Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless

Wash the energy waste out of your laundry

hgraffice — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 14:21:56 +0000

Wash the energy waste out of your laundry

May 26, 2016

Dear Pat: We have two kids, which means we do a lot of laundry — it never ends! What are some ways we can reduce our energy use in the laundry room? – Frank

Dear Frank: The average American family washes about 300 loads of laundry per year — all that laundry uses a lot of energy! However, there are some easy ways to reduce your energy use in the laundry room.

Consider purchasing more efficient appliances

One of the biggest changes you can make is to purchase a new ENERGY STAR®-certified washer and dryer. Washers with this certification use about 40 percent less water and 25 percent less energy than standard washers. ENERGY STAR washers can be top-loading or front-loading machines; however, front-loading machines are generally more water and energy efficient, helping offset any additional upfront costs. ENERGY STAR dryers use 20 percent less energy than standard dryers. Visit ENERGYSTAR.gov for more information about estimated water and energy use of all of their certified products.

Get out of hot water

The easiest source of energy efficiency in the laundry room is to stop using hot water. Almost 90 percent of the energy consumed by your washing machine is used to heat water — but most loads of laundry can be just as easily cleaned with cold water. Using cooler water is also easier on your clothes. If you need to use hot or warm water on a particularly dirty load of laundry, a well-insulated water heater will help decrease the costs of using warmer water.

Do fewer loads!

When possible, wash a full load of clothes. However, when you must do a smaller load of laundry, remember to adjust the water level settings on your machine.

Help your dryer out

One of the best ways to reduce the amount of drying time is to get as much water out of the clothes as possible in the washing machine — use a higher spin setting to wring the extra water out of your laundry. When you are ready to dry, remember not to overfill the dryer so there will be enough room for drying air to reach the clothes.

Use your dryer’s features

If your dryer has a moisture sensor, use it rather than guessing how long each load of laundry will need to dry. A dryer’s cool-down cycle uses the residual heat to finish drying your clothes, without using as much energy.

Dry like with like

Heavy fabrics, like towels and blankets, should be dried separately from lighter fabrics, like T-shirts. When using a dryer’s moisture sensor, the dryer will keep running until the wettest (and probably heaviest) item is dry. Rather than one towel extending the drying time for each of your loads of laundry, dry the towels together.

Live lint-free

Clean the lint trap on your dryer regularly to help air circulation. Periodically use a vacuum nozzle to clean the area under or behind the lint filter, where lint can also get caught. If you use dryer sheets, scrub the filter clean about once a month — dryer sheets can leave a film on the filter that reduces air flow.

Remember safety

Your laundry room extends from the back of the dryer, down the dryer duct, and all the way to the end of your dryer vent. Inspect your outside dryer vent regularly to make sure it is not blocked, and periodically work with a professional to clean your dryer ducts. Making sure the duct and vent are clear not only helps your dryer work more efficiently, but can also prevent a fire — more than 15,000 fires per year are sparked by clogged dryer ducts and vents. If possible, move the dryer closer to an exterior wall to shorten the length of the dryer duct and make sure the duct is as straight as possible — this helps reduce the opportunities for clogging and increases efficiency.

Use your solar-powered dryer

Going “old-fashioned” and air drying your clothes will definitely reduce your energy use! You can also tumble dry clothes until damp, then line dry them until fully dry — taking this step can prevent the “crunchy” feeling that line dried clothes can sometimes have.

There are many ways you can wash the energy waste out of your laundry routine. Try a few of these simple tips, and “load up” on the savings!

Is your ductwork delivering?

hgraffice — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 14:18:05 +0000

Is your ductwork delivering?

June 21, 2016

Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless

Power Lines

Dear Pat: I recently moved from a home with wall-mounted heaters to one with central heat and air, and a duct system. How can I ensure my ducts are working efficiently? — Carla

Dear Carla: Homes with central forced-air heating and cooling systems like furnaces, central air conditioners and heat pumps, use air ducts to deliver the conditioned (heated or cooled) air through the home. Ducts are often concealed in walls or in areas of your home you don’t go to often, like a crawlspace, so many people do not immediately think of them as an area to save energy.

You may have received flyers in the mail with offers for air-duct cleaning and claims that doing so will improve the air quality and efficiency of your home. However, duct cleaning may not always be necessary for air quality, and there is no indication that just cleaning your air ducts will improve your system’s efficiency.

