Category — Dear Mr. Energy

Dear Mr. Energy,

My dad and I are in a disagreement. He says that it uses more money and energy to turn on the fluorescent lights in our car repair shop than it does to simply let them run all night, and I think he’s nuts. Who’s right?

–Suffering Son in Sanford

Dear Suffering,

The truth is that you and your dad are both right. Kind of.  Fluorescent lights actually do draw more energy when they’re first turned on than it takes to keep them on, but this only really matters if you’re going to have the light on a very short time. After a couple of minutes the difference is moot. In the case of a place of business that doesn’t need its lights on all night, it is significantly more energy efficient to turn the lights off than to leave them on. This applies to both the long, traditional fluorescent lights like the kind you probably have in your shop as well as to compact fluorescent lightbulbs, which are just a different form of the same technology.

Dear Mr. Energy,

I want to know how to make my home Energy Star so I can get credit for my utility company. Do I get an energy audit? My house is only about ten years old. Because it’s fairly new shouldn’t my house easily qualify?

–Bargain Shopping in Benson

Dear Bargain,

Isn’t it great that some local utilities are giving rebates, credits, and lower rates for homes that have achieved a high level of energy efficiency? Mr. Energy sure thinks so, and he thinks that when the new, more stringent Energy Star guidelines for homes go into full effect in 2012 it will be even more meaningful goal. The new Energy Star guidelines will require that homes be more than 20% effiecient than code-built homes; the current guidelines look for a 15% improvement.

That said, dear reader, your home will not qualify. That’s because Energy Star for homes is only for new construction.

I will repeat: Energy Star is only for new construction.

Mr. Energy said it twice because he gets many calls from people just like you: people who are excited at the possibility of making their homes more energy efficient and saving money and who don’t understand that in order for a home to get an Energy Star rating a HERS rater – the professional who can rate a home Energy Star – must be involved from the get-go. The rater has to see the plans and make site visits every step of the way. An already existing home, no matter how efficiently constructed, simply will not qualify.

Very sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

The only way existing construction could ever qualify for Energy Star is if a homeowner were renovating his or her home so thoroughly it was being taken down to the studs. Which I doubt you want to do simply to get a percentage off of your monthly electric bills.

To answer the second part of your question, about new construction automatically being energy-efficient construction, Mr. Energy has this to say: maybe? It really depends on your builder, your house’s plans, and the various contractors your builder used. Mr. Energy hopes that your builder and HVAC company and insulation contractor had the highest level of energy efficiency in mind when they worked on your home, but new doesn’t always equal energy efficient. Mr. Energy has been in a number of homes built in the past 10 years that have been extremely energy inefficient – either because the builder didn’t know any better or because he or she didn’t care. The only way to know for sure if your home’s level of energy efficiency is to get a professional energy audit.

Here’s the good news in all of this: if you get an audit and weatherize your home according to your auditor’s suggestions, you will be saving energy and money anyway – just without the Energy Star label and without the automatic discount from your utility.

Dear Mr. Energy,

What’s this I hear about Cash for Caulkers?  I know you’re probably excited about it, because it will mean business for you, but what does it do for me? Seems like the government is just throwing money down the drain.

–Disgruntled in Durham

Dear Disgruntled,

My, my, sounds like someone has low blood sugar. No need to be so upset! Cash for Caulkers, or Home Star, or HR 5019, or S 3177, will be very beneficial to consumers, if it passes. While it will definitely benefit companies like Mr. Energy’s – after all, we conduct energy audits and are a full service weatherization company, which is exactly the kind of business that will be able to add employees and expand once the program hits — it equally benefits everyone who pays an energy bill .

Basically, Cash for Caulkers is designed to stimulate consumer demand for exactly what Mr. Energy is always telling you about: energy audits and weatherization. It will do this by offering direct rebates to consumers for qualifying home improvements. There will be two types of incentive: a “silver star” program, where consumers get rebates for things like air sealing, insulation, duct sealing or replacement, insulation, energy efficient appliances and windows, and a “gold star” level, which is a plan more tailored to individual houses, and includes a comprehensive energy audit that lays out a plan of action. People who achieve “gold star” are going for overall increased energy efficiency, and the financial incentives are greater as long as the homeowner increases his/her home’s energy efficiency by up to 20%, with additional incentives for greater increase.

Here’s why this is fantastic news for consumers: Mr. Energy has already told you how an energy audit and subsequent weatherization pays for itself in just a few years. This will make it pay for itself much quicker! A super-fast return on your investment.

 As for the government, Mr. Energy makes it a policy to stay out politics, at least publicly. It is not his job to run the country, thank goodness! Bottom line: Mr. Energy thinks this is a worthwhile piece of legislation. He will be able to hire more workers  and help everyone in the greater Triangle area save energy and money. And you, sir , can be one of them.

