Title: Home Energy Solutions
1Home Energy Solutions
- Easy Ways to Help Yourself
- Donna Coffin, UMaine Extension Educator
2Direct Energy Use- Household
- How We Use Energy in Our Homes in the Northeast
- Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of a
typical utility bill. - Source Building Energy Data Book, Table 2.3.10
2001 Energy End-Use for an Average Household by
region
3How the Rest of the Country Stays Warm
How Maine Stays Warm
A recent Maine Lung Association survey indicated
the 48 or Maine households intend to use wood
stoves or pellet stoves as the main source or
supplemental source of heat this winter.
Source Historical Census of Housing House
Heating Fuel 2000 www.census.gov/hhes/www/housi
ng/census/historic/fuels.html accessed 8/20/08
4Home Heat Loss Averages
- Infiltration/Air Leakage 35
- Windows and Doors 18-20
- Floors and Below Grade Space 15-18
- Walls 12-14
- Ceilings 10
Heat loss from a house
5Do You Need a Certified Audit?
- Certified auditor list
- http//www.mainehousing.org/
ENERGYAuditServices.aspx - Online self audit
- http//hes.lbl.gov/
- Home Energy Evaluation check list
- http//www.extension.umaine.edu/energy/checklist.h
tm
6Step One
- Assess what you have
- Measure or estimate the size of the house
- Measure or estimate the size of the windows
- Use one years worth of utility bills to estimate
total energy use for the year
7DIY Evaluation
- Things to check
- Joints and Penetrations caulk
- Insulation enough?
- Ventilation to let excess moisture out
- Ductwork wrap pipes with insulation
- Doors and Windows seal, pull curtains, indoor
shutters - Heating Cooling Systems clean upgrade?
- Appliances upgrade
- Water Heating insulate tank
- Lighting fluorescent
8Step Two
- Calculate the heating costs
- Btu per Standard Heating Unit
- Use the mBtu to calculate savings
- mBtu million Btu 1,000,000 Btu
9Heat content of fuel
Fuel Heat Content (BTUs) Per Unit
Oil 2 138,500 gallon
Electricity 3,413 Kwh
Propane (bottled gas) 92,500 gallon
Hardwood (dry) 24,000,000 Cord
Softwood (dry) 15,000,000 Cord
Wood Pellets 16,000,000 Ton
10Efficiency of Fuel Burning Systems
Fuel System Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)
Burner Fuel (2) 65 to 90
Electricity 100
Propane (bottled gas) 95
Wood 50 to 70
Wood Pellets 80
11Heat Cost Comparisons
Fuel Cost per unit Cost per million BTUs
Electricity 0.16/KWH 47
Oil 2 (65 AFUE) 3.50/gallon 39
Hardwood (dry) 285/cord 24
- Formula for cost per million BTU
- (Cost per unit of fuel () x 1,000,000) divided
by (Energy content per unit of fuel (BTU) - and the product of this divided by the Annual
Fuel Utilization Efficiency of your heating
appliance
12Human Thermal Comfort
- is determined by six variables
- air temperature
- air velocity
- relative humidity
- clothing
- metabolic rate (activity level)
- mean radiant temperature
- Fanger, P.O., Thermal Comfort, McGraw Hill C.,
1972, pag 256.
13Low cost ways to save energy
- Personal attitude behavior
- Wear layered warm clothes indoors during winter
- Take short showers instead of baths
- Close windows doors (train family)
14No Cost Low Cost
- Reducing heating costs
- Turn down thermostat
- Unblock heating and return air vents
- Place reflectors behind radiators
- Leave south-facing window curtains open in winter
and closed in summer to collect or prevent solar
heat gain.
15No Cost Low Cost
- More Keeping Warm Tips
- Clean and inspect furnace annually
- Clean heating ducts and registers
- Use foil tape to repair heating ducts
- Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air
- Check hot air furnace filters every 1 to 3 months
- Close off unused rooms
- Caution with baseboard heating systems
16Caulking Weather Stripping
Caulking and Weatherstripping will payback in one
year and make you more comfortable
17Storm Windows Banking House
- Plastic sheeting
- Tar paper
- Bags of leaves
- Bales of straw or hay
- Solid foam board
- Combination Windows
- Glass Storm Windows
- Plastic Storm Windows (outside or inside)
18Effect of Window Treatments
19Using Window Treatments
- Heavy Drapes
- Roman Shades
- Insulation Boards
20Door Draft Stoppers Window Draft Snakes
- Fill with
- foam pipe insulation
- Sand
- Plastic bags
21No Cost Low Cost
- Water Heating
- Turn down temperature on hot water heater (110o
to 120o F) - Drain a few gallons from the bottom of your hot
water heating tank - If leaving for more than two days, turn off water
heater - Install low flow showerheads and aerators in your
faucets - Repair all leaking faucets
- Insulate your water heater and supply pipes
- not recommended to insulate gas water heaters
22Low Cost No Cost
- Lighting
- Keep lights clean shut off
- when not in use
- Compact florescent bulbs
- Timers
- Other appliances
- Use power strip for computer, television, VCR,
recorders, satellite, etc. so you can turn them
off completely when not in use.
