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Reduce Your Energy Bill

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As the kids head back to school, I thought it would be a good time to do an energy conservation 101 refresher focusing on the many myths and misconceptions about energy efficiency. Here are a few big ones I’d like to dispel to make it easier for you as we head into cooler temperatures.

Myth: Energy-efficient windows save more energy than other energy efficiency upgrades.

Fact: There are many reasons to replace windows: security, aesthetics, etc. But for improving energy efficiency, it’s usually low on the list. The energy you save with new windows will unlikely pay back the cost of replacing them. Improving the insulation in your walls always outperforms the replacement of windows. People often feel that their windows are drafty and in need of replacement but it is usually some other symptom nearby causing the draft. Even after replacing them, energy savings depend on the quality of the contractor you hire. Bad installations can not only leak and cause drafts, costing you more on your energy bills, but can also lead to major moisture damage.

Conducting an energy assessment will help you identify what is contributing to your high energy bills and provide you with prioritized recommendations on how to save energy.

Myth: There is no point in insulating ceilings and walls because doing so will allow more heat to escape in less insulated areas.

Fact: The insulation of certain areas of your home will not place more pressure on less heat-efficient areas. However, poorly insulated areas in a home lose heat at a faster rate and should be addressed before improving better insulated areas. Improving insulation can reduce your energy bills by approximately 25 percent. And there are new techniques that allow homeowners to insulate without the cost or inconvenience of removing drywall.

Myth: I turn all my electrical devices off so I know I’m saving energy.

Fact: Many devices continue to use power when they’re switched off, sometimes as much power as when they’re on. Surprisingly, a large number of electrical products—from your cable box to your cell phone charger that isn’t even charging your cell phone—are not completely off unless they are unplugged. If they are plugged in all the time, they are using power 24 hours a day. This is commonly known as a “phantom load.”

Power bars are a great way to reduce your phantom load. There are simple ones with an off switch that can turn off about eight products. There are others with timers that can be programmed according to your schedule. For example, timing your power bar to turn on a few minutes before you watch TV so your cable reboots in time for you to watch.

Myth: Dimming my incandescent lights by 50 percent will cut my lighting bill by 50 percent.

Fact: The relationship is not that linear and savings will be less than you realize. The average saving for dimmed incandescent lights is about 20 percent. Dimming fluorescent lighting is higher but check both the lighting and dimmer to ensure they work together. Although CFLs cost more, they last much longer—an average of five to nine years—people tend to install them in areas where ambient lighting isn’t as important, such as basements and closets. But the best places are areas where lights are on three to four hours a day.

Myth: Because a home is new, it must be efficient.

Fact: Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Building codes are a minimum standard. There is nothing that requires newly built homes to be any more efficient than the building code standard. Some high-performance builders do construct homes that exceed the minimum code requirements. While these homes may be more expensive, factor the rising price of energy into your purchase decision.

It’s hard to wade through the myths and misconceptions out there. If in doubt, visit trustworthy government resources like Natural Resources Canada and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or well-known environmental organizations to source information. Homework is good, even for grown-ups.

 

Tracy Chong
is the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at GreenSaver. She can be reached at tracy.chong@greensaver.org
www.greensaver.org


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