps to transfer energy from the air into water within the storage tank, making them the most effective for warmer climates, and a very energy efficient water heater. Solar water heating harnesses the sun’s energy to heat water; however the downside is the long-term investment cost and the fact that without sun, there can be no heated water.

To better understand how an energy efficient water heater works, it is important to understand water heater metrics in their basic form. The FHR refers to the first-hour rating. This is the amount of hot water which will be available during the busiest hour of any day. While some might think that larger water tanks mean a higher FHR, it does not, as this refers mostly to the ability to replenish hot water fast. Just because a water tank is larger, does not mean its first-hour ratings will be better, because the first hour ratings are dependent upon the water tanks ability to replenish the water, which is not based on size. A larger tank will need more effort to replenish more hot water. The efficiency is measured by the Energy Factor (EF). This will be on the EnergyGuide label of any energy efficient water heater. With a higher number, the water heater is more efficient.

An energy efficient water heater is listed by Energy Star, which is a voluntary program with the government working to build homes which are more energy efficient. Their website identified products and side-by-side with each energy efficient water heater, comparing their features, their quality, and their performance. Their list compares which type of energy efficient water heater is best in regards to type, energy savings, best climates, expected energy savings over time, expected lifetime, and other major advantages.

Of all the options for an energy efficient water heater, one must consider the fuel options. They must consider coal, gas-fired, oil-fired broilers, as well as electric water heaters, or natural gas models. They must also consider the size and how the size of the energy efficient water heater relates to their needs given the family size and frequency of use.

What this research has determined is that beginning in 2010, set-top cable boxes throughout the United States were responsible for the consumption of 27 billion kilowatt-hours’ worth of electricity. This amounts to an annual total of 500 MW from coal-fired power plants. The amount of electricity which is required to operate all of the cable boxes in the United States is equal to the amount of household electricity which is consumed by the state of Maryland, a total of 16 million metric tons of CO2. This total cost is over $3 billion every year. Thankfully there are means of improving the efficiency of this consumption and reducing the cost.

As of late, cable consumers are often getting video content streamed from additional broadband services such as AppleTV, GoogleTV, and Netflix. These services allow consumers to access movies and TV shows from Blu-ray players, cable boxes, video game consoles, and internet-enabled TV’s. When AppleTV is turned on, it takes just 3 watts’ worth of energy, and less than 1 watt when it is turned on sleep mode. Many people are now using these streaming services in conjunction with their paid cable television services.

It seems that soon, the ability to stream television will be integrated into all televisions. Soon content will be streamed from Hulu or Netflix and stored on the home DVR. These low-power devices may not replace central DVR’s in the future, but they do offer a highly efficient architecture which can help lead to more efficient cable boxes.

Many television viewers want to watch the TV shows they want, when they want them, and where they want them. As such, many cable companies have offered free installation on up to four DVR’s in a single home. The percentage of manufactured DRV’s grew from ten percent in 2007 to thirty five percent. This meant that total annual consumption from these boxed grew from six power plants to nine power plants. Thankfully, the cable industry has moved toward more efficient multi-room solutions for recorded content and live television. Some examples include technology which allows consumers to record items from a central DVR and then watch them later from any television in their home.

These new solutions use less power and offer more efficient equipment as well. The total consumption of energy per household in the United States will soon drop with more energy efficient multi-room cable boxes. The integration of HD-DVR’s will also use just over thirty watts when on all the time, totaling 275 kilowatt-hours each year.

Congratulations to the Montana based team of Alzeda Elementary School, Carter County High School, Ekalaka Elementary School (K-8th grade), Hammond School (K-8th grade), and Hawks Home School. Great job, guys!

How to Create an Energy Efficient Home: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Dutch electronics giant Philips introduced their award-winning 20-year LED lightbulb to U.S. markets on Sunday and is working with suppliers to cut the 10-watt bulb’s current $50 price tag in half over the next year, the Associated Press reports.

The bulb’s public debut comes after years of development and winning last year’s “Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prize,” a competition launched by the U.S. Department of Energy to develop alternative sources of lighting. One of the stipulations of the competition was that the bulb be sold for $22 or less in its first year on the market.

But even at that price, LED lights faces serious competition from $1 incandescent lightbulbs and CFLs (compact-fluorescent bulbs), which normally retail for around $5 and can last for up to 10,000 hours, according to TreeHugger.

Philips says the cost of the LED lamp is easily offset by savings: if consumers use the bulb for four hours daily, they can save $8 per year on electricity, or about $160 over the bulb’s lifespan, the Associated Press reports. And the LED bulbs are less toxic to the environment because they don’t contain mercury vapors.

