Simple and Easy Ways to Save Energy

Simple, Easy Ways to Save Energy and Money

Clean Energy Advocate

www.srcity.org/CEA

Outline • What is the CEA program?

• Free: • Clothes Dryer

• Hot Water Heater

• Standby Power

• Water Efficiency

• Inexpensive: • Weather stripping

• Lighting

• Air Filters

• Hot Water Pipe Insulation

• Programmable Thermostat

• Moderate: • Refrigerator

• Freezer

• Dishwasher

• Clothes Washer

• Moisture barrier

• Pool/Hot tub

• An investment: • Air sealing

• Duct sealing

• Insulation

• How do you pay for this?

Clean Energy Advocate

• The CEA program is grant funded through the Department of Energy grant.

• We are an independent, unbiased advocate available to assist homeowners in navigating the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water efficiency upgrade process.

Goals of the Clean Energy Advocate

1. Provide education to the public to improve energy use by changing behavior

2. Increase solar PV and solar thermal in Sonoma County

3. Improve the experience of installing solar

4. Increase employment

5. Reduce greenhouse gases

FREE STUFF!

Behavior change- Clothes dryer

• Use auto dry setting instead of timer

• Clean lint filter, vent, hose and outside vent:

Cleaning the filter after every

load will improve air circulation

and increase the efficiency of the

dryer.

• Use a drying rack instead

Average Cost $450+

Behavior change- Hot Water Heater

Cheap:

• Insulation:

If the tank is warm to

the touch it needs

more insulation

• Use an insulation blanket if the heater is old or warm ($20+)

Free:

• Set the thermostat to 120° (or A) if there is no dishwasher

Average Cost: gas or electric: $300+. Varies per fuel type.

Rebate up to $50 from PG&E and tax credit for $300

Behavior change- Standby Power

What to look for:

• Plugged in appliances • Standby power is when

an appliance uses power 24 hours a day even when it is turned off

• Unplug appliances

• Use a power strip to turn the appliance off at the strip

Water Use Efficiency

• Free water and energy audit:

• Indoor and outdoor

• Look for water leaks

• Free showerheads, aerators, hose nozzles

• Attend water wise gardening workshops, and graywater workshops

City of Santa Rosa

707-543-3985

www.srcity.org/WUE

Inexpensive Stuff!

Weather stripping

Unimportant:

• Type of windows, double or single paned (payback of ~10 years)

Important:

• Look for leaks around the windows and doors

• Weather stripping is DIY, and inexpensive

• Storm window can be built

Average Cost for windows $600+, Tax credit up to $200

Lighting What to look for:

• Standard vs. CFL’s and LED’s

**Better to replace standard bulbs right away with CFL’s or LED’s than wait for the standard bulbs to burn out.

$1.00+ $10+

CFL’s

• Last 10 times longer

• Produces less heat that standard bulbs

• Disposal concerns

LED’s

• Lasts 35 to 50 times longer than a standard bulb

• Durable: not made out of glass

• Turns on immediately

Air Filters • A dirty air filter makes

the whole heating and cooling system work harder.

• Solution: • Replace or vacuum filters

every 3 months

Average Cost $13+

Hot Water Pipe Insulation

Insulating hot water pipes can raise the water temperature 2°- 4° F hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing for lower water temperature setting.

Also means you don’t have to wait for the water to warm up as long at the faucet.

Average $0.97 per 6ft

Programmable thermostat

Setting Temp (hot) Temp (cool)

Home 70° F or less 78° or greater

Not home (work) Minus 8° F Plus 8° F

Sleep Minus 8° F or off Plus 4° F or off

Get one ($40+) and set it.

Moderate Stuff!

Refrigerator

What to look for: • Age: older than 1980, replace

and save $100/year

• Energy Star label

When replacing a fridge: • Skip the automatic ice maker

and through the door ice maker

Free- Unplug your extra fridge unless it’s full and used often.

