News about Solar, Wind and alternative green power technologies

Energy is near the top of the list for contemporary popularity particularly amongst the younger crowd. It is always useful to be reminded of ways we can conserve energy at the most basic level – in our homes.

When referring to pay off time it is referring to the amount of time it takes for a particular strategy to pay for itself – how long before savings are realized subsequent to putting a energy saving device or employing a certain strategy to conserve energy. In other words, when will the cost be paid back?
 
• An inefficient furnace or boiler is one that is about eight or ten years old because of the older technology used and the wear and tear it has incurred. Replacing an older furnace like this could save you $180. – $300. yearly and payoff time would be somewhere about four or five years.

• Having you wall cavities insulated may save you about $200. Yearly and payoff time would be about three years.

• The roof or attic space in a home is a sieve for losing heat and placing in good insulation could result in large savings, somewhere around $120. – $150. Yearly with payoff in anywhere from two to six years.

• Quite a bit of heat is lost through older windows with a single pane. Double glazed windows can save $60. and up depending on the quality of the new windows that are installed. Payoff time can be up to six years.

• Shutting out draughts from your home can be comforting to inhabitants, especially around door frames and letter holes, window frames and wall plugs. This type of protection can mean savings of $40. To $50. Per year with payoff in two or three years, maybe less.

• Much heat is wasted with hot water heaters. So wrapping the tank in a sheathing or lagging will maintain the water heat for longer periods of time. This will reduce the need to set the temperature to high. This pays off in a short period of time, perhaps in a year. Wrapping the hot water pipes in the basement rafters can also be effective at conserving water temperature.

• You can find numerous energy saving light bulbs on the market today and installing them throughout your home can save you $10 – $15. Each year and with a payoff in about a year’s time.

When all these points are utilized together you will notice a bigger difference certainly, however it is important to do what you can. The payoffs mentioned are for small to average sized homes since these are “the norm”. There will be wide variations in the heating source production depending on what the source of heat is.

There are numerous methods and devices available to save on energy within the home. Smart homeowners looking to save on their energy bills will do their homework and begin to implement some cost saving measures in their home today.