Savings Big and Small


      Last week’s blog entry about Phantom Loads was a little bit off.  One thing I have never claimed to be is a mathematician.  I came up with a figure that would save around $500.00 in a year when the real savings is only around $50.00 a year.  According to loyal blog reader and math genius extraordinaire Vern Heidner, "the real number for a continuous 3 watts of consumption is about $60.00 a year, you divided the total consumption by 100 rather than 1000.  Your actual use is about 700 kwh per year rather than 7000."  Since I was wrong about the savings I thought I had better find you a way to save more money so here it is from the Silicon Valley Website.

Eight Ways to Save with Light

 

1. Change five lights
Replace your home’s five most frequently used light fixtures, or the bulbs in them, with models that have earned the ENERGY STAR for energy efficiency. By making this change, a household can save more than sixty dollars a year in energy costs. The home’s five most frequently used lights typically include:

 

• Kitchen ceiling dome light
• Living room table lamp
• Living room floor lamp
• Bathroom vanity light
• Outdoor porch or post lamp

 

2. Buy one instead of ten
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) last up to 10 times** longer than standard incandescent light bulbs and can save you more than twenty-five dollars in energy costs over the life of the bulb. ** Based on a 10,000 hour CFL life and a 1,000 hour incandescent bulb.

 

3. Consider the environmental savings
Your home can be responsible for twice as much air pollution as your car. If one room in every US household was brightened by ENERGY STAR qualified lighting we’d prevent air pollution equivalent to the emissions from 8 million cars. There are some savings that are worth more than dollars and cents— changing the world can be as simple as changing a light!

 

4. Buy products with a strong warranty
A warranty is a great way to avoid unnecessary replacement costs. ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures come with a two-year warranty—double the industry standard. Plus, they are a stylish addition to any décor. That’s a smart investment.

 

5. Keep cool with a ceiling fan
By replacing an old ceiling fan with a new energy efficient ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fan/light combo unit you can save fifteen to twenty-five dollars a year on energy bills. Qualified ceiling fans have optimized fan blades and motors that move air twenty percent more efficiently than traditional models. Cool-to-the-touch lighting allows the fan to cool you without competing with heat from traditional halogen or incandescent lights. These newer, more efficient fans with lighting are decorative, practical and will help you save energy and money year round.

 

6. Flip a switch when leaving a room
Saving energy and money can start by not wasting energy. When you leave a room, turn off the light and see the savings.

 

7. Safety (and savings) first
The bulb in a halogen torchiere lamp burns at between 700-1,100 degrees Fahrenheit-hot enough to fry an egg. ENERGY STAR qualified torchiere bulbs not only operate at much cooler and safer temperatures, they last up to ten times longer than standard halogen bulbs, saving you approximately seventy-five dollars in energy and bulb replacement costs over their lifetime.

 

8. Start with lighting
Replacing your home’s five most frequently used fixtures, or the bulbs in them, with ones that have earned the ENERGY STAR, is one of five simple actions that EPA is encouraging everyone to do to make their home more energy-efficient. Other actions Americans can take include:

 

a. Looking for other products that have earned the ENERGY STAR, including home electronics and appliances

 

b. Heating and cooling your home smartly

 

c. Sealing your home with adequate insulation

 

d. Telling family and friends-help spread the word that energy efficiency is good for your home and the environment. The typical household spends $1,400 a year on energy bills. With ENERGY STAR, you can save up to thirty percent, or about $420 a year, on your energy bills.  Last week’s blog entry about Phantom Loads was a little bit off.  One thing I have never claimed to be is a mathemation.  I came up with a figure that would save around $500.00 in a year when the real savings is only around $50.00 a year.  According to loyal blog reader and math genius extraordinaire Vern Heidner this is what I did,  Learn more at the ENERGY STAR website.