Average Cost: $700, Recycling through PG&E $35

Free- Clean your fridge coils which can improve your efficiency by up to 30%!

Recycling $35

Freezer What to look for:

• Age: 1980, replace it and save $70/year

• Energy Star label

Things to remember: • Get top mounted freezer

not side by side.

• A manual defrost uses 50% less energy than auto-defrost, ONLY if it is defrosted on a regular basis.

• Stand alone freezer: chest freezer is more efficient than an upright freezer

• The larger the freezer, the greater the consumption.

Dishwasher

What to look for:

• Age: 1994+, replace it and save $40/year

• Energy Star label

Save energy and water

• Dishwasher built before 1994 uses 10 gpc more than Energy Star labeled model.

• Behavior change: Choose a wash cycle according to how dirty the dishes are.

• Choose the right size- compact or standard.

Average Cost: $300, rebate through PG&E up to $50

Clothes Washer

What to look for: • Energy Star label

• High spin speed option: reduces the amount of moisture in your clothes, decreasing drying time

• Efficiency: front loading, or efficient top loading.

Behavior change:

• Wash with cold water • 90% of energy used in

washers goes to heating the water.

Average Cost: $500+, rebates through local gov. and PG&E

Moisture barrier

• Why this is important:

• Moisture control (Mold, mildew, rot)

• Comfort (i.e getting ride of cold floors)

Add plastic

sheeting to control

moisture from

coming through ground.

Pool or Hot tub • Pool efficiency:

• Pool covers save about 50% of heating costs per year.

• Get a clear pool cover.

• The smaller the pump, the more energy efficient.

• Turn the pool temperature off when not using the pool for several days.

• It’s better to run the pump for longer periods of time at a slower speed than a faster speed for a shorter amount of time.

Rebate up to $100 for variable speed pool pump through PG&E

Swimming pools can account for up to 20% of the energy a residence consumes. Get a variable speed pool pump.

An Investment

Air Sealing • Seal cracks, and air leaks with caulking, and other methods

• Also includes weather stripping, sealing leaks around pipes, vents, fans, outlets etc

Energy Star estimates

that a homeowner can save

20% on heating and cooling

costs by air sealing.

Usually one of the most cost effective measures (in concert with insulation) for a home.

Insulation • What to look for

• Depth of insulation: should be about 12 to 15 inches deep, or check if floor joists are exposed

• R-value: The recommended insulation level for SR attics is R-38

• R value- An insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation effectiveness.

Rebate up to $500 through PG&E, tax credit up to $500

Duct Sealing • Duct sealing:

• Seal with metal foil tape or mastic- NOT duct tape

• Make sure connections at vents and registers are well-sealed where the joints meet.

• Symptoms of needing ducts sealed:

• Too cold in a room

• Dirt insulation around ducts

• Finding kinked flexible ducts in the system

• Difficulty heating or cool rooms and keeping them at a steady temperature

Rebate up to $200 through PG&E

Energy Analysis • A whole home “physical”

• 4-5 hours: testing building envelope, insulation, windows, house leakage

Home energy analysis:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YolBP0-vkBU&feature=relmfu

How to pay? SCEIP (Sonoma County Energy Independence Program)

www. sonomacountyenergy.org • Up to 100% rebate on home energy analysis.

• Property lien for energy efficiency measures. 7% interest.

Energy Upgrade CA www.energyupgradesonoma.org • Up to $6,000 for energy efficiency measures.

PG&E www.pge.com/rebates • Single measure rebates vary on measure.

• Financial assistance (CARE, FERA, Medical Baseline, Energy Savings Assistance Program).

Helpful Resources:

• www.EnergyStar.gov

• How to guides

• www.SRCity.org/CEA

• Financing Resources, Tips

• www.EnergySavers.gov

• Tips, Helpful reference

Questions?

Contact information:

Claire Nordlie

Clean Energy Advocate

707-543-3886

CEA@srcity.org

www.srcity.org/CEA