Day 18 Cutting Our Dependence on Electricity

Looking for ways to cut the electricity has become a bit of a CSI experience in our home. I'll find myself standing in front of an appliance, scratching my head, and wondering exactly what it costs to operate. Then, out come my trusty new friend, the Kill-A-Watt meter to measure the usage and set the issue to rest.

Some things aren't so simple to measure but yet we know they make a difference. Insulation, for instance, helps conserve but is difficult for homeowners to measure--without waiting for the fuel and electric bill.

Sadly, my home is an oldie and needs some attention in the insulation area. I found some great videos on YouTube.com that show it step by step. My hope is by bring the insulation up to par we will reduce the number of times the furnace cuts on and off, thus saving electricity. We may also be able to nix some of the electric heater usage.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Day 13 and Counting the Electricity Savings

Hubby was really pleased with the results of the electricity challenge. Isn't it time to do an electricity challenge of your own? It's easy to pick a few key areas to concentrate on and...wham, the savings start to add up fast.

Around my home, it has become like a snowball gathering speed. Every day is getting a little easier to remember to turn out the lights. We are reaching for a sweater before we touch the thermostat, and we think before plugging something in.

Today I chose to work on making the outdoor lights a little less expensive. Yeah, yeah, I know. Electricity is cheap in Virginia--only 6.22 cents per kWh. But does that give me a licence to use with reckless abandon? Probably, but I won't.

The Dept. of Energy has a wealth of data and guidance. I found information on daylighting devices (dim the lights in proportion to the available light) and dusk-to-dawn sensors (on at night, off in day) and found exactly what I needed.

I have started to use screw-in type sensors that I found at Lowes Home Improvement. You can check sites like nextag to compare prices and availability for the different types of sensors.

I usually forget to turn the outdoor post lights off in the am. I'm hoping this will help keep the bill in check. By my rough calculations I should use roughly half the electricity on these items that I had previously used.

Don't forget to register for the monthly newsletter. The button is to the right. At the end of December I am giving away a Kill-A-Watt meter and 2 microwave pizza trays. More goodies to come. All you have to do is register for the newsletter during the month of December to be eligible for the fishbowl style drawing.

Electriciy Challenge Day 1 to Lower Bills

Today is not the beginning of a quest but the hyperextension of one that has been going on for many years. Over the next 31 days, I have promised myself to research ad carry through on the things I need to do to tweak my energy usage.

Yes, that is my meter on the left. I had it checked a few years ago and the power company needed to replace it. The trouble was-- it couldn't be done in a single day. This is how it sat for a week. It was too funny not to take a picture of. Somehow, I don't think binding is an effective way of keeping electric bill small?

Each day I will check in and share a bit of the journey.

I called the Power Company and they told me that last year I used 916 kWh during December. My goal is to reduce that. Here in VA the rate for electricity is low, a mere 6.22 cents per kWh. Even so, how low can it go?

In the past I have just implemented energy savings ideas with no strategy on how to get from point A to point B. Sure, they probably helped, but did I miss some? Quite likely!
My first stop is the energy audit. Some consumers in my area are eligible for a free audit through the power company through a pilot program—I am waiting for a call back to see if I qualify. However, while I wait, I am still researching.

The US Dept of Energy has great information on choosing a company to do an energy audit and what to do to get ready. http://tinyurl.com/6bb4lz For more information on energy audits go to http://tinyurl.com/6q3vqb

Our local news did a piece on energy audits and used Chopper10 to evaluate heat loss with heat seeking radar and some other fancy electronics. Wouldn’t it be cool to have that done?

Now, I have an idea of what they look for. I will contact some companies and see about having the audit performed, but for now, I will start my own.

Well, I am off to make a checklist of what to look for.

If your company offers related services please let me know and I will give you a shout out. I am also collecting prizes to award at the end of the month. Winners will be chosen at random from the names of those who sign up for our monthly newsletter (on the right) so go sign up now! We still need more prizes so donations are welcome and I will place a link to your business on my site. iNails hotmail dot com.

A lot to think about in a short period. See you all tomorrow.