23Holiday LightingLight Emitting Diode (LED)
Bulb Type No. Feet Used Energy Usage (watts) Av. Operating Cost
C7 500 3500 547
C7 LED 500 116 18
Mini Incandescent 500 900 141
LED Mini 500 67 11
- typical amount of lighting used on the exterior
and interior for one holiday season. - Assuming 240 hours of use (6 hours of use for
40 days) at an electric rate of 0.16.kWh)
24Save energy in the kitchen
- Match pan size to heating element
- When cooking small meal, use microwave, crock pot
or toaster oven - Use the smallest pan necessary for the job
- Keep the lid on to hold in heat
- Reduce cooking time by defrosting food in
refrigerator first - Avoid looking in the oven as you cook!
- SourceYou Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving
Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina Cooperative
Extension
25Refrigerator / Freezer
- Remove frost from freezer
- Replace worn gaskets
- Keep full
- Clean the coils
- Consider replacing appliances that are over 20
years old and/or in need of major repairs with
energy star models
26Save energy while doing dishes
- Use energy saving cycles
- Use no-heat dry cycle
- Dont pre-rinse
- Wash full loads
- Load dishes according to manufacturers
instructions - If washing dishes by hand, turn water on only to
rinse
27Save energy in the laundry room
- Use lower temperature settings
- Wash in cold water whenever possible
- Load the washer to capacity
- Dont over dry clothes
- Dry two or more loads in a row
- Clean dryer filter after each use
- Dry full loads
- Clean exhaust vents
- Hang clothes outside!
- Source You Can Do It! Low Cost No Cost Saving
Tips, Slide Notes, North Carolina Cooperative
Extension
28Programmable Thermostats
- More convenient and accurate than manual
thermostats and - Improve comfort
- Contain no mercury
- Save energy and money on utility bills
Save 1 annually for each degree setback for 8
hours per day
29Significant Initial Cost
- Add insulation to walls and ceiling
- Replace/add ventilation systems
- Replace doors and windows with NFRC-rated ones
(National Fenestration Rating Council) - Replace heating systems and air conditioners with
Energy Star-rated ones - Alternative fuels and heat sources
- Other energy alternatives
30Insulation
- Maine R-value Recommendations
- Ceilings/attics R-38 to R-49
- Walls R-13 to R-21
- Floor over Crawl Space R-25 to R-30
- Crawl Space Wall R-19
- Slab edge R-8
- Basement Wall
- R-11 (interior) R-10 (exterior)
31(No Transcript)
32R- Value of a Wall Section
33Example Annual Energy CostsIncrease Attic
Insulation
Cost R-27 Cost R-47
Fuel Costs (6 estimate savings) 2,408 2,268
Insulation (40 packs of lose fill cellulose _at_ 8.88) 355
Savings estimate 145 per year
Time to pay back insulation costs 2.5 years
34Insulation with ventilation to prevent ice dams
35Furnace or Boiler
- AFUE Rating
- Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE)
- AFUE is the measurement of a furnaces heating
efficiency - Energy Star AFUE of 90 or above AFUE of 97 is
available
36Dollar Savings per 100 of Annual Fuel Cost
AFUE of new System AFUE of new System AFUE of new System AFUE of new System AFUE of new System
80 85 90 95
50 38 41 44 47
55 31 35 39 42
60 25 29 33 37
65 19 24 28 32
70 13 18 22 26
75 6 12 17 21
80 6 11 16
85 6 11
Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007. Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007. Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007. Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007. Amann, J. T, A. Wilson, K. Ackerly, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 9th edition, 2007.
AFUE of Existing System
37Return on Investment (RIO)
Old System (65 eff.) New System (90 eff.)
