Ways to improve your electric bill

Take Advantage of Federal Tax Credits for Energy
Efficiency Improvements
Congress passed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act
(ARRA) in February 2009, a new
law which significantly changed
energy efficiency-related federal
tax credits for homeowners.
Under previous laws, the total
federal tax credit for energy efficiency
improvements was capped at
$500, and specific products had individual
caps (e.g., $200 for windows). The new federal tax
incentive under ARRA—applicable in tax years 2009 and
2010—is 30 percent of the product cost, up to $1,500 total.
There are no specific product caps.
As an example, if a homeowner purchases $5,000 in new
high-efficiency windows in 2010, the tax credit would be 30
percent, or $1,500. This homeowner would not be eligible
for any additional energy efficiency-related federal tax
credits in 2010. [Solar energy systems and geothermal heat
pumps are the exemption to the $1,500 cap.]
Tax credits (for existing homes only) are available at 30
percent of the cost, up to $1,500, in 2009 and 2010 for
windows and doors; insulation; roofs (metal and asphalt);
HVAC systems; non-solar water heaters; and biomass
stoves.
Tax credits are available at 30 percent of the cost, with no
upper limit through 2016 (for existing homes and new construction)
for geothermal heat pumps; solar panels; solar
water heaters; small wind energy systems; and fuel cells.
More information about the federal energy efficiency tax
credits can be found at www.energystar.gov.
The way you use electricity at
home offers great opportunities for
using energy wisely. For example,
did you know that you can reduce
your electricity usage for lighting
by 75 percent just by replacing
your incandescent light bulbs
with compact fluorescent bulbs? Or,
that you can reduce your cooling bill by
2 percent just by raising your thermostat by 1 degree in the
summer? Likewise, in the winter, lowering your thermostat
by only 1 degree can reduce heating bills by 3 percent.
These are just three ways you can save energy and money!
This booklet offers you more than 100 ways to improve your
electric bill by saving energy in the major areas of home
heating, cooling, lighting, cooking, dishwashing, water
heating, clothes washing, clothes drying, and refrigeration.
These simple, low- or no-cost tips can assist you in making
your energy decisions and in gaining greater control over
your electric bill. By following these tips, you also will
improve the comfort and convenience of your home. And
you’ll help to protect the environment by using energy
wisely.
INSULATION
The single most important
step in residential energy conservation
is the installation of
thermal insulation. Check current
insulation levels, and properly
insulate a new or existing home
according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s specifications
for your geographic area. Insulate ceilings,
walls, and floors over unconditioned crawl spaces.
n Double-glazed windows (two panes of glass
separated by a sealed air space) cut heat transfer by
40 to 50 percent. In extremely cold regions, triple
glazing could be economically justified.
n Single-glazed windows should have storm windows.
A wood or metal frame storm window provides
a second thickness of glass and a layer of still air that
reduces heat transmission markedly.
n Install storm doors at all entrances of the house.
A storm door helps save energy because it reduces the
mass of air infiltration that occurs when the prime
door is opened and also reduces the amount of heat
transfer through the prime door when it is closed.
n Weatherstrip and caulk around all entrance
doors and windows to limit air leaks that could
account for 15 to 30 percent of heating and cooling
energy requirements.
In the winter, the air is normally dry inside your
house. This is a disadvantage because, to be comfortable
in dry air, people typically require a higher
temperature than they would in a humid environment.
Therefore, efficient humidifiers are a good investment
for energy conservation.

AIR INFILTRATION
Find the obvious places where air can sneak into
your home, then make repairs to plug the leaks by
caulking, weatherstripping, and using plastic covers.
Some of the major air leakage areas for the average
home are: air ducts; window sashes and frames;
fireplaces; door sashes and frames; plumbing utilities
and wall penetrations; furnace flues; attic entrances;
wall outlets; and recessed light fixtures.
Keep the overhead door of an attached garage
closed to block cold winds from infiltrating the connecting
door between the house and garage.
Fireplaces should have tightly fitting dampers that
can be closed when the fireplace is not in use. Open
dampers allow the natural draft of chimneys to pull
warm air out in winter and cool air out in summer.
Close fireplace doors when not in use to reduce air
infiltration and heat loss.

