Few people realize how much energy wasted at home that affects the environment and makes us more dependent on foreign oil. They also don’t understand that they can quickly reduce their energy costs substantially through a variety of cost-effective conservation efforts.
Obama gets it
President-elect Barack Obama has announced that energy conservation is a new strategic way to help reduce energy costs for low-income households. He promised to provide conservation contractors for the poorest 1 million households to reduce energy use and cut energy costs. This would represent a historic shift in government emphasis, reducing people’s energy bills rather than helping pay them. At the same time, it will create tens of thousands of jobs for contractors to help with conservation improvements to these homes. This will be part of the new presidents’ plan to create new jobs, lower energy costs for consumers, and at the same time make us less dependent on foreign energy sources.
Global climate change
The scientific community agrees that rising CO2 levels are contributing to global climate change. But not all this CO2 comes from industry and transportation, as many people assume. Homes are responsible for a fifth of the energy consumed in the United States. Just over half of the energy we use in our homes is in the form of electricity. The rest comes from natural gas, coal and oil. All this CO2 takes its toll on our environment. For example, an average home produces more than twice as much greenhouse gas pollution as the average car. If you add the emissions from power plants that generate electricity, plus those from appliances that run on oil and gas, the average home is responsible for the release of 22,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) each year. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this compares to 10,000 pounds of CO2 annually for a typical car.
Conservation and use of energy
In many homes, we don’t even benefit from much of the energy that we end up paying for. Unnecessary lights, old appliances, dilapidated heating and air conditioning systems, drafty doors and windows, and insufficiently insulated attics, walls, floors, and basements reduce the energy bill in almost every home. Studies have also shown that two families living in IDENTICAL homes can have energy bills that vary by up to 100 percent; This means that occupants’ energy efficient appliances and habits can double (or cut in half) their energy bills.
Many people are reluctant to improve the energy efficiency of their home when they could move in a few years or think the costs will be too high for conservation efforts. But published research is clear that investments in energy efficiency are often relatively inexpensive, extremely profitable, and also lead to higher home resale values.
A study published in The Appraisal Journal found that the market value of a home increases between $ 10 and $ 25 for every $ 1 decrease in annual fuel bills. The study was carried out by ICF Consulting with funding from the Environmental Protection Agency. The research was carried out on a sample of more than 16,000 housing units across the country.
What can you do right now
Schedule an energy efficiency inspector audit of your home. My client’s report of an annual net energy savings of $ 300 after implementing the cost-effective efficiency recommendations from my audits. I offer my audits at no cost if I am conducting a new home inspection. Additionally, many utilities sponsor free or reduced-cost energy efficiency inspections. Additionally, utilities often have a web-based self-audit that the homeowner can complete to develop their own energy efficiency plan. Most utilities also offer rebates on the purchase of new EnergyStar rated efficient appliances and other maintenance supplies and services. Contact your local utility provider for more information. In California, visit the Energycheck website for a qualified California energy efficiency inspector. energycheckup.com/content/findinspector.asp/.
A quick and cost-effective way to reduce electrical costs is to replace your current incandescent bulbs with the new generation of energy efficient CFL bulbs. Local utilities often offer incentives to retailers (including Cost-Co) to sell these bulbs at very low costs. I recently found these bulbs for sale at various retailers in California for less than $ 1 per bulb. Using these CFL bulbs can reduce your electrical usage and bill up to 20% alone. There has been misinformation about CFL bulbs that emit mercury during operation. These claims about the danger of mercury are false. However, if a CFL bulb does break (as it has a very small amount of mercury in it), it should be placed in a plastic bag and disposed of in the proper facility where it would be for paints or batteries. CFL technology has been vastly improved – they light up faster and last longer. However, they have not yet been perfected for dim light controls.
So be smart about making your home more energy efficient, at the same time – you’ll save money, help the environment and the economy, as well as reduce our dependence on foreign oil.