How to Save Money on Energy Bills: Stop the Vampires

The average household in the U.S. wastes about $1,000 each year in electricity, according to the International Energy Agency. Vampire power — the standby energy consumed by household gadgets and appliances — is the culprit.

We don't need an exhaustive scavenger hunt to find the sources of energy theft in our home. Everyday appliances such as computers, game consoles, plasma televisions and DVD/VCR players burn up energy — about 40 percent of our total bill — even when not used. That's because most gadgets have small "standby" lights (typically green, yellow or red) that continue to burn power even when we hit the "off" switch. This 24-hour consumption of power is a drain on our household budgets.

To highlight the hidden charges of vampire power, Best Buy recently launched a campaign to promote energy savings. The company offers the following money-saving tips for home electronics:

• Tap into a power strip. Attach appliances and battery chargers to a power strip. When appliances are not used, turn off the power strip and cut the flow of energy into the small standby lights.
• Remove the plug. Eliminate power drains by unplugging gadgets that are not in use. It's a waste, for instance, to leave a cellphone charger plugged into an outlet.
• Shut down the computer. In the so-called "sleep mode," your computer is costing an additional $70 annually, according to Best Buy. Even screen savers can be a power drain. To save money, completely shut down computers, laptops and printers when not in use.
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Here's how to buy my new book:

@ Amazon.com
@ Barnes & Noble
@ Borders
@ Target.com

Money-Saving Hair Wash & Other Earth Day Tips From Disney Survey

Shorter showers was one tip from a recent energy audit of my home. Honestly, I still take long showers. But I have dramatically changed the way I wash my hair in the shower.

I have long thick, afro hair that takes me at least 30 minutes to wash, a task that is completed one section at a time. (Anyone with thick curly or happy-nappy hair knows what I'm talking about!) Confession: I used to let the hot water run for 30 minutes or longer. But in the spirit of saving money and resources, I now use less water and less electricity. What's more, I no longer run out of hot water while washing my hair.

I call it my stop-and-go shower. While rinsing my waist-length hair, I let the shower run. But I cut off the water while applying shampoo and massaging conditioner into my hair. I've also reduced my shower time by de-tangling my hair before I start the process, which saves time, money and power.

It's a small step, but it's progress and if I accumulate enough small savings, I will have scored a major change in my approach to money, energy and time.

Here's a list of what other people are doing to save money, according to a survey conducted by Disney.

"The survey findings include:

· Nearly three of every four Americans recycles cans, paper and plastics at home
· Nearly two in three Americans turn out lights when leaving a room and say they are using high efficiency bulbs
· Nearly one in three Americans who drive a conventional car today plan to make their next vehicle a hybrid
· The top two reasons parents are concerned about the environment are looking out for the future of their children and because the health of their family is important to them, according to a recent online survey of attitudes about the environment on Disney Family.com (http://www.family.com/).

Of the more than 8,000 parents that participated in the Disney Family.com online survey, 90 percent indicated that the environment is an important issue to them and their families. The top two reasons that the environment is an important issue for parents: “they are looking out for the future of their children” and “the health of their family.”

Disney Family.com recently launched a new “green living” page to provide parents with access to information on their environmental impact, resources for reducing their environmental impact, and a forum to share “green” tips with other families (www.family.com/greenliving).


In addition to survey findings, the ”green living” page features tips and ideas aimed at helping families go green, including:

· A “How Green Am I?” quiz and carbon footprint calculator based on calculations from Environmental Defense Fund
· Hundreds of easy, “going green” tips and ideas
· Tips on the best green products
· 50 actions families can take to be eco-friendly
· Earth-friendly craft ideas"

related posts:
Shocking Results from My Free Energy Audit
Electric Bill Update: Energy Vampires & Power Hijacks?
High electric bill

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Digg!

New Stove, New AC Unit: Solutions to the Energy Theft in My Home

Our landlord has come through. After an energy audit showed that our old stove and AC units were costing a fortune, our building management team took money-saving actions.

The drama started when I discovered that our electric bill was twice as high as a neighbor with a similar lifestyle and apartment. So we arranged for a free audit from FPL, our local energy company.

