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Thought id share a few of these in case someone could benefit :
1. I live in a Mobile Home which has a cathedral ceiling in the living room that let in a tremendous amount of heat ; it would keep the a/c running overtime to cool the place down. I added a lay in tile 2x4' ceiling with 9.5" of batt insulation above. The A/C runs about 40% less and stays off longer.
2. Added a Solar Attic Fan to each attic spaces (on either side of the Living Room). Doesnt cost a thing to run . Home is more comfortable and roof deck should last longer theoretically.
3. I dont start cooling the house till 4 pm then shut off the central air at 10 pm. Overnight, i use a very small high efficiency window a/c unit in my bedroom which only draws 3.2 amps running .
4. I turned UP the Refrigerator Thermostat to a higher temp. so it doesnt run as much. The products inside are still cold enough .
5. I have an electric water heater I run for literally 1 hour every 3 days. I live by myself and like a fast shower and not too hot. I can get 3: 5 minute showers without having to heat up the tank again.
When the outside temp. is over 90 f. and the sun is out for most of the day, i can turn on 'the COLD' water shower faucet and have enough warm water for a 5 minute shower before it starts to turn cold. (Its because im on a well and the piping run is about 150 feet from the well pump shed to the house and only 4" below grade.)
6. I cook with the microwave only instead of heating up the house with the oven.
7. I close all of the storm windows and have blinds closed on those facing south and west. , to keep the intense sunlight out.
8. I keep my house at 82 f. when im home and using the a/c, plus a small fan blowing right on me when im sitting down watching TV for any length of time ; it feels quite comfortable.
9 . Ive plugged up the two bathroom exhaust fan ducts with insulation to keep the heat from coming back in., and have unplugged the fans.
10. I have ONE light on at a time during the evening, in the room which im occupying.
Typical electric bills for this area based on my sq. ft. of 1400 , are $250./mo. Mine was $99.
Last edited by RVlover; 08-03-2009 at 05:49 PM..
Reason: spelling anomoly
Nicely done. A KWH usage is easier to compare than a $ amount.
We used 1700 KWH last month with 473 cooling degree days. Two things I know could reduce our bill - dry clothes on a clothesline, get crackin' on making that solar water heater. We have roughly 2400 ft2.
Nicely done. A KWH usage is easier to compare than a $ amount.
We used 1700 KWH last month with 473 cooling degree days. Two things I know could reduce our bill - dry clothes on a clothesline, get crackin' on making that solar water heater. We have roughly 2400 ft2.
Ill be making a Domestic Solar Water Heating system in a couple months after the brutal Florida temps. subside. ...not that i use alot of hot water though . But if it works out good, Ill also build one for space heating of (at least) my living room and bedroom utilizing a couple of small packaged Blower/water coil Units often seen in the back of work vans. They measure roughly 12x8x8" and discharge up to 250 cfm airflow. On the solar system, im going with an Open System since i dont need to drain down due to freezing ; doesnt get much below 40 f. here on Winter nights.
There are SO many things that the average homeowner or renter can do to cut down heating and cooling costs. I am dumbfounded by the sheer number of people who pay absolutely no attention to these things, but still complain about their utility bills.
I have one renter who was complaining about their living room being kind of cold and drafty last November. I asked him if he had all the windows and storm windows closed. You know the answer. Unbelievable...
There are SO many things that the average homeowner or renter can do to cut down heating and cooling costs. I am dumbfounded by the sheer number of people who pay absolutely no attention to these things, but still complain about their utility bills.
I have one renter who was complaining about their living room being kind of cold and drafty last November. I asked him if he had all the windows and storm windows closed. You know the answer. Unbelievable...
As a matter of fact I think the best thing to cut cost is good replacement windows. Maybe you can help me out here. There's a post of mine in the science forum dealing with exactly this. There is a company either out of Omaha or Lincoln Nebraska who manufactures some of the best windows. Read my post and see if you recognize the company. I just can't remember their name.
They also make security doors and replacement siding. Seems that they have an unual name. It's a family run business and been around for years. They're all over the country. I just can't remember the name and my mum has those windows.
As a matter of fact I think the best thing to cut cost is good replacement windows. Maybe you can help me out here. There's a post of mine in the science forum dealing with exactly this. There is a company either out of Omaha or Lincoln Nebraska who manufactures some of the best windows. Read my post and see if you recognize the company. I just can't remember their name.
They also make security doors and replacement siding. Seems that they have an unual name. It's a family run business and been around for years. They're all over the country. I just can't remember the name and my mum has those windows.
As a matter of fact I think the best thing to cut cost is good replacement windows.
Probably so, I used to be able to tell when my customers put new windows in. Since most of them got their fuel in bulk all at once it was quite easy to tell since they would order so little the year following putting them in. Probably saving anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 so it's a significant amount of energy waste with older windows.
Probably so, I used to be able to tell when my customers put new windows in. Since most of them got their fuel in bulk all at once it was quite easy to tell since they would order so little the year following putting them in. Probably saving anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 so it's a significant amount of energy waste with older windows.
For those who cannot afford to install replacement windows, or those who just want a little better seal, I would SERIOUSLY recommend "Seal N Peel", or another brand of removable caulk. It looks & acts like clear silicone caulk, but can be pulled off the window in the spring.
I have used this stuff on every window of every house I've owned, every year, for the past 20 years. There are no gimmicks and no tricks. Just good old fashioned sealing.
It'll run about $5 per tube, and each tube is enough to do 4-6 windows.
'As a matter of fact I think the best thing to cut cost is good replacement windows'
Youd think so, but, I got a price on replacing all of my windows...mostly 30x48" , 20 total, and they wanted $4200 installed . I figured id have to live in this house a very very long time to get that money back in energy savings over the drop-down double pane 1984 windows that came with the house.
'As a matter of fact I think the best thing to cut cost is good replacement windows'
Youd think so, but, I got a price on replacing all of my windows...mostly 30x48" , 20 total, and they wanted $4200 installed . I figured id have to live in this house a very very long time to get that money back in energy savings over the drop-down double pane 1984 windows that came with the house.
You always have to take what's said with a grain of salt, especially when it's said by somebody who has a financial profit at stake.
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