Dear Mr. Energy,
A while back I had a home energy audit and per my auditor’s suggestions I reduced my home’s heating and cooling costs by sealing my attic, testing and sealing my HVAC ducts, adding insulation, and closing up gaps and cracks all over my house, but is there any way to reduce my baseload energy consumption? It is higher than I’d like it to be.
–Morrisville Mama

Dear Mama,
Congratulations on getting a professional energy audit, following through, and reducing your heating and cooling bills. Many experts think that this is the single most impactful thing you can do to lessen your carbon footprint, as home heating and cooling homes in the United States is responsible for about 20% of the greenhouse gases that an individual creates in his or her lifetime. That’s way more than the greenhouse gases created by the food we eat or the vehicles we drive. So – bravo to you!
The answer to your question is yes, you can absolutely reduce your baseload energy consumption. Mr. Energy noticed you did not ask about cost-effectiveness, so keep in mind that some of these suggestions may cost you more money than you’ll save. Some require you to buy or replace items in your home, and some address behaviors. But they’ll all reduce your energy baseload.

• Appliances. How old are they? Are they Energy Star? Are they the most energy efficient of their kind? If they’re not something that needs to run all the time, like a refrigerator, do you have them plugged into a power strip that you can turn off when not in use? Do you have a clothesline set up for hanging your clothes to dry?
• Water. Extremely energy efficient water heaters are available these days; electric heat pump water heaters cost about half what a conventional electric or gas storage model costs to run per year. If you’re not looking to replace your water heater, however, you can also turn its thermostat down to 120 degrees, insulate it if it’s warm to the touch (newer water heaters have efficient built-in insulation and you do not need to add more), and limit your showers to a few minutes.
• Lighting. All your lighting should be outfitted with compact fluorescent lightbulbs or LEDs.
• Energy vampires. Anything that’s plugged into an outlet is potentially an energy vampire. Televisions, video games, stereo equipment – these all use energy even when turned off. Plugging items like these into a power strip, then turning off the power strip when the item is not in use, saves more energy than you’d think.

Dear Mr. Energy,

I need to replace my old, inefficient hot water heater. What should I get to save the most energy (and therefore the most money)?

–Morrisville Mama

Dear Mama

You’ve said that your goal is twofold: to save the most energy over the long haul, as well as to save the most money. In a perfect world the answer to this question would be the same. But alas (Mr. Energy has always wanted to say alas!), we are not living in a perfect world.

First, the type of hot water heater that is most energy efficient to run is a solar hot water heater.

This is also the most expensive type of hot water heater to install. According to American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the overall cost of this type of heater over a 13-year period (which is the average lifetime of all hot water heaters) is about $7000.

The type of hot water heater that’s least expensive to install is the conventional electric storage model, but this is the most expensive to run, even if it’s an energy efficient model. Its 13-year lifetime costs are about $6500.

An on-demand hot water heater, which is what Mr. Energy has in his home, is on the lower end in terms of energy costs per year, but not the lowest. It’s about half-way between solar and conventional storage models. But at a lower cost to install it is a pretty good option for many people, with its 13-year cost at $5000, and if you curb your hot water usage by using cold water in your wash, for example, you can come in well under the yearly costs that the ‘average’ family generates.

Finally, the overall cheapest system to install and run is an electric heat pump water heater. This is a relatively new type of hot water heater and it works much the same as the electric heat pumps people use for their homes. It costs about double to install one of these over a conventional gas or electric storage model, but uses only a touch more energy a year than a solar hot water heater (an estimated $190/year). According to industry models, this type of heater will cost a homeowner only a little over $4000 in the 13 years it will last.

With the possibility of HomeStar/Cash for Caulkers looming on the horizon, which will extend and increase rebates on replacement of hot water heaters if it passes, plus any rebates your electric or gas companies may be offering, the installation costs of many of these items may be cut significantly, which is nothing to sneeze at.

Dear Mr. Energy,

I’m trying to figure out how much money I spend heating and cooling my house. How to I separate that cost out from the rest of my energy bill?

–Pittsboro Papa

Dear Papa,

To figure out your heating and cooling costs you need to calculate your baseload energy consumption.

Baseload energy consumption, simply put, is the amount of energy your household consumes under the best possible conditions. It’s the time of year when your heat isn’t running and your air conditioning isn’t yet on.

In central North Carolina, where we live, this is not an exact science Spring, while overwhelmingly beautiful, can also be a time of contrasts in terms of the weather. Some nights (and even days) in April might be 50 degrees – so cool enough so that you are using your heat – and a week later we might hit high 80s or 90s, which to Mr. Energy means air conditioning.

The same kind of thing can happen in the fall, as well. In many parts of the country September means cool, pleasant temperatures. In the North Carolina piedmont September is Hot. It’s still flip-flop and beach weather. And October can be hot, or it can be cold, or it can feature a hurricane.

Mr. Energy loves this little slice of heaven, but the weather can be fractious!

To figure out your baseload, you’ll need your electric and/or gas bills (if your home uses gas). Several years’ worth of bills are best, but if you only have one year you can still figure it out. For each year, take the lowest three bills you have, add them together, and divide by three. This is your baseload energy cost.

