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Posted on Apr. 8, 2007
By Sylvia Anderson
St. Joseph News Press
Before You Spend Big, Make Small Changes
Energy efficiency expert gives tips for your home
Called the iPod of wind power, the Skystream 3.7 wind generator produces clean electricity for your home for as long as the wind blows. It's free, non-polluting and endless, a vendor tells the crowds at a recent Clean Energy Show at Zona Rosa in Kansas City.
"I like the idea," says Joe Byergo, of Dearborn, Mo., one of the homeowners looking for energy saving ideas on the windy Saturday afternoon. It would be a perfect fit for his rural property. But with prices as much as $13,000 each and a lack of true net metering in Missouri, he says it will be awhile before he makes the plunge.
But before he does, there are a few things he and any homeowner considering one, should do, says Shauna Zahner, guest speaker and representative of Stitt Energy Systems, a company that designs energy efficient homes.
"People get all excited about the wind mill systems and the solar PV system and this 'glitzy' technology," she says. "It's very nice technology and we want to encourage people to use renewable energy, but what we are all missing the boat on is saving energy. It's not cool to talk about energy conservation."
And she doesn't mean sitting in the dark with a heavy sweater on. Here are her suggestions:
GET YOUR FACTS
Most people have no idea how much a wind mill costs, Ms. Zahner says. They have no idea how much electricity it will produce. They don't even know how much electricity they use, she says. Get the full costs of setting up your renewable energy system and make sure to figure out how many kilowatts of electricity you currently use per month and break it down per day.
ARE YOU LEAKING?
The biggest bang for your buck will be having an energy rater come into your home. Ms. Zahner says. Companies like Home Performance Services in Kansas City will use a blower door test and infrared thermography to reveal areas that need sealing. They will give you an analysis and tell you what you can do. Some things you can do yourself, she says, like repair worn weather stripping around your doors, insulate outdoor electric outlets and hidden holes like on can ceiling lights. Just spray expandable foam and seal it up. The cost for the analysis is usually around $400 to $500. Check with your utility company, too. They often provide the service.
UPDATE LIGHT BULBS
Homeowners should replace every single bulb that they possibly can with a compact florescent bulb, she says. They last longer and you save a lot of energy. The lights in her previous house did not burn out for 10 years and they were used all the time.
"If everybody in the United States replaced just one, they could shut down power plants. If everybody replaced six of them, it would be the equivalent of building six nuclear power plants. That's the amount of power we would save."
LED bulbs coming on the market are even more efficient than compact fluorescent. They are still very expensive, she says, just like compact fluorescent were. But now you can buy a three-pack of compact fluorescent at Wal-Mart for $7.95, where they used to be $7 a piece.
UPDATE APPLIANCES
As you are getting ready to replace an appliance, buy the one that uses the least amount of energy, she says. These usually are Energy Star appliances. If your refrigerator or washer is 10 years old, replace it as soon as you possibly can. The appliances today are 10 times more efficient, she says. And front loading washing machines save not only energy, but water. You should also consider a laptop computer, because they use a lot less electricity than a desk top. Also, look for "ghost" loads in your house. These are the appliances that have clocks in them or stay on all day even though nobody is using them. Unplug them.
INSULATE
Stitt Energy Systems does not recommend using the old-style fiberglass blankets or batts with craft facing on them for insulating your house. They don't perform well, Ms. Zahner says. The craft paper pulls away from the walls and gaps form as the house expands and contracts. Soy or petroleum based foam would be the first choice, followed by blown-in cellulose. Or use foam just around hard to reach areas. The most important thing, she says, is to buy the best you can afford and make sure it's installed properly.
Then after you've done all those things, it's time to think about adding PV systems, solar or wind mill systems.
"For every dollar that you spend on energy conservation," she says, "you will save yourself 3 to 5 dollars in the size of the system you need to purchase to add additional electricity to your house."
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