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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?

How-To: Reduce Winter Heating Bills

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 08:30:51 -0700

Recently, heating expert Chris Cooper shared some advice for thrifty Winter heating. He's back, with some hints on how to cut your heating bills or to assist other families with their high heating bills. Chris notes that, "Research compiled by the National Fuel Funds Network proves that fuel poverty leads to 'heat or eat' situations, [where] families strive in vain for a safe balance between paying for food and paying for energy."

To find out how you can help out, or find assistance with your heating costs, read more.

The Low-Income Housing and Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is one of the most effective programs in the battle against fuel poverty in the US. Since 1981, LIHEAP has provided funding to heat homes through the cold stretch from October to March, but officials there indicate that they only reach 20 percent of the population that requests their services. $5.1 billion is allocated to LIHEAP for Winter 08-09.
The Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) addresses the fuel poverty problem from the pragmatic perspective of home conditioning, offering funds to help homeowners improve the energy efficiency of their property. During the last 30 years, they have served 5.6 million low-income families.
In addition to the help that federal programs provide, there are numerous organizations within close proximity of any community that reach out to Americans in need. Look for a Salvation Army, an American Red Cross, or a local advocacy center in your town or city. If you can, donate warm bedding, coats, scarves, gloves, and mittens to local community assistance organizations.
Most local electric companies offer assistance programs to their customers. The Upper Peninsula Power Company in Michigan, for example, offers a Winter Protection Plan that assures eligible elderly and low-income customers will not have their power turned off between Nov. 1 and March 31. In Massachusetts, local electric providers throughout the state contribute to the Good Neighbor Energy Fund which helps people who do not qualify for state or federal programs. Electric consumers can also contribute to the fund through donations sent in with their monthly payments.
You can engage public officials in your area regarding regional and state programs that promote affordable warmth. LIHEAP distributes a newsletter that keeps citizens informed about ways to lobby and support their campaign. The National Fuel Funds Network is organizing a Day of Action in Washington DC on Feb. 10, 2009.
Participate in home winterization initiatives in your neighborhood. Participating in initiatives that improve insulation, heating options, and living conditions for a variety of people may be the sort of grass roots movement that could reverse the terrible reality of fuel poverty in the United States.

Source

Open House: How Are You Handling the Cold?

CasaSugar — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:30:49 -0700

As temperatures drop, our homes' thermostats creep up, and with those rising thermostats come rising bills. This week, I offered you some advice on keeping your house warm while keeping your costs down. From wearing layers to household fixes, there are actually some easy ways to make your house more efficient and cozy, that will also help you lower those heating bills.

Every household seems to have a few tricks up their sleeve about how to winterize their home. What do you do? Do you use draft stoppers on doors? Storm windows? Do you have any ingenious tricks that you haven't heard mentioned here before? Tell me all about it in the comments.
Source

Casa Verde: Greening Your Heating

CasaSugar — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 10:35:00 -0700

Casa reader and TeamSugar member Tdamji writes an excellent green living blog called Minimal Harm. She tells me that she'll be officially launching a new version of the blog in early 2008, which I'm very excited about. Tdamji recently posted about greening your heating, which she adapted from a Treehugger post. Since it's starting to get chilly in many parts of the northern hemisphere, I thought everyone might like some tips on keeping their energy bills lower and their homes cozier. Thanks Tdamji and Treehugger!

1. Seal the leaks!
Sounds dull I know, but heat loss is one of the biggest obstacles on the road to a comfortable home in the winter. Good thing that sealing those darn leaks -- or draft-proofing, to get technical -- is a breeze. Plus, come summer time, good insulation will make it harder for heat to beat a path way into your home. All you need is a tube of exterior silicone caulk or insulation strips, which you can attach to your windows, plumbing and wiring holes, doors and fireplace dampers.

To find the leaks, light a stick of incense or a candle on a breezy day, close all the windows and doors, and wander around your rooms searching for places toward which the incense smoke drifts. Those are your target zones. For the space between your doors and the floor, consider installing a nifty, cheap door sweep on the bottom of the door.

2. Cover your glass
Installing clear plastic barriers or storm windows on your existing windows can cut heat loss by 25% to 50% by creating an insulating dead-air space inside the window. Storm windows cost about $7.50 to $12.50 per square foot. Exterior storm windows will increase the temperature of the inside window by as much as 30°F on a cold day, keeping you more comfortable.