To calculate how much you’re spending on heating and cooling, simply multiply your base energy consumption times 12, then subtract that total amount from your total energy bills. The remainder is the amount you spend to heat and cool your home.

Dear Mr. Energy,

My husband and I are in an argument about something. I love my whole house fan! There’s nothing like fresh air circulating through the house on a beautiful spring or fall day. But my husband says he read somewhere that a whole-house fan is a big source of energy loss when its not in use and he wants to board it up. Who is right?

–Wondering Wife

Dear Wondering,

Mr. Energy also enjoys fresh air. He, too, has a whole-house fan in his house and you’re right, the feeling of fresh air on beautiful spring or fall days is wonderful. So he has to agree with you that it’s a wonderful thing…but he also agrees with your husband in that it’s a huge source of air and energy leaks during the winter and summer months. Essentially, unless it has an air-tight cover, it’s a huge whole that leaks air in or out of your house. The bottom line is that you can keep your fan, but you’ll need some way of sealing it when it’s not in use. Mr. Energy went the D.I.Y. route and built a cover for his fan, but you can also buy commercially available fan covers that will serve a similar purpose.

Dear Mr. Energy,

My wife and I are renovating an older home and I am wondering if there is any way to get an existing structure rated “green” or “energy efficient,” etc. LEED and Energy Star only apply to new construction, right? That doesn’t make sense to me – isn’t reusing an existing structure the most “green” thing a homeowner can do?

–Renovating in Raleigh

Dear Renovating,

Mr. Energy couldn’t agree with you more. Before he became an expert in energy efficiency, Mr. Energy renovated historic homes . He also lives with his family in a hundred-old house that was built from wood cut from trees on the property and has managed to weatherize it enough so that it could, were it new, qualify for an Energy Star rating. Plus, in his work as an energy auditor most of his customers are owners of already existing construction.

Isn’t the green mantra “reduce, reuse, recycle?”

Certainly renovating an existing structure reduces, reuses and recycles.

Up until a few months ago, most programs to certify a remodel required that the home be gutted to the studs and completely rebuilt.  But now the NAHB (National Association of Home Builders) Green program, which is a nationally recognized program,  can certify a remodel “green” without requiring a complete gut of the structure. Locally, Green Home Builders of the Triangle have a “green” rating that doesn’t require stripping your home to the studs.

Getting a “green” rating for you home will help you save money and resources, which will benefit your wallet, but should also add value to your home, especially as consciousness about energy efficiency increases.

Dear Mr. Energy,

Does buying Energy Star really save that much money? I’m wondering how cost-effective it is to spend $1000+ on a new washer or refrigerator to replace perfectly functional existing appliances.

–Cheap in Chapel Hill

Dear Cheap,

Mr. Energy completely understands where you’re coming from and in fact, he has mixed feelings on the matter. On the one hand, Energy Star appliances are much more energy efficient than older appliances, particularly those from the 1980s or before.  Appliances more than 20 years old should definitely be replaced and you will recoup your investment over the lifetime of the new item. If you have a newer fridge or washer that’s not Energy Star, however, replacing these is a bit less clear cut when it comes to cost-benefit. Energy Star replacement will save between $100 and $200 on energy costs for the lifetime of a refrigerator and more than double that for a washing machine. 

So the return on investment is not 100%, but the operating costs are less. Still a draw, in Mr. Energy’s opinion…until you factor in this hidden benefit of replacing old appliances, specifically your washer.

Here’s the deal: when thinking about replacing your washer you need to factor in the fact that Energy Star washers use less water. This isn’t a factor that contributes to a washer’s Energy Star rating, but it definitely impacts energy use. Not only do Energy Star washers use less water, but they are more efficient at removing water at the end of the wash cycle. This means that your dryer won’t have to work as hard. A dryer that works less hard = less energy used by the dryer. Plus, every time your dryer runs it vents to the outside, and believe it or not, this venting draws air into your home through gaps and cracks – air that either needs to be heated or cooled depending on the season.  

So – bottom line: Mr. Energy thinks it’s a good idea to replace your washer. He is neutral on replacing your fridge if it’s 10 years old or less. Older than 10 years? Replace. 

Dear Mr. Energy,

All my kids want to do is play video games, watch TV, or use the computer. Everything they enjoy has to be plugged in! I’m convinced that what they see as “free” entertainment is actually costing me money every time they turn it on. How can I make them care about saving energy?

–Frustrated Mama in Mebane

Dear Frustrated Mama,

Mr. Energy feels your pain. He feels as if he spends most of his weekend walking around the house turning off lights that his children have left on. Now, Mr. Energy is not qualified to give you parenting advice, but he can tell you the single best way to save energy when plugging into electronic entertainment: turn off the console, TV, or computer when play is over. Better yet, plug the console and TV into a power strip so the whole unit can be turned off when not in use. Unplugging, or simply turning off, this equipment when not in use can cut energy consumption by up to 90%. That’ll add up!