Will Micro Turbines Be the Next Wave of Energy Producers?
As the winter season closes in on us, we all begin to think about the cost of Magnifier
Engine Review winter energy bills. If you are lucky enough to live in a location that's warm year-round, you probably welcome the relief from high air conditioning bills. But for those of us who have four seasons, winter poses the heaviest burden of energy use and the highest utility bills. You can ease the pressure of those bills, especially in today's uncertain economy, by using cheap and simple measures to reduce energy use and save money.
The easiest energy-saving thing to do must be to replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs, compact fluorescent lighting, or even better, LEDs, in as many places as possible. During shorter winter days, you probably have lights on for more hours, and energy savings can be substantial. Start with the lights that you use most often and for the longest periods. It's best to install CFLs where they will be on for at least 15 minutes at a time, so a closet, hallway, or stairway where the light is turned on and off after just a few seconds is not necessarily a good place for a CFL. Although it uses less energy, each on-and-off click shortens the overall life of the bulb, and your savings might be minimal. Happily, LEDs don't have this restriction and can be used to replace all your incandescent bulbs. They emit far less heat than even CFLs and last for many years, even longer than CFLs.
Turn down the temperature on your water heater to 110 or 120 degrees to save money and use less energy. In retirement, most of us have only two living in our household, so you're not likely to run out of hot water. And while you're there, insulate your water heater. You can buy precut blanket-style insulation made especially for a water heater to make installation easy. Slip-on insulation for hot water pipes can save energy too.
Replace your furnace filters at the beginning of the heating season, and check for dust accumulation monthly, or at least in the middle of the season. If you have a permanent type of filter, be sure to clean it thoroughly. Also make sure the humidifier on your furnace is working properly. Air that is more humid feels warmer than dry air of the same temperature, making your home more comfortable. Check the humidifier water pad and replace it if it is caked with lime and scale.
The easiest energy-saving thing to do must be to replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs, compact fluorescent lighting, or even better, LEDs, in as many places as possible. During shorter winter days, you probably have lights on for more hours, and energy savings can be substantial. Start with the lights that you use most often and for the longest periods. It's best to install CFLs where they will be on for at least 15 minutes at a time, so a closet, hallway, or stairway where the light is turned on and off after just a few seconds is not necessarily a good place for a CFL. Although it uses less energy, each on-and-off click shortens the overall life of the bulb, and your savings might be minimal. Happily, LEDs don't have this restriction and can be used to replace all your incandescent bulbs. They emit far less heat than even CFLs and last for many years, even longer than CFLs.
Turn down the temperature on your water heater to 110 or 120 degrees to save money and use less energy. In retirement, most of us have only two living in our household, so you're not likely to run out of hot water. And while you're there, insulate your water heater. You can buy precut blanket-style insulation made especially for a water heater to make installation easy. Slip-on insulation for hot water pipes can save energy too.
Replace your furnace filters at the beginning of the heating season, and check for dust accumulation monthly, or at least in the middle of the season. If you have a permanent type of filter, be sure to clean it thoroughly. Also make sure the humidifier on your furnace is working properly. Air that is more humid feels warmer than dry air of the same temperature, making your home more comfortable. Check the humidifier water pad and replace it if it is caked with lime and scale.
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