3. Stay ventilated
The better you draft-proof and insulate your home, the more you’ll need good ventilation. Pollutants (especially from unflued heaters) can accumulate and excess condensation can cause mould and mildew to grow. Open some windows for a few minutes several times a day (cross-ventilate, if possible), rather than leaving a window partly open all the time.

4. Spread the heat
Who knew a fan could be useful for heating your home? Turns out that a well-positioned and slow-rotating fan can help ensure that heat from your radiator or heater doesn’t just drift up to your ceiling but spreads throughout your room, warming you toe to head. One great option is a heater fan, which sits atop woodstoves or gas room heaters and relies on a thermodynamic module to keep them running on heat alone (look ma, no batteries!).

For six more smart heating tips, just read more

5. Heating wisely
Heating the rooms to tropical temperatures isn’t just unnecessary, but uncomfortable. Throw on your most comfortable sweater and turn your thermostat down a few degrees. Each degree Celsius less will save about 10% on your energy use. And don’t forget to close doors to keep the heat contained in the rooms you’re actually using. Also, reduce temperatures at night, when you’re under the blankets. A programmable thermostat might be your most effective weapon.

6. Peel a drape
Since most heat loss in your home occurs through and around the windows, draw your drapes, especially at night. During the day, leave north-facing windows uncovered in order to take advantage of the winter sun. If you can line your drapes with old bed sheets or other material, they’ll prove even more effective in cutting down on your heating costs. You can also buy insulating drapes, which incorporate layers of insulating material, a radiant barrier, and a moisture-resistant layer to prevent condensation.

7. Start a fire (but not like a caveman)
What are fireplaces good for? Gathering the family around, hanging stockings on, putting photographs on top of. And what are they not good for? Entering the house (unless of course you’re Santa), throwing trash into, and heating. Yes, heating. On average, fireplaces are only about 10% efficient. That is, about 90% of their energy is lost through the chimney, along with loads of your home’s warm air and energy dollars.

But if you can’t resist the crackle and the glow, lower your thermostat to about between 50° and 55°F so your system doesn't keep trying to replace the warm air being lost through the chimney. Also, open the window nearest the fireplace slightly and close nearby doors so the fireplace won’t easily draw heated air out of the house. Installing glass doors on the fireplace, which can be closed when the fire’s dying or out, will prevent indoor heated air from escaping through the chimney, as will closing the chimney damper when the fireplace is not in use.

Consider using EcoBrics, which, made of compressed sawdust, have the same energy value as brown coal equivalents, with one-third the water content and a fraction of the ash and sulfur emissions.

Some upgrades to consider are the EcoFire Super-Grate, which increases burning efficiency, an outdoor air intake, which cuts down on heat loss from your home, or a high-efficiency fireplace insert, offering stricter air control.

If you don’t use your fireplace at all, plug and seal the chimney flue. You can keep your family photos where they are.

8. Get into (cheaper) hot water
Water heating is the third largest energy expense in an American home, typically accounting for about 13% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient water heater.

To use less, consider aerating faucets, which enhance spray while minimizing water usage, repair leaky faucets, and opt for showers over baths. To insulate your heater, you’ll need blankets that shouldn’t cost more than $20 and will save you around 4-9% in heating costs. Remember not to cover the thermostat; if insulating your hot-water storage tank, don’t cover the thermostat, top, bottom, or burner compartment.

9. Be passive
So-called “passive” techniques earn their name from being unobtrusive, requiring little tending or cost. But they’re anything but passive when it comes to heating your home. Installing larger, insulated windows on south-facing walls and locating thermal mass, such as a concrete slab floor or a heat-absorbing wall, close to the windows, will help your home absorb solar heat with a minimum loss of inside heat.

Keep in mind that for passive solar heating, the optimal window-to-wall area ratio is 25-35 percent. Ensure also that your south-facing windows are clean, and that objects do not block the sunlight from hitting concrete floors or other heat-absorbing materials. If you’re constructing a new home, make sure the longest walls run from east to west, allowing the sun’s rays to enter the home in winter, while allowing in as little sun as possible during summer.

10. Cuddle up
Or throw a get-together, and tell everyone to wear their coolest (no pun intended) sweaters. The more people in your home (or bed!) the hotter it is. Gather around the fireplace -- but if you’re cold, think twice before actually lighting it up. No matter what, sweeten the deal with some hot cider or cocoa!

Cool Idea: Garage Door Façade

CasaSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:00:16 -0700

When architect Bill Peterson decided to renovate his 16-foot-wide brownstone in Manhattan's East Village, he was determined not to be drastically modern. He wanted to maintain some of the circa-1869 building's history, but at the same time, wanted to use new technologies. The result? Trickery.