Current Annual Fuel Costs 3,800
Cost of installing a new system 5,000
Annual Savings per 100 fuel costs 28 38 1,064
ROI Annual Savings / Cost of New System 1,064 / 5,000 0.21 or 21 ROI Payback period is 5 years. ROI Annual Savings / Cost of New System 1,064 / 5,000 0.21 or 21 ROI Payback period is 5 years. ROI Annual Savings / Cost of New System 1,064 / 5,000 0.21 or 21 ROI Payback period is 5 years.
38Supplement Current Heating System
- After servicing, cleaning and tuning up your
current heating system you might consider a
supplement heating system - Electric space heater to use when you are in one
room - Wood stove or pellet stove used when you are home
to heat one or more rooms - Passive solar collector attached to a window to
provide supplemental heat to a south facing room.
39Pros and Cons of Different Fuels and Energy
Sources
- Restricted to certain sites due to sun, wind or
water resources - No widespread infrastructure to service equipment
- Complicated operating understanding
- Physical needs to carry and store fuel
- Insurance implications
- Easy to use
- Inexpensive to use
- No additional equipment required
- Minimal mechanical knowledge required to operate
- Low risk of fire, smoke or carbon monoxide
40Compare Heating Fuels and Heat Distribution
Systems
- Fuels
- Oil
- Natural gas
- Propane
- Electricity
- Hardwood
- Softwood
- Wood pellets
- Heat Distribution Systems
- Hot air
- Hot water
- Radiant heat
- Radiators
- Radiant floor or ceiling
- Space heating
41Wood Heat
- Check chimney to be sure it can support you wood
stove. - Install with proper clearance from combustible
materials. - Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to
protect your family - Use dry hardwood to stoke you stove
- Use care when closing off the damper or air
supply to the fire. It can cause excess creosote
production.
42Evolution of Heating by wood
- Fireplace
- Fireplace stove insert
- Masonry Heater Russian Fireplace
- Wood stove
- 1990 EPA particulate emission standards
- Catalytic converter wood stove
- Secondary burn wood stove
- Wood furnace hot air
- Wood boiler hot water
- Outdoor wood boiler
- www.epa.gov/woodheaters
- Pellet stove
43Passive Solar
- Building faces south
- Unobstructed view of sun
- Consider with new construction
44Window Passive Solar Collector
- www.builditsolar.com for more ideas
45Active Solar Thermal Heating
- Need electricity to circulate heated fluid
46Solar Electric
- Solar electric systems, also known as
photovoltaic (PV) systems, convert sunlight into
electricity. - Solar cellsthe basic building blocks of a PV
systemconsist of semiconductor materials. When
sunlight is absorbed by these materials, the
solar energy knocks electrons loose from their
atoms. This phenomenon is called the
"photoelectric effect." These free electrons then
travel into a circuit built into the solar cell
to form electrical current. - http//apps1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/your_home/el
ectricity/index.cfm/mytopic10720 - Maine Solar Energy Association
- http//ellsworthme.org/MESEA/
47Heat Pump
- Ground source systems have usually been installed
in Maine. - Air source systems may not work as well in our
cold climate but new technology is being
developed to make it more practical for Maine. - Need electricity to circulate heated fluid
48Small Windmill for ME?
- You have enough wind
- Wind analysis of your site with a years worth of
data - Tall towers allowed in your area?
- You have enough space for your tower
- Certified Electrician may be necessary for loans
or rebates or if you plan to connect your system
to power grid
49Small Windmill for ME? cont.
- You determine how much electricity you need/want
- Av. Home needs a 5 to 15 kw turbine
- 3,000 to 5,000 per kilowatt generated
- Need battery storage and alternative backup for
windless days - Determine if it works economically for you
- A good reference for developing a home windmill
site - http//www.windpoweringamerica.gov/pdfs/small_wind
/small_wind_me.pdf
50How Do I Pay For Energy Improvements?
- Own savings
- Low income assistance
- CAP Agencies
- Area Aging Agencies
- Loans
- Banks
- Rural Development
- Tax savings
- Incentives / Rebates
- Renting a room or part of the house?
51Previous Tax Incentives
- Home Improvement Tax Credits
- Windows and doors
- Roofing
- Insulation
- HVAC
- Water heaters
- Energy efficient cars and trucks
- Solar, wind, geothermal energy
- Watch for future tax incentives for energy
improvements - http//www.energy.gov/taxbreaks.htm
52Energy Resources
- http//www.extension.umaine.edu/energy/default.htm
- http//www1.eere.energy.gov/consumer/
- tips/
- Please take a few minutes to complete a program
evaluation