Comments on: Electricity Usage So far in 2009 http://www.garrettbartley.com/2009/12/03/electricity-usage-so-far-in-2009/ Fri, 23 Jul 2010 03:09:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Garrett http://www.garrettbartley.com/2009/12/03/electricity-usage-so-far-in-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-10093 Garrett Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:49:16 +0000 http://www.garrettbartley.com/?p=609#comment-10093 We have storm windows on all of ours which seem to be doing a pretty good job. I'm considering replacing some of the weather stripping to see if that offers an improvement. There are a couple of drafty places on the windows that are a little cooler, but it's not significant enough to cause any sort of air movement detectable with a flame or candle smoke. I'm also re-considering the phantom power caused by all the standby devices or peripherals still plugged in when the TV is not on or a computer is not in use. However, at $22-31 a piece, and considering I could use up to 6-7 of these around the house, the cost adds up quickly! I also intend to get a programmable thermostat. We had one before, but it wasn't able to control the auxiliary heat. We now have one that enables the auxiliary heat, but isn't programmable. And thanks a million for the links to the ThermoCubes and programmable outlet thermostat. I've looked for devices like those several times and always came up with nothing. I guess I wasn't looking in the right place. That will definitely come in handy in the winter since the dogs stay outside all day while we're gone and have a space heater in the garage that runs all the time. I've been looking for a way to control that based on the temperature but haven't found anything yet. This way I don't have to worry if it gets too warm during the day to keep the heater running or too cold and I forget to turn it on. Pairing that with a timer will probably save us lots of time, worry, and money during winter! We have storm windows on all of ours which seem to be doing a pretty good job. I’m considering replacing some of the weather stripping to see if that offers an improvement. There are a couple of drafty places on the windows that are a little cooler, but it’s not significant enough to cause any sort of air movement detectable with a flame or candle smoke.

I’m also re-considering the phantom power caused by all the standby devices or peripherals still plugged in when the TV is not on or a computer is not in use. However, at $22-31 a piece, and considering I could use up to 6-7 of these around the house, the cost adds up quickly!

I also intend to get a programmable thermostat. We had one before, but it wasn’t able to control the auxiliary heat. We now have one that enables the auxiliary heat, but isn’t programmable.

And thanks a million for the links to the ThermoCubes and programmable outlet thermostat. I’ve looked for devices like those several times and always came up with nothing. I guess I wasn’t looking in the right place. That will definitely come in handy in the winter since the dogs stay outside all day while we’re gone and have a space heater in the garage that runs all the time. I’ve been looking for a way to control that based on the temperature but haven’t found anything yet. This way I don’t have to worry if it gets too warm during the day to keep the heater running or too cold and I forget to turn it on. Pairing that with a timer will probably save us lots of time, worry, and money during winter!

]]> By: Court Rutherford http://www.garrettbartley.com/2009/12/03/electricity-usage-so-far-in-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-10092 Court Rutherford Fri, 29 Jan 2010 04:34:29 +0000 http://www.garrettbartley.com/?p=609#comment-10092 Putting the plastic window insulating kits over windows in the winter helps alot. I'm in the process of doing it now since we have 14 single pane windows from 1969. Putting a water heater blanket in helps a little, never knew what it was since my parents did it. Best thing for the water heater is to drain some water out of the bottom faucet on the tank to remove sediment and keep the thermostat set at 120. The problem with phantom power is that it all adds up. If an idle desktop burns 100 watts then every 10 hours it burns 1kWh which is $0.07. But the most expensive thing in your house to run is the furnace, unless you have gas which I guess you don't. A programmable thermostat is very helpful especially if you're both gone for the day during the same window and if you can tolerate a fair temperature at night. Dad had ours set on 55 at night during the winter. If you have a heat pump be sure to get a thermostat that can control your system, at Lowe's there are only 2 in store that will control a heat pump with aux/emergency heat. http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-Thermostatically-Controlled-TC-3/dp/B0006U2HD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1264738548&sr=8-1 That one has fixed temp limits. http://www.amazon.com/WIN100-Heating-Cooling-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000E7NYY8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1264738548&sr=8-2 That one is programmable. Never used either. Putting the plastic window insulating kits over windows in the winter helps alot. I’m in the process of doing it now since we have 14 single pane windows from 1969. Putting a water heater blanket in helps a little, never knew what it was since my parents did it. Best thing for the water heater is to drain some water out of the bottom faucet on the tank to remove sediment and keep the thermostat set at 120. The problem with phantom power is that it all adds up. If an idle desktop burns 100 watts then every 10 hours it burns 1kWh which is $0.07. But the most expensive thing in your house to run is the furnace, unless you have gas which I guess you don’t. A programmable thermostat is very helpful especially if you’re both gone for the day during the same window and if you can tolerate a fair temperature at night. Dad had ours set on 55 at night during the winter. If you have a heat pump be sure to get a thermostat that can control your system, at Lowe’s there are only 2 in store that will control a heat pump with aux/emergency heat.

http://www.amazon.com/Farm-Innovators-Thermostatically-Controlled-TC-3/dp/B0006U2HD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1264738548&sr=8-1

That one has fixed temp limits.

http://www.amazon.com/WIN100-Heating-Cooling-Programmable-Thermostat/dp/B000E7NYY8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1264738548&sr=8-2

That one is programmable. Never used either.

]]> By: Pie http://www.garrettbartley.com/2009/12/03/electricity-usage-so-far-in-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-10090 Pie Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:44:24 +0000 http://www.garrettbartley.com/?p=609#comment-10090 If you haven't done it already....buy some blow insulation and put about a 2 foot thick layer in your attic. The blower rental is free if you buy from home depot or lowes and it takes about 3 hours to do. We did our whole house for $150, got an energy tax credit (small), and saved about $20 on each of out power bills. If you haven’t done it already….buy some blow insulation and put about a 2 foot thick layer in your attic. The blower rental is free if you buy from home depot or lowes and it takes about 3 hours to do.

We did our whole house for $150, got an energy tax credit (small), and saved about $20 on each of out power bills.

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