COOLING
n Air conditioners vary
considerably in efficiency and
in the amount of energy used.
Therefore, select equipment
based on its federal energy efficiency
rating. For window units,
this rating is the Energy Efficiency
Ratio, or EER. New standards for room air conditioners
went into effect on October 1, 2000. For many
types of room air conditioners, the minimum EER
is 9.0 or 9.7. As a general rule, an EER of 11 or more
is excellent.
n Central air conditioner units are rated on their
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. A rating
of 14 SEER is excellent, and the minimum cooling
efficiency for air conditioners and heat pumps is 13
SEER. All ENERGY STAR® units manufactured after
January 1, 2009, have a SEER level of 14.5 and an
EER of 12.0.
n Seek professional help in determining the size
of cooling equipment needed. Oversized units should
be avoided—not only because they draw more energy
than is necessary, but also because they cannot dehumidify
properly.
n Locate the compressor units of central air conditioning
and heat pump systems in an outside area
that is shaded by the house or by trees and plants.
Units should be kept clean and free of any plant or tree
overgrowth.
n Direct sunlight falling on a window air conditioning
unit increases its workload. When a choice is
possible, locate such units on the north or shady side
of the house.
n Set the cooling thermostat as high as comfort
will permit. The higher the setting, the more energy
you save.

n Attics must be ventilated to relieve heat buildup
caused by the sun. When planning a new home,
install vents of proper size and location to ensure attic
ventilation by natural airflow. For existing homes,
determine whether attic ventilation is adequate and,
if necessary, improve airflow by adding or enlarging
vents.
n Choose light-colored roof shingles for your house
to reflect more of the sun’s heat. The darker the shingles,
the more heat that will be absorbed during the
summer season.
n Open windows during the moderate weather of
spring and fall to admit outside air for cooling instead
of operating air conditioning equipment.
n Close cooling vents and turn off window air conditioners
in unused rooms. Keep doors to unused rooms
closed.
n Draw blinds, shades, or drapes to block the
sunlight during the hottest part of the day, especially
on south- and west-facing windows.
n In the cooling season, run kitchen and bath
exhaust fans only long enough to rid the house of
unwanted water vapor and odors.
n Don’t position heat-producing devices such as
lamps and TV sets beneath a wall-mounted thermostat
for a central cooling system. Heat rising from the
equipment could cause the thermostat to read a temperature
higher than the true room temperature and
lead to overcooling.

HEATING
n If you are buying a new heating system, consider
a high-efficiency electric air source or ground source
heat pump. The energy efficiency is rated according
to a federal standard called the Heating Seasonal
Performance Factor, or HSPF. Heat pumps with an
HSPF of 10 are almost three times more efficient than
the most efficient gas furnaces. In January 2006, the
new minimum efficiency for air source heat pumps
rose to 7.7 HSPF, while efficiency levels for furnaces
and boilers have not increased since 1992.
n Ground source heat pumps, or GeoExchange
units, use the Earth as a heat source in the winter and as
a heat sink in the summer. Ground source heat pumps
are rated in terms of Coefficient of Performance (COP)
for the winter. The higher the COP, the higher the
efficiency. Where gas furnaces have COP values in the
0.78 to 0.94 range, ground source heat pumps have
COP values in the 3.0 to 5.0 range.
n In the heating season, water vapors from bathing
and cooking are beneficial because they help humidify
the home. So, use kitchen and bath exhaust fans sparingly
in the winter to keep as much heat as possible
inside your house.
n Locate the heating thermostat on an inside wall
and away from windows and doors. Cold drafts will
cause the thermostat to keep the system running even
when the rest of the house is warm enough.
n Set the heating thermostat as low as comfort permits.
For instance, each degree above 680 F can add 3
percent to the amount of energy needed for heating. If
you have a heat pump, make sure that the thermostat
is designed to operate the heat pump efficiently when
raising the temperature after it has been lowered.

n When entertaining a large group of people during
the heating season, lower the thermostat a degree or
two before the guests arrive. Otherwise, since people
generate heat, the space may become wastefully overheated.
n Lubricate pump and blower bearings regularly
in accordance with manufacturers’ recommendations
to limit the amount of energy lost to friction and to
extend equipment life as well.
n Close heating vents and radiator valves in unused
rooms. Make sure that drapes, plants, or furniture do
not block registers for supply or return air.