24
Apr
Energy Star Products For Homes
This article is about Energy Star Products For Homes. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Plano, Allen, and Frisco. We service all homes in southern Collin and Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Al’s also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
Energy Star Products For Homes
Percentage of Total Household Electricity Used By Different Electrical Devices **
Note: Numbers Represent Only Electrical Devices. If You Have A; Gas Furnace, Water Heater, Clothes Dryer, or Gas Cooking — Your Electrical % Would Be Lower.
- 15% Cooling
- 14% Heating
- 12% Water Heating
- 6% Lighting
- 6% Refrigeration
- 4% Consumer Electronics
- 4% Clothes Drying
- 1% Stand Alone Freezers
- 1% Cooking, Clothes Washing & Dishwasher (washing only, does not include hot water heating).
- The highest savings opportunity is; cooling, (electric) heating, and water heating. But note, if you combine lighting & refrigeration, it’s the same 12%, as water heating.
- This indicates that energy-saving upgrades to your home such as; sealing air leaks, adding insulation, and replacing old windows will have the most impact on your home’s energy consumption.
- Upgrading from electric heat to Heat Pump will produce 30-40% lower heating costs.
- Upgrading from an older central a/c to a new SEER-14 or higher can create tremendous cooling costs savings.
EXAMPLE: 3-Ton / 36,000 BTU A/C: Note: A 3-ton A/C cools a 2,000 square foot home in DFW. 10.5 cents per kWh for electricity in DFW.
Annual Operating Cost: Savings / Year 15-Year Lifespan Savings
- SEER-14 = $520.
- SEER-15 = $485. Savings = $35 / year = $ 525.
- SEER-18 = $404. Savings = $116 x 15 = $1,740.
- SEER-22 = $331. Savings = $189 x 15 = $2,835.
- SEER-26 = $240. Savings = $280 x 15 = $4,200.
Click Here To Learn More About Heat