He built a façade for the structure's second floor, which can be raised like a garage door in just a few minutes, opening up to its modern living room. The feature offers a Manhattanite a rare thing: private outdoor space (well, semi-private). For safety, an ultra clear glass barrier was installed as a barrier. And to keep bugs and heat out, an air curtain wall system shooting high velocity air from the ceiling was used. Pretty clever, eh? Since the revealing façade is on the second floor, pedestrians can't really see in, and the trees across the street block some neighbors from seeing inside. But really, it's a living room, not a bedroom, so who really cares? See a photo of the living room with "the door" closed.

Casa Quickie: Reverse Your Ceiling Fan's Direction

CasaSugar — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:00:27 -0800

If you live in the northern hemisphere and haven't yet switched the direction of your ceiling fan's blades, now's the time to do so. You want to make sure that the blades' direction is switched from moving in a counterclockwise direction to a clockwise direction.

To do so, just flip the switch at the base so that the blades rotate clockwise (that's when you're looking up at it from below). By switching your fan's rotation seasonally, you can save 10-15 percent on your heating bill and as much as 40 percent on your cooling bill in the Summer. Plus, it will help to make Winter feel a little bit cozier.

Source: Flickr User Maricel Cruz

Crave Worthy: Niki Jones Silhouette Chair

CasaSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 05:30:58 -0700

Aside from antiques, it's not often that I see a dining chair that's so outstanding and lustworthy as the Niki Jones Silhouette Chair ($407). The shape has beautiful proportions and such a delicate shape. Its form is based on classic French antiques, but has been updated with a high gloss lacquer. For some reason antique-inspired modern designs, like the Louis Ghost Chair, always get me. The trouble is that if, like most, your dining table requires at least four chairs, your bill will be pricey. But this one can also stand alone and dress up any empty corner.

If Money Weren't an Issue . . .

CasaSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:00:51 -0700

. . . would you decorate your bed with this Dollar Teddy Bear ($1,250)? It's sewn entirely out of genuine US dollar bills!

How-To: Get Your House Ready For Cold Weather

CasaSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 08:00:53 -0700

As we head into Fall, it's time to prepare your home for cold weather. In its Fall Home Maintenance To-Do List, Kiplinger.com names nine things-at least some of which most homeowners can do themselves-to lower your utility bills and protect your investment. Check out some of the easiest, most effective ways to get your home in cold weather fighting shape.
Source

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Ask Casa: Find These Kill Bill Pillows?

CasaSugar — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 10:00:10 -0700

Hi Casa,
I've looked everywhere online for embroidered pillows like these from Kill Bill Vol. 2. Any ideas other than a Spring break trip to Mexico?

Thanks!
Oliveye

To see my suggestions, read more.

Hi Oliveye,

Those pillows look like crewel pillows. Crewel is a type of free embroidery that uses thick thread, usually wool, to embroider imagery on a fabric surface. Crewel work began in England, and spread to Kashmir and India shortly thereafter. The pillows from Kill Bill Vol. 2 look like they're embroidered pillowcases, and I had virtually no luck finding any pillowcases as gorgeous as those pictured. So, I thought I'd show you the next best alternative: throw pillows that can be used on your bed, alongside more traditional pillows.

The Mantadia Pillow ($128) has similar colors and florals as your pillows, but includes some avian life as well. It's a bit expensive, but definitely lovely.

A more economical alternative is the Crate and Barrel Natasha Pillow ($36.95). It uses rayon thread instead of wool, and is embroidered on a sturdy cotton pillow.

Another alternative is to try your hand at embroidering something similar. You can use embroidery markers and thread to trace a similar design, and then get to work re-creating the design to your specifications. Or, you could try an embroidery kit, such as Sublime Stitching Flower Power Kit.

I also rounded up some other embroidered pillows, to see if any struck your fancy. Good luck in your search!

Cheers,
Casa

Rickrack Embroidered Floral Toss Pillows - $19.99	Floral Embroidered Pillow - $99.00
Koko - Dusk 20 x 20 Embroidered Pillow - $234.00	Hand-Embroidered Rabbit Pillow - $119.00
Koko - Pollen 18x18 Flower Embroidered Pillow - $74.00	Floral Embroidered Toss Pillows - $24.99
Jonathan Adler -bargello pillows by jonathan adler - $95.00	Nerissa Pillow - $19.95