Duct cleaning may be necessary if:

• There is visible mold in your duct system or there was a recent flood that caused mold or mildew in your home.

• There is something in the ductwork impeding airflow, like debris or an infestation. Major renovations or new construction can put construction debris into the duct system, so post-construction is an ideal time to consider duct cleaning.

• Your heating registers are releasing dust into the air.

• Home residents have allergies or asthma problems that have not been alleviated by other changes.

While duct cleaning may not always be necessary, regularly changing your air filters can help your heating and cooling system work more efficiently. How often you change them depends on how much your system runs, whether you have pets, and whether you periodically vacuum your air filters. For the average home, air filters should be changed four to six times a year.

Though duct cleaning may not do much for the efficiency of your systems, duct sealing is important for saving energy and lowering utility costs, particularly if your ducts are in unconditioned spaces, like a crawlspace or an uninsulated attic. In a typical home, 20 to 30 percent of heated or cooled air escapes through unsealed gaps and holes in the duct system, which can cost you money and make your home less comfortable. You wouldn’t put up with a leaking water pipe, so why should you put up with a leaking air duct?

The best way to assess the condition of your home’s ductwork is to have it tested by a professional home energy auditor who can conduct a Duct Blaster® test. If you can easily access your ducts, you might get by with a visual inspection, which will identify the larger holes and disconnections. Where ducts meet or where they connect to a heating register are common places to find leaks. A professional trained in ductwork can help you identify and fix the gaps and leaks you may not be able to see. Talk to your local electric co-op to find the right person for the job.

Once gaps and leaks have been identified, you can work to seal your ducts. Small duct leaks can be sealed with mastic, a type of caulk. Larger duct leaks and disconnections may require additional lengths of duct, mechanical fasteners, or special heat-resistant tape. Do not use duct tape — ironically, it is not designed to adhere well to ducts.

If you have ducts in unconditioned areas, like an attic or crawlspace, your ducts could be wasting energy by heating or cooling the surrounding air, even if there are no leaks in the ductwork. Insulation around the ducts can help reduce this energy loss. Consider adding insulation to the unconditioned space, such as in the attic or basement, which can further increase the efficiency and comfort of your home.

This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless of Collaborative Efficiency. For more information on how to test and seal your ductwork, please visit www.collaborativeefficiency.com/energytips.

Choosing the right home air conditioner saves money and makes sense

hgraffice — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:22:19 +0000

Choosing the right home air conditioner saves money and makes sense

March 30, 2017

Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless

Power Lines

If you have an aging central air conditioner — even if it’s still working — it might pay off to look into replacing it sooner rather than waiting until it fails.

Replacing an inefficient AC unit with a more efficient model could significantly reduce your electric bill; new units are likely to be 20 to 40 percent more efficient than one from the 1990s. ENERGY STAR-certified systems are even more efficient. Replacing an aging system now, before summer starts, could help you avoid delays or price premiums.

How much money you save by replacing your current AC unit depends both on how often your AC runs and on your electric rate. If you’re in a hot climate and keep your home’s temperature in the low 70s, your cost of cooling will be substantial, and so will the potential savings from replacing your old unit with an efficient new one.

The best way to determine possible savings is to have an in-home assessment conducted by a qualified heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) professional or a certified energy auditor.

Electric co-ops are interested in reducing peak summer loads and offer information, rebates, or a list of qualified professionals. It’s a plus if the contractor has North American Technician Excellence (NATE) certification. Contractors should be knowledgeable about energy-efficient systems and have references.

Your contractor needs to size the system to your home. Ken Maleski, the residential advisor at Central Electric Cooperative in Pennsylvania, says a unit that is too small will not cool your home to the levels you want. If it’s too large, it may not dehumidify your home sufficiently, and it will cycle on and off more frequently, which can increase wear and tear on the system and shorten its life significantly.

In order to size the system, the contractor will need to look at the efficiency of the home by checking insulation levels. If you add insulation where it’s most needed, you may be able to install a smaller AC unit, and you should enjoy greater comfort and lower cooling costs. The HVAC contractor you hire should also assess your ductwork, which is often poorly designed, leaky, or inadequately insulated.

Replacing an aging air conditioner is a great way to improve comfort, cut energy costs, and reduce peak energy demand. Your co-op may be able to help, and you can learn a lot from the information resources available on our website and on the ENERGY STAR and energy.gov websites.

Pat Keegan and Amy Wheeless write for Collaborative Efficiency. For more information visit their website.