The free energy audit pointed to several budget-busting culprits:

1. The older central AC/heat unit represented about 47 percent of our monthly bill. The unit was inefficient due to damaged coils and other defects. We're hoping that the replacement unit will yield greater savings and a lower energy bill. Already we've noticed that the new AC unit works less to cool the air. Since the new system operates in smaller blocks of time --relative to the older model -- our bill should reflect the reduced consumption.



2. Our little stove was also an energy hog, representing about 3 percent of the bill. Due to a defective switch, the unit often failed to fully shut down. As such, our older stove was a constant energy drain. The new stove looks great; we're hoping that the shiny exterior will yield attractive savings.

Other problem areas:

• an inefficient water heater = 31 percent of our monthly bill. We have a smaller-than-needed water heater and therefore, the temperature is set at a high level in order to quickly heat hot water for showers, baths, etc. But the audit showed that we could save $10 to $20 a year, by lowering the temperature on the water heater to a level of 120 to 130 degrees. (That's a safer level, with less danger of burns.) And we can save $2 a month, or $24 a year, by turning off the water heater during the day or using a timer. This will be our next project.



• lighting = 7 percent of monthly bill



• appliances= 6 percent

One by one, we are tackling the assorted energy-related problems in our home. Living in a rental apartment is a mixed blessing. On the downside, we have less control over the products purchased or the timing of replacement units. But on the upside, we did not have to pay for the new AC unit or stove. Our building manager reviewed the energy audit report and took action. We're grateful.

If your local utility offers free on-site energy audits, I highly recommend the service. Ask the energy management team for a written report. This document showed our landlord that we weren't just making hot-air complaints. The problems and proposed solutions were clearly outlined in objective language from a third-party, namely the utility company. What's more, I frequently review the comments and suggestions that are mentioned in the report.

The audit is wonderful for homeowners. The report outlined different rebate programs offered by the utility company. Basically, the program rewards homeowners who install energy efficient appliances and systems.

Many utility companies offer on-line/Internet-based audits and tests. Hmmm. Those interactive, multiple choice exercises are fine. But we received the greatest benefits from a personalized visit to our home. Request an on-site audit, with a written report. Nothing beats real time/face time.

related posts:

Shocking Results from My Free Energy Audit

Electric Bill Update: Energy Vampires & Power Hijacks?

High electric bill

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Digg!

Shocking Results from My Free Energy Audit

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the huge difference between my high electric bill and a neighbor's despite our similar lifestyles and apartments. (Our monthly tap was twice as high as my neighbor's bill.)

I subsequently arranged an onsite home audit, a free service FPL offers to its customers. The energy specialists examine your home, analyze your bill and target areas where you can save. It was definitely worth the time and effort.

Here's what happened: Raudel Valdes and Gabriel Palacios, FPL energy management specialists, arrived at my home carrying a laptop and printer. The central air conditioning/heating unit immediately caught their attention.

On the warm winter day the FPL team visited, the specialists calculated we had an hourly electric bill of 50 cents, including 40 cents to power the air conditioner.

After a thorough examination and a series of tests, the team offered these conclusions:

Beware of dust: Particles near the thermostat, on the AC pipes and near the air ducts seriously compromise the unit's efficiency and accuracy.

Repair damaged coils: Disfigured coils on the main AC/heating unit caused the air conditioner to run longer to reach the desired temperature.

Fill the gaps: Space around the air conditioning pipes and the gap between the ceiling and the air duct force the AC/heating unit to eat up energy.

Insulate the water heater: To save space, our water heater is directly below the air conditioning unit. The heat from the water heater forces the air conditioner to work harder. The FPL team recommended insulating the main copper pipe that leads to the water heater. This step will contain heat coming out of the water heater and improve cooling system's efficiency.

Shop for a replacement: Our aging air conditioner/central heat unit is an energy hog. We could save a fortune by asking the landlord to replace the model. ''With age, every appliance starts using more power,'' Valdes said. FPL offers rebates to consumers installing approved AC systems at http://fpl.com/residential/savings/index.shtml.

Other tips:

1. Take shorter showers.

2. Replace or fix the aging stove, which is also an energy hog.

3. Don't use fans in unoccupied rooms. Ceiling fans can cost as much as $8 a month (per fan) to operate if left on 24 hours a day.

Related Posts: Electric Bill Update: Energy Vampires & Power Hijacks?

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This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.
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