Another Scorching Texas Summer is Far From Over
It has already produced new records for heat and for statewide energy usage. Texas power demand reached 65,047 megawatts on Monday June 25th, destroying the record set last year. We know that will turn into record high utility bills for a lot of Austinities, so we visited our friends at TreeHouse to get some tips on how to lower the cost. The home improvement specialists known for their dedication to sustainability, health and efficiency came through with these 9 tips to avoid burning your budget this summer.Thermal Envelope
The most important issue to address in making a home or building more energy efficient is the thermal envelope. That means reducing the amount of heat transfer that goes on between the inside and outside of the house. In order of importance, the most important projects are:
Insulation – Poor Insulation of both the walls and attic are the number one reason for inefficient energy use in home. There are a number of sustainable and healthy materials you can use to increase the performance of your walls and attic…. from recycled denim and recycled glass to recycled celluslose (newspaper). All are treated with a low-toxic borate to reduce both insect/mildew problems, as well as to make them fire retardant.
Windows & Doors – Windows and doors are effectively holes in your wall, and while they are needful and nice to have, they can really put a dent in your efficiency. In the very least, windows should be dual paned, inert gas filled, and have a thermally broken frame. It is not usually a do it yourself project, but is well worth the money and time.
Weatherization/Weather stripping – This is an easy project that will get you the most bang for your buck ($20-$50 on the low end). It is essentially just sealing up gaps around windows and doors. It is super easy on you, and super easy on your wallet.
Water Heating
Behind HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning), the number two consumer of energy in the home is the water heating system. There are several ways to make your water heating more efficient depending on your project and budget.
Solar Water Heating – Solar water heating systems use the free solar energy that lands on every roof to heat your water for you. These systems are the most efficient and most cost effective. They can reduce water heating bills by up to 80%.
High Efficiency Electric – These tanks resemble the classic water heating tanks we all grew up with, but can be operated for around $17 per month for the average family…a substantial savings.
Tankless Water Heating – The technology of tankless water heating is based on a process called “flash heating,” where water isn’t heated until it is needed, and then it is heated so quickly that it could almost be called “instant.” Buyers should be aware that these systems function best with natural gas, and though they are very efficient, it gives you an effectively limitless supply of hot water. If you aren’t careful, you may stretch those hot showers longer than usual, and end up using more hot water than you did before.
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This a great post. With the heat nearing unbearable temperatures the A/C has been on full blast, but we really need to try to save money! Thanks for this awesome and helpful post.
Since we are on a slight spending freeze while we build up cash reserves while we are having a new home built, we are definitely cutting back this summer. We’ve already canceled two trips and are only going on two much cheaper ones that we already had tickets for. Our day-to-day fun will most likely be driving by our new lot and making sure they build our house correctly.