Insulated Blinds Allow Less Heat To Escape

If I look around my house nearly every radiator is under a window and we all know what that means. All that heat is going Houdini on me and disappearing straight out the window.

So what can I do about it? I have done so many other energy efficiency improvements I cant stop here (blow in insulation, wrapped heat pipes, installed some new windows, etc.).

Curtains, blinds, whatever window treatment you prefer is definitely an improvement. For example, we borrowed an infrared gun to determine the temperature of the window area in our kitchen. When our current linen curtains were drawn it was 68 degrees.  However, when we opened the curtains the temperature dropped down to 58 degrees. This proves that some, even our thin linen curtains, provide some insulation. 

To add additional insulation Paul, the knowledgeable guy who did our energy audit, recommended cellular or what some call honeycomb blinds. They work by trapping air within their cell/honeycomb-shaped pockets. They come in many varieties so look for the ones with the larger cells and more layers -- as they will insulate better (triple cells are the most insulated). I guess you could even call in a window treatment expert to help choose cellular shades that fit your insulation needs and window depth.

These cellular blinds can increase your R-value (a measure of the insulation’s ability to resist heat flow. The higher the R-Value, the better the insulation's thermal performance).  Paul thought we could get our windows to an R-value of 5 with these types of blinds.

I could think of so many other things I would rather spend my limited budget on than new blinds. However, there are at least 6 more weeks of winter so perhaps it has to get bumped up on the list of things to do. The good news is that it sounds like they will pay for themselves in energy efficiency.

Treading Lighter with less hot air out the windows,

-Phyllis, Green Expert

 

First Electronics, Now Homes?

I have purchased a TV and cordless phones from Panasonic, but could my future home be manufactured from Panasonic as well?  The folks from GreentechMedia toured Panasonic’s “Eco-House” in Japan and produced a slick video of the tour with highlights of green technology.

Features include solar panels, lithium ion batteries for energy storage, passive air circulation, light emitting diode (LED) light bulbs, advanced insulation, a self-cleaning toilet (no details on how that works), and fuel cells.  The home has an energy “console” that shows how much energy is produced by the solar cells, how much electricity the house is using, and how much hot water is available.  I’d like to have that feature so I don’t end up in an ice shower after the kids use all the hot water.  Panasonic is considering selling the whole house as a package though its construction division.

It is interesting to watch high tech firms jump into home and energy issues.  It wasn’t that long ago that a programmable thermostat was considered state of the art.  Soon we’ll likely have home energy management integrated with telecommunications.  I can’t wait to turn down my thermostat from my mobile phone when my family forgets.

-Chris, Green

Recycling: Where Does It Go?

I fill my recycling bin every week with paper, plastic, glass, and steel and then pretty much forget about it.  I assume “they” will take care of everything and make sure the recyclable materials end up in the right spot and are re-made into useful products.  The trip from my house to a new product can actually be long and circuitous. 

National Geographic’s Green Guide has a visual example: an interesting feature showing the step-by-step process for recycling ink jet printer cartridges.  Over one billion cartridges are discarded each year, and several companies are working to increase the recycling rate.  Cartridges mailed to recycling centers are disassembled and the components separated for processing.  Plastic casings are shredded and sold for remanufacturing into other plastic products.  Metals and foam are separated by gravity in a water bath and shipped out for use in new products.

I know I’m a techie geek, but it’s pretty cool to get a window into a process I usually take for granted. 

-Chris, Green

Rebates on Energy Star Appliances

My town had a climate seminar in which they had a variety of speakers. The head of our municipal light plant spoke about energy saving ideas and what the town is doing on the whole. He mentioned the residential appliance rebate program where residents who purchase energy efficient Energy Star appliances receive a rebate to help offset the cost of specific qualified appliances.

Their motivation is to reduce the amount of energy consumption with more efficient appliances. I guess the program has been around for 7 years. If only I had known.

He reminded homeowners like us that there are actually two price tags when buying new appliances. One is the one you pay for the actual appliance and the other is the price you pay to run that device (water and energy!). The Energy Star appliances have technologies that use 10-50% less energy and water than standard models. So when you are buying shop for an Energy Star model.

The good news is that it is not just my town doing it. The Department Of Energy's State Energy Appliance Rebate Program is part of the federal government $300 million state energy efficiency appliance program.

Since each state was allowed to design its own rebate program you need to see what your specific state is up to. You can get anywhere between $50 and $200 per appliance back if you follow the guidelines.

Also, some states are mandating the recycling of the old appliances, which I find extra cool. Even if your state doesn't mandate it, there are plenty of places to recycle locally so do a little research. The parts could be reused for other appliances. Remember, less is more as far as mother nature is concerned.

Tread Lighter with rebates and smart Energy Star appliances,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

New English Garden Roses

It will be Valentine’s Day soon and what better gift to give a loved one than roses. But instead of spending lots of money on cut flower roses, why not treat your Valentine to the real thing? There are many varieties of roses that are easy to grow and reward the gardener with beautiful, scented flowers for years. Some of the best are the English Roses bred by David Austin. They combine the ever blooming qualities of hybrid roses with the old-fashioned look and smell of heirloom roses.

This year David Austin is introducing 5 new varieties that will surely entice you to grow more roses. Two of the best are Rosa ‘Young Lycidas’ and ‘Rosa ‘Wisley 2008’. Both are award winning roses with special traits. ‘Young Lycidas’ blossoms have a blend of deep magenta, pink and red colors. The 4-foot tall and wide bush flowers all summer and each bloom has a classic tea rose fragrance with a hint of cedar. It won the “most fragrant rose” category at the 2009 Concurs Internacional de Roses in Barcelona, Spain.

Rosa’ Wisley 2008’ won the best landscape rose category at the same show. It features 3- inch diameter, soft pink-colored roses with a fruity fragrance. It grows 5-feet tall and 3- feet wide and can be used in formal and informal gardens, as well as in a hedge. Both rose varieties are hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9.

-Charlie, Lawn & Garden

Sweet Raisin Tomato

Cherry tomatoes are a great summer garden vegetable and a favorite with kids. There are many varieties available such as ‘Sungold’ and ‘Super Sweet 100’ that tout high sugar content making them an excellent snack. Now comes are new cherry tomato variety via Israel that’s taking Europe by storm. It's claimed to be  even sweeter than other varieties and can be eaten fresh or dried.

‘Tomaccio’ is a hybrid red cherry tomato bred to be productive and sweet. Under ideal conditions, the vines are claimed to grow up to 9-feet tall yielding hundreds of cherry tomato fruits. ‘Tomaccio’ was bred to be eaten fresh or dried. The fruit were bred to dry naturally in clusters cut off the vine. Hence the name "sweet raisin tomato". To accelerate the drying, tomatoes may be placed in a 100º F oven for about 3 hours.

If you're looking for a treat to grow in the garden, one of these cherry tomato plants may be enough to keep all the kids in the neighborhood satisfied.

-Charlie, Lawn & Garden

How Hot Is Your Water?

Run the water at your kitchen sink until its really hot. Then fill a glass with this running hot water and drop in your cooking thermometer. What does the thermometer say? It shouldn't be more than 130 degrees. If it is, you might want to reset your water heater to save money and energy and reduce the potential for scalding.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) recommends setting your water heater to the lowest setting or 120° (F). They also suggest consulting the owner's water heater manual for instructions on how to operate the thermostat. If you cant find your manual, check out Sears' Manage Your Life website. There is a section dedicated just for manuals so you can look up your model number and find out the way to lower the temperature on your water heater.

Note that gas water heaters and electric water heaters are different. Gas storage water heaters have thermostat controls on the gas valves on the bottom of the heater that are fairly accessible. Whereas, the thermostat on an electric water heater may be more challenging to get to and may have two separate thermostats.

If you have an electric water heater you can install a timer so that your water heater is only on during your peak-use times. For example it would be off while you were at work, sleeping or traveling (as long as there is no risk of freezing temperatures). Gas heaters like mine must be set manually.

If you have a new water heater and want to maximize its efficiency, you could try draining a few gallons of water from your tank every six months to remove sediment that accumulates.

If you have an old appliance – i.e. 15 years or more – they can be quiet inefficient. There are a lot of tax incentives out there at the local, state and federal levels to encourage you to replace that old appliance.

Water heating is one of the top three consumers of energy in your home so using it wisely can only equal savings.

Tread Lighter saving money and energy with your water heater,
-Phyllis, Green Expert

Bike Boost

I'm a semi-regular, summertime, no-rain bicycle commuter. And I wouldn't be that committed if it weren't for the bike lockers and showers at my office. If not for the showers, I'd be red and sweaty until lunch. I do enjoy combining my commute and exercise but I know most people just want to get from point A to point B without needing an ice bath. The New York Times reported on electric bikes, a cool option gaining popularity in the US and abroad.

Electric bikes have batteries and small motors that provide a boost when needed (or just desired). They can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour. The Times article notes that there are safety concerns as local governments try to figure out where they bikes belong – bike lanes or car lanes.

Any device that makes bike commuting or running two-wheeled errands easier is good for air quality and the family budget. A survey of Chinese users found many would use a car if they did not have their e-bike, meaning each e-bike is improving public health. One potential downside is the eventual fate of lead in the batteries, particularly in countries with poor battery recycling programs.

There is plenty of information out there if you want to take an e-bike for a spin.

-Chris, Green

Peak Power and Ice

It's hard to get too excited about peak power issues in the middle of the winter. In the Midwest, we're far away from hot summer afternoons when everyone's air conditioner is fired up. Utilities in California are moving toward an old solution to help them with peak power: ice.

The Southern California Public Power Authority will install units that use electricity at night to generate ice and then use the ice in the air conditioning systems during the day, effectively storing energy as ice. There is a cost benefit because cheap nighttime electricity is used to make the ice and less power is needed during the day when electricity is expensive. The overall process is more efficient, reducing the total electricity needed and air pollutants generated by burning fuels.

The California utilities may be buying the ice units themselves rather than encouraging building owners to buy them. The equipment is expensive so the payback time may not make sense for an individual building owner. The financial details could work for a utility because it saves them the cost and regulatory burden of buying, installing, and maintaining peaking power plants.

I doubt we'll see ice-based systems at a residential level but any improvements in efficiency that can reduce peak electricity demand saves us all money and reduces the overall environmental impact of the energy sector.

-Chris, Green

Reduce Your Heating Bill By 10%

What a way to wake up. No heat and no hot water. In the scheme of things (I am overwhelmed with the tragedy in Haiti) it was not too bad. However, it is winter and I didn't want the pipes to freeze, so I called the local plumber.

Luckily it was a simply a switch that went off, and an hour later we were back in business.

While the plumber was here I took the opportunity to ask him for some green tips and he mentioned a good weatherizing tip. He said folks can knock up to 10% off their heating bills by insulating the hot water heater. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests that unless your water heater's storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45%. They say this will save you around 4%–9% in water heating costs.

The plumber also mentioned that new water heaters have sufficient R-values so insulating is really only necessary for older models. A quick test to see if the water heater needs insulation is to touch it. If it is warm, it could use some insulation.

The insulation for water heaters, or what some call jackets, usually starts around $20 but get more expensive depending on the amount of insulation. The DOE says that some utilities sell them, offer rebates, and even install them at a low or no cost so check with your local utility first.

The DOE also shares tips on how to install them here. I haven't done this but read that there are differences between installing insulation on gas or electric heaters and that installing a blanket on a gas-fired water heater tank is a bit more challenging and may call for a pro.

Tread Lighter with an insulated water heater,
-Phyllis, Green Expert