What can we do to save energy?

[Maine Writer]

Steve finally looked closely at the light bill last week. I unplugged all the things that we don't use often and leave "off" most of the time. They're not really off, they're sitting there quietly using electricity. Our light bills have dropped by 30-35% for those three months over the same time last year.

[Trailmonkey]

Clean your refrigerator condensor (behind, or under your refrigerator). You would be surprised how much more your refrigerator runs when it can't get rid of the excess heat.

Caulk, seal, wrap. (including that in-wall air conditioner that you have never covered before). When foaming around doors and windows, make sure you have the proper type. Using the high-expansion foam will make for a (not so) fun home repair project. Consider storm doors.

check up in the attic. is there any insulation there? No, i mean that question seriously. You would be surprised how many homes don't have attic insulation. How about the scuttle hole cover? Foam insulation on the back of it, and a weatherstrip around it will help seal it. Do you have pull-down stairs? They make foam covers for these, as those stairs are basically a sheet of 1/4 plywood on the face, and not very efficient at stopping warm (expensive air) from disappearing. Money well spent up here includes blowing in a layer of cellulose or fiberglass. Don't block ventilation at the soffits, however, or you may have worse problems than a cold house.

Stone foundation? Consider having the inside, from ground level up, sprayfoamed. (if you foam the whole thing, frost damage may occur to the foundation.) At the very least, if you have a concrete foundation, insulate between all of the floor joists, at the rim of the basement. Don't block off the bulkhead stairs, instead use foam panels directly on the upper edge of the bulkhead foundation walls. (under the bulkhead doors). if you block off the whole area, frost damage may occur.

Not all of these may apply to you, your mileage may vary, etc, etc.

And I am looking for some old water heaters, too.....

[RANGER.101ST]

this is what i do to save.i ride the harly more it get way better miledge than the truck i keep my beer and morgans closer to the couch so im not wasteing energy to walk that extra 15 feet.i stoped moweing the lawn so im useing less gas in the mower.

[roadrat]

My DW and I bought a pellet stove, we also changed over all our lights to CFL's.

bill

[fxtrader]

I have apartments in Maine and am planning on getting energy audits on the big user's. They go in with an infrared camera and check all the rooms and then check the insulation in the walls and atticks and the heating system to come up with a report. I am sure most of the work can be done yourself or you can pay to have them do it. This should at least help with a long term plan and picking the best payback's first.

[flycessna]

Originally Posted by forest beekeeper

I spoke with a salesman about a Rinnai when we came up here.

I was told that we needed to be in a city, and to have our water tested by them; before our warranty would be valid.

It was explained to me that without municipal water filtering and treatment, they simply would not warranty their water heater.

We have used them before, both living in Scotland and in Italia. We do like using on-demand water heaters.

The salesman was also not confidant that their units would function well feeding a radiant floor system, that the load might be to big, it would simply be working to hard to keep up with demand.

Forest, if your still interested you should look into just renting on. Webber here was really approachable about it...I pay $35 with no lease no fee's no cancellation fee's ect. They own it!

I was given the same line about the radient floor heating system. I woold research it...there has to be some folks out there that are doing it. I just do not know how effecient it would be. I can't see why it wouldn't work....Doesn't radient heat only need about 80-90 degrees of temp to operate?

[forest beekeeper]

Originally Posted by flycessna

Forest, if your still interested you should look into just renting on. Webber here was really approachable about it...I pay $35 with no lease no fee's no cancellation fee's ect. They own it!

I was given the same line about the radient floor heating system. I woold research it...there has to be some folks out there that are doing it. I just do not know how effecient it would be. I can't see why it wouldn't work....Doesn't radient heat only need about 80-90 degrees of temp to operate?

Thanks, but we are happy using woodchips.