The company said in a press release earlier this year that “If every 60-watt incandescent bulb in the U.S. was replaced with the 10-watt L Prize winner, the nation would save about 35 terawatt-hours of electricity or $3.9 billion in one year and avoid 20 million metric tons of carbon emissions.”

The transition from incandescent bulbs to energy-saving alternatives is already underway thanks to legislation such as 2007′s Energy Independence and Security Act, which banned 100-watt incandescent bulbs and provided a timetable for phasing bulbs with lesser wattage out altogether. From 2014, all incandescent bulbs using 40 watts of electricity or more will be banned in the U.S., according to the Washington Post.

Special thanks to our Customer Mr. Ruby for making us aware of this!

Home Energy Audit

A home energy audit is the perfect way to have your house checked out to save on your energy bill. The home energy audit will give detailed information about any leaks or drafts that you may have. Cooling your house during the summer does not have to cost you and arm and a leg. Identifying any drafty areas or where leaks may be could save you a bunch of money every month.

Set Your Thermostat

Setting your thermostat to a moderate setting and turning on ceiling fans will help to keep your house cool, but not raise your light bill. An air conditioner can use much more money than running a ceiling fan. If you happen to be going on vacation you can set you thermostat to a higher setting to save money. If you are not there your house will not have to stay as cool.

Installing Blinds or Shades

There are several options available with light blocking technology. Blinds or Shades can help cooling your house during the summer be easier. Cutting down on the sunlight coming into your house will drastically help reduce the temperature in your house. Using dark shades during the summer prevents the sun from heating everything up.

Internal Heat

There are many things inside your home that can create heat and cause your house to heat up. Inside lighting can produce a lot more heat than you would expect. Appliances can produce unwanted heat. If you are not using an appliance turn it off or unplug it if you can. Use soft light bulbs instead of incandescent ones. Incandescent light bulbs will put off more heat than any other type of light bulb. Have some backyards barbeque’s, cooking outside on really hot days will help in cooling your house during the summer. Ovens can create lots of heat using an outside grill can help to keep your air conditioner from running too much.

Choose the Color of Your Roof Wisely

No matter what kind of material you use for your roof choosing light colors especially white will help to reflect some of the heat during the summer. Colored roofs have the tendency to allow cool air to escape and bring hot air in. White is a very reflective color and will keep the heat at bay.

Landscaping

Planting trees close to your house to help provide shade will help to cooling your house during the summer. If there is less sun on the house then it will not heat up as fast.

There are many things that can be done to help keep your house cool during the summer. Check around with local companies and get some ideas that will work best in your area.

Thermostat Setting

Setting your thermostat at 70 degrees during the summer and using ceiling fans will help to keep your energy bill down while still giving you a comfortable house. On days you are not  home you can even set that up a little more that way your house is still comfortable but uses less energy. Ceiling fans are a major asset to any home not only do they help to increase your home value but they can help circulate air to keep the house cool. They can also be used during the winter to help bring warm air down from the ceiling which will allow you to run your heater less.

Energy Savings You Might Not Think About

Unplugging appliances that you are not using will help to drastically decrease your light bill. Sometimes the difference is about 15% to 20% depending on which appliances you unplug. Even though we are not using them they are still drawing electricity because they are plugged in. Turn lights off when you are not using them and replace incandescent bulbs with more energy-efficient bulbs. If you need to cook try cooking with small appliances instead of your stove. Not only will that help you keep your house cool but smaller appliances use less electricity. Grilling out can also help keep your house cool while saving you money.

Dryer and Water Heater

Make sure your dryer is vented outside properly. If the dryer vent has any holes or leaks it could cause hot air to come into your house. Which will cause your air conditioner to run more thus increasing your light bill. This is one good thing to check when weighing your house temperatures vs energy savings. Make sure your water heater temperature is set to 100 degrees, this will make a world of differences in your energy savings and still give you plenty of hot water.

Humidifiers and Dehumidifiers

A humidifier will help to feel warmer in the cool months. Adding some humidity to the air provides a warmer feeling so you can turn your heater down. Make sure to clean you filter for proper running efficiency.
Using a dehumidifier during the summer time will help keep you cooler. Having too much moisture in the air will make you feel warmer than it actually is. Removing the humidity will allow you to feel cooler and turn your air conditioner to a higher setting so it will not have to work as much.

Many of these tips to help you decide between house temperatures vs energy savings are very easy to do and can be checked by yourself. Keeping our energy usage down will help to preserve our future and save us some money.