Believe it or not, there are numerous ways to actually get your old, inefficient furnace replaced for free, or at least at very little cost. And we’re talking about quality, Lennox furnaces, Rheem, Carrier, etc.
Basically, you take advantage of the numerous credits and rebates that are floating out there right now. During the down time (the warmer months, or months just coming out of the cold season right up to the end of summer) a lot of heating contracting companies and the furnace manufacturers are int he middle of a …

Maximising the efficiency of your heating system is one method of ensuring of reducing the costs of your heating bill and cutting down on the environmental impact of heating your home.
However, there is another method which is just as effective at reducing costs and increasing warmth around the house.
Heating your home is as much about stopping heat from escaping as it is about maximising the output of your radiators and heaters. By reducing heat escape, you use less energy in heating the rooms.
The number one place to start with insulation …

By: Eugene Makeev
With all costs on the rise, adding up to the already huge problem with the New York housing crunch and worldwide economic woes; more and more people are searching of ways to cutback on costs.  In our homes, one of the largest shares where our hard-earned budget goes to is the energy bill, thus making the efficient use of energy a great way to reduce monthly expenses.    With that said, let us look into superb ideas to achieve energy efficient homes which are practical whether you are in …

Let’s be clear:
Even if you have a natural gas dryer, it still has an electrical cost. That is, it still uses some level of electricity to run. The heaviest electrical cost is the motor which rotates the cylinder and tumbles the clothes. Electricity in a gas powered dryer does not provide heat.
My natural gas dryer, rated at 6A @ 120VAC, in theory, consumes 720w of power.
This comes right from the label on the dryer.
Putting the electrical consumption to the test
Of course, I no longer believe labels. I want to see …

My recent experiment with how much energy it takes to run a microwave really had me thinking…if the label was a little off on the microwave, could the labels on other appliances be wrong as well?
No sooner than I turn around in my house from the microwave to find the coffee maker sitting right there. Of course! Coffee. I love coffee, like most other people. I run my coffee maker everyday because its far cheaper to make coffee at home than go out and buy a cup of coffee on …

The number one cause of air condioner problems is compressor failure. When this happens, a professional needs to contacted to replace the compressor. However, many other air conditioner problems are a little simpler and easier to troubleshoot.
But a dirty filter can make the unit behave like there is a compressor problem. When the filter is dirty and air flow into (and our of) the unit is severly limited, in most air conditioners the compressor will not turn on. This is because there is insufficient circulation for proper efficient operation. And …

This question is important to many homeowners and renters because we believe that placing plastic over our windows will halep us save energy on cold winter days and nights. Some plastic makers claim that plastic adds at least 1R value to the window.
I doubt this to be true. But using the information presented in the home energy audit kit, we can easily see heat loss with and without the plastic to see how much of a difference it makes.

In a recent post, I talked about the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. In order to qualify, a certified energy rater must come to the home and look in specific areas to determine the home’s efficiency.
What exactly are they looking for?

An energy envelope that is efficient and free of leaks. A building energy envelope is the area surrounding the home or building that affects its energy usage. Typically, this includes the actual frame and construction of the home, the ducts inside the home, windows, doors, insulation, building materials, …

Believe it or not, there is a program out there called the Energy Efficient Mortgage, or EEM for short. Not all lenders will recognize this, but this appears to be a federally backed program that helps buy homeowners and buyers finance and improve their home’s energy efficiency – which in turn boosts the assessed value of the home.

Think of it as a home energy efficiency lab that is not run by a government agency…
I’ll be investigating and actively experimenting with easy, do it yourself ways for every home to save money on energy bills. All the reports that come from the lab will include costs and approximate savings, as well as raw data – so you can make the most informed decision possible.
Of course, if you have anything you might want me to look into, or check out on your behalf, feel free to send me a …