Georgia Magazine - May 2011 - (Page 32)

Energy efficiency It doesn’t have to be expensive By Magen Howard dip lower at night while you’re sleeping. The thermostat can be set to automatically revert to a comfortable setting shortly before you arrive home or wake up. Programmable thermostats are not for everyone, however. These gadgets are best for people who are away from home for extended periods throughout the week. I 4Sealing ductwork More than 40 percent of a home’s energy use goes for heating and cooling, and leaky ductwork remains one of the main culprits of hot and cold air loss. If your home’s ducts are exposed, inspect them for leaks and seal them. Look for holes and joints that have separated, and then seal them with foil-backed tape, approximately $6 a roll, or mastic, a sealant that costs around $12 a tub. You can apply the mastic with a regular paintbrush. Properly sealing ductwork can save about $170 a year, according to together wesave.com. t’s possible to do a lot of energy-efficiency upgrading with little money. Check out these areas where a few simple energy-efficiency investments will produce savings right away. 4Lighting Since lighting accounts for about 11 percent of home energy use, switch your traditional incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs). An Energy Star-qualified CFL uses about 75 percent less energy, lasts up to 10 times longer and can save about $40 in energy costs over its lifetime. A four pack of 14-watt CFLs (equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent) runs about $6. 4Water heater insulation A water heater blanket can save 4 percent to 9 percent in water heating costs—a big-ticket item since 12 percent of your home’s energy use goes toward water heating. To know if your water heater needs more insulation, touch it. If it’s warm, wrap it. Choose a blanket with an insulating value of at least R-8, which runs about $20. You can also save more than $70 per year by keeping your water heater’s thermostat set at 120 degrees Fahrenheit, according to togetherwesave.com. 4Filling the cracks It’s easy to find where cold air leaks in around doors and windows—simply hold your hand out and feel. Caulk around windows, dryer vents and fans for about $2 a tube, and weather-strip around doors for about $4 a roll. Less obvious places for air to flow in and out of your home are around outlets and switch plates. To check for airflow, light a stick of incense, hold it in front and watch for the smoke to be disrupted. Special outlet and switch plate sealing kits cost about $2. And don’t forget to apply weather stripping around your attic hatch or pull-down stairs. You may also want to install an insulator box over the opening. A kit costs around $40. Sealing these cracks can save you as much as $200 a year, according to togeth erwesave.com, a website by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, the branding program of the nation’s electric co-ops. 4Major projects For greater investments in your home, adding insulation and upgrading appliances are good places to start. For more on insulation, visit www.energysavers.gov, and www.energystar.gov for energy-efficient appliances. Magen Howard writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the Arlington, Va.-based service arm of the nation’s 900-plus, consumer-owned, notfor-profit electric cooperatives. For more information on energy efficiency and safety in the home, see page 50D of the May 2011 digital edition online at www. web exclusive georgiamagazine.org. GEORGIA MAGAZINE 4Programmable thermostat Starting at $40, a programmable thermostat becomes a larger investment, but you could save $180 a year. Program your thermostat to raise the temperature during summer and lower it in the winter while you’re out of the house. You can also program it to 32 web exclusive More online at www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.togetherwesave.com http://www.togetherwesave.com http://www.togetherwesave.com http://www.energysavers.gov http://www.energystar.gov http://www.togetherwesave.com http://www.togetherwesave.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.HomeDepot.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.TogetherWeSave.com http://www.georgiamagazine.org http://www.georgiamagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Georgia Magazine - May 2011

Georgia Magazine - May 2011
Contents
Viewpoint
Mailbox
Picture This?
Georgia News
Calendar
Currents
Georgia’s Energy Outlook
Special Energy Report
Dolphin Tales
Agrability in Georgia
Creature Comforts
Georgia@home
Around Georgia
My Georgia
Gardens
Georgia Cooks
Snapshot

Georgia Magazine - May 2011