CasaSugar

Casa Verde: Keep Your Energy Bills Low When on Holiday

CasaSugar — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 15:00:00 -0700

If you're planning on vacationing this August, you know that you don't need to use as much energy at home while you're away as you would normally. But, I thought I'd give you a few reminders about how to cut back your energy use while you're off hitting the beach.

Most people like to leave some lights on to be safe, so you appear to be home even when you're not. If you live in a city or neighborhood where that's necessary, just put a couple of your lights (facing the street) on timers to go on at night so your house doesn't appear vacant, but isn't hogging energy all day long.
Aside from your refrigerator and freezer, you can turn off and unplug all of your major and smaller appliances. But, if you'll be gone for an extended period, consider emptying your fridge and freezer all together and unplugging them as well.

There's more where these came from, so read more.

You won't be needing hot water, so you can turn your electric water heater off, too, or if you have a gas water heater, turn it to the pilot setting.
If you live in a moderate climate, you can turn your air conditioner off as well, but otherwise, set it at 85 degrees.
If you're lucky enough to have a pool, turn off your pool heater as well — Wow, they're pricey! — and reduce the amount of times that your pump filter operates. But, then again, if you can take a dip in your backyard, why take a vacation?

Casa Verde: Preventing Phantom Loads

CasaSugar — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 05:32:52 -0700

In the high-tech world we live in, power strips are as essential as light bulbs. But just as you turn the lights off when you leave a room, you should also get in the habit of turning off your power strip when you're not using it. This helps prevent what eco experts call the "phantom load."

Basically, any time you have a piece of electronic equipment that is plugged in but in standby mode, it's leaking lots of power, wasting energy, and running up your electric bill. And according to Treehugger, it's not a paltry amount: The EPA estimates that 75 percent of energy used in the average home comes from appliances that are thought to be turned off but are merely in standby mode.

Similarly, phantom loads are also created when chargers for cell phones and other electronics are plugged in with nothing attached to them.

To solve the problem, plug your chargers and standby electronics into power strips, and when you're not using the devices, turn the power strips off. Just make sure that any appliances that need to stay on - like external hard drives, fridges, and so on - are plugged in separately.

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Energy-Saving Ways to Stay Cool

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 06:00:28 -0700

There's a brutal heat wave pestering many parts of the South and the Midwest, and in the rest of the country, it's still pretty darn hot. So I thought I would share a few of Georgia Power's tips for staying cool without making your energy bill skyrocket. Got some ideas of your own to share? Tell us in the comments section below.

Set your thermostat at 78 degrees or higher and leave it there. For every degree below that setting, you'll use 3 to 5 percent more electricity.
Set the thermostat even higher when at work or away from home for long periods of time, but no more than five degrees higher.
Change or clean your air conditioner filter regularly to maximize the unit's cooling potential.
Adjust your ceiling fan to turn counterclockwise in the summer.

For even more handy pointers, read more

Check your windows and doors for a tight fit. Apply weather stripping or caulking if needed.
When cooking, try to use the range instead of the oven. Or better yet, turn on the microwave or use a pressure cooker. Both use less power than a standard electric range.
Use pots and pans that match the size of the burners on your stove. This allows more heat to the pan and less heat will be lost to surrounding air.
Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Check it by closing a piece of paper in the door, half in and half out. If you can pull the paper out easily, you may need to make some adjustments or replace the seal.

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Ask an Expert: Cheap, Easy Ideas For Winterizing Homes (Part Two)

CasaSugar — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 08:30:43 -0700

Recently, I asked Lou Manfredini (better known as "Ace Hardware’s Helpful Hardware Man") for some tips on keeping your homes cozy and efficient during the Winter months. You can read the first two tips here. For more advice, check out these tips.

CasaSugar: Are there any tools that homeowners should have on hand to help with home heating fixes?

Lou: Every homeowner should have a tool box full of these essentials:

Screwdrivers
Hammer
Tape measure
Sharp utility knife
Pliers

These tools will help not only with home heating fixes, but many other household projects as well.

To find out what you should do to your exterior doors, read more.

CasaSugar: What type of fixes should homeowners make on exterior doors?

Lou: First close the door and make sure that no daylight or air is coming through. If there is, you might want to consider purchasing a new door as this is an easy way to boost your energy savings. Also, apply some powdered graphite lubricant in the locks to ensure easy operation in the winter months. If your door is structurally sound, but looking a little shabby, consider sanding it down, priming it and applying a new coat of exterior acrylic paint to the door. Consider using a bright color paint to change the look.

CasaSugar: What parts of the home are most susceptible to heating losses? Is there anything relatively easy homeowners can do to prevent these heating losses?

Lou: Windows and doors, even if they are brand new, are the greatest areas of energy loss in the home. In addition to weather stripping these areas, you can let your window treatments help a bit. In the daytime, leave the drapes and window treatments open to allow the sun to help heat your home. When it gets dark, close the drapes to add a layer of protection and assist in keeping the warm air in your home longer.

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Casa Quickie: Save Money and Energy

CasaSugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 14:00:30 -0700

We've all gotten better about ditching plastic bags and using CFLs, but there are plenty of other simple ways to be "green" and save money that we often overlook. One of these is to make a habit of only running full loads of dishes in your dishwasher and full loads of laundry in your washer and dryer. This is particularly true for your dishwasher, because most dishwashers don't have a "small" option. It'll save water, money, and energy, not to mention detergent. Stay tuned for more energy saving tips!
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