CONSUMER FOCUS:
Handy tips to beat the heat
Staying cool Handy tips to cool your home from energy audits to using fans
Maggie Wydysh of North Tonawanda watches energy consumption like a hawk. She follows her husband, Michael, and son, Michael Jr., around the house, snapping off lights as they leave each room. She uses ceiling fans, shuns air conditioning on all but the hottest days and hangs her laundry out to dry. She switched to compact florescent light bulbs before it was ever in fashion, and ignores the oven in favor of a plug-in grill for cooking meals.
Now she stays cool and saves about $30 per month in the summer.
“It does make a difference,” Wydysh said. “My son is almost five and it helps us teach him he needs to save.”
Western New Yorkers have gotten energy efficiency down pat when it comes to cold winters. But smart consumers looking to chill out will need to be equally vigilant this summer.
Here are some strategies to do just that from the Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, the Alliance to Save Energy, Consumer Reports, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy and green Web site www.SustainLane.com : Less is more
When trying to keep cool, concentrate on reducing heat, not just adding cold.
• Ditch your regular incandescent light bulbs in favor of compact florescent ones. Not only will they go much easier on your electric bill (they use two-thirds less energy), they give off much less heat.
• Why heat up the whole house with the stove when you can make an entire meal in the microwave? And while many people consider the slow cooker to be a winter appliance, it’s a great way to cook in the summer, using less energy and giving off less heat than the oven.
• Close the curtains in your southern and western windows to keep out temperature-raising sunlight. Also try hanging drapes that are light in color — they will reflect the sun and its heat.
• Watch out for “phantom appliances” that sit around sucking energy and giving off heat when not in use. Most people leave things such as microwaves, VCRs and digital video recorders plugged in around the clock. Get into the habit of plugging them in only when they are used, since they remain active even when they are turned off.
Consider connecting your electronics to a power strip, so you can cut the energy supply to all of them at once with the flip of a switch.
• Refrigerators blow out hot air— exactly the opposite of what you are trying to achieve. Since you can’t exactly unplug the fridge and go without its cooling benefits, keep it running at peak efficiency by cleaning the coils at the back and/or bottom of the unit. Give the bottom front panel a once-over with the vacuum hose. And while you’re at it, make sure the rubber seals on the fridge and freezer doors fit tightly.
Air conditioner efficiency
• Treat your air conditioning and central air units to a preseason tune-up from a professional (about $59).
• Don’t take the air conditioning for granted. Set your programmable thermostat for use only when you are home and when you need it. This simple step alone could save you nearly $200 a year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
• Try setting your thermostat at a higher temperature than you are used to. Most folks are comfortable at 75 degrees.
• Central air units should be installed in shady spots to maximize their efficiency.
• Check the air filter often, replacing it as needed.
• Keep air conditioner and central air units clear. Remove leaves, dirt and other debris to keep it from working any harder than it has to.
Don’t forget about fans
Sure, they may seem old fashioned compared with the all-encompassing chill of the air conditioner, but fans can offer welcome relief for overheated bodies and overblown budgets.
• Fans create a breeze which makes you feel cooler. They also happen to operate for about 1/20th of the cost of an air conditioner. Run ceiling fans clockwise for the maximum cooling effect.
• Fans can be used as needed and individually depending on which room you are in, meaning you only pay for what you use, unlike air conditioning, which gets pumped through the entire house, regardless of who is there.
• Unlike air conditioning, fans don’t actually bring the temperature down. They make people feel cooler, but don’t do a thing to cool rooms. So it’s important to save energy by turning them off when you are not using them.
Unless, that is, you are using a “whole house fan.” Whole house fans work by pulling hot air from the house through the attic and creating a breeze through open windows. They cost from $800 to $2,000 installed, and are much less expensive to operate than air conditioners. They also keep the roof deck cool, creating less radiant heat.
Fortify your fortress
• Those who thought energy audits were only good at keeping the heat in during winter may be surprised to find they are equally important to keeping the heat out during our humid, scorching summers.
An energy audit will help you figure out where your home’s energy efficiency weak spots are and what your best plan of action might be.
“It’s the same exact audit,” said Martin Bakowski, owner of Home Performance Professionals in the Town of Tonawanda. “Just treating your house for the winter will also help it in the summer and vice versa.”
• An audit can help identify air leaks — huge energy suckers — so you can seal them. Leaky attics and basements are common culprits, but air often seeps in and out around windows, doors, baseboards, vents, pipes and electrical outlets. You can seal those areas with caulking, spray foam or weather stripping.
• Insulate! It’s just as important in summer as in winter. Added insulation can make a big difference, keeping the cool in and the heat out.
• Plant a deciduous shade tree on the east or west side of your home. Not only will it keep your house up to six degrees cooler, it will increase the resale value of your home.
The Snackwells Effect
Be careful not to squander your energy savings.
Studies have shown consumers who take strides to improve energy efficiency — by installing energy-efficient bulbs or using high-efficiency washers — often cancel out their energy savings by using them up in other ways — such as leaving the lights on or doing additional, smaller loads of laundry.
It’s a phenomenon called the Snackwells Effect — after the Nabisco brand of “diet cookies”— and is akin to people gorging themselves on low-calorie foods, and in turn neutralizing any weight-loss efforts.
So remember, having an Energy Star refrigerator doesn’t mean you can stand there with the fridge door open, gawking inside. Take stock to see if your hyper-vigilance in certain areas doesn’t lead to slacking in others.
On the Net
• Find an energy auditor or get instructions on conducting your own at www.EnergySavers.gov/seasonal . • Find information about Energy Star products and links to government tax credits for energy efficiency at www.EnergyStar.gov . • The Alliance to Save Energy has a special component geared toward kids at www.EnergyHog.org . • Find tips from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority for staying cool on a budget this summer at www.GetEnergySmart.org .
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