Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Photo by Ksenia Chernaya vis Pexels.com

Home Energy Efficiency checklist

Things you can do to cut your energy costs (without sacrificing comfort), courtesy of Jonathan Nadle.

Energy Efficiency in Buildings   By Jonathan Nadle.   © 2023   

Occupant behaviors and building maintenance problems can increase energy consumption and utility costs.  Here are ways to gain control of your use while maintaining comfort and safety.

Furnaces, Boilers & Central Air Conditioning: 

• Check the furnace filter at least once a year – twice with central A/C – and replace it as needed.  Electrostatically charged, pleated paper filters are more effective than fiberglass ones.  
• Cover the filter slot with tape or a magnetic strip to prevent basement air from being sucked in.     
• Reattach any disconnected ducts.  Air seal all accessible ductwork with aluminized tape or, preferably, with duct sealing mastic to reduce leakage of conditioned air.    
• Insulate ducts that run through unconditioned attics, crawl spaces, and garages.  
• Keep all return registers uncovered, with no rugs or furniture blocking the air flow.
• Keep the thermostat fan setting on “auto” so that the fan only runs when the a/c or furnace is on.
• Keep the A/C temp set at 72º or higher; keep the furnace/boiler temp set at 72º or lower. 
• Use a programmable or “smart” thermostat, or manually “set back” temps at night / when away.
• For hydronic heating systems, remove water line air (at the radiator bleed valves) annually.
• If your gas heating system is old, inefficient, or needs expensive repair, consider replacement with a high efficiency (90+ AFUE), Energy Star qualified model (or an electric heat pump).
• Have the heating system serviced at least every other year (clean & tune) to ensure it’s running safely and as efficiently as possible. 

Refrigerators & Freezers:

• Replace old, inefficient units with new Energy Star qualified models.   
• Keep fridges 2/3 full to help reduce cold air loss when they’re opened.
• Vacuum clean the fridge’s condenser coils (behind or beneath) annually; more often with pets.
• Don’t let excessive ice (½” +) build up in manual defrost models. 

Clothes Dryers:

• Vent all dryers, electric as well as gas, to the outside.  Install a rigid metal (best choice) or flexible metal (not vinyl) vent hose using the shortest, most direct route to the outside possible.  Unvented dryers reduce indoor air quality, and can even cause health and safety problems.
• Clean the lint filter after each load; check and if necessary clean out the vent hose annually. 
• Use the automatic settings on newer dryers so clothes aren’t over dried.  If an electric dryer load takes over an hour, the vent hose may be clogged with lint or the heating element worn out. 
• If you do a lot of laundry, consider getting an efficient, Energy Star qualified washer.  These models use significantly less energy and water than commensurate non-Energy Star models.  
• If it's practical for you, consider line-drying your clothes... for free.

Dehumidifiers:

• As with a fridge, vacuum clean the condenser coils a time or two each year.
• Replace older units that run a lot with a new, efficient Energy Star qualified model.   
• Set the humidistat control on medium (40 - 50% relative humidity, not lower).  This allows the unit to periodically cycle off, keeping the air reasonably dry at moderate cost. 

Lighting:

• When you leave a room, turn off the lights!  Also turn off TVs, computers, etc.  
• During the day, open drapes and blinds to take advantage of free, natural daylight.  
• Install ultra-efficient, long-lived Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights in all your light fixtures, or at least those used three or more hours per day.  

Window A/C:

• Use fans for cooling instead of a/c when you can, as fans are much cheaper to run.  
• Replace heavily used, older a/c units with new, efficient Energy Star qualified models.
• Keep the room door closed when the a/c is on.  Turn the a/c unit off in unoccupied rooms.          
• Clean the air filter (behind the front grille) as needed, when it’s visibly dirty. 
• Install the a/c unit with a slight downward tilt to the outside so that condensate water doesn’t pool inside it.  Air seal around the unit and also between the raised window sash and glass.

Hot Water Heaters:

• Promptly repair any shower or sink hot water drips; replace a leaking tank.
• Set the heater thermostat dial on the medium setting, so the tank provides 125 - 130º F water.   
• Insulate the first 6 feet of cold, and all accessible hot water lines with foam pipe insulation.

Home Weatherization:

• Have a home energy audit done to determine cost effective energy efficiency improvements. 
• Decide what measures, if any, you want do yourself, such as caulking doors and windows, installing weather stripping and door sweeps, and air sealing and insulating basement sill boxes.  
• Consider hiring a professional weatherization contractor to do some (or all) of the work, especially things like blowing in attic and exterior wall insulation.  Most provide free estimates.  

 Resources:

• There are many websites and YouTube videos that offer good information and guidance on weatherization and energy efficiency.  A good place to start at is the EPA’s Energy Star website: 

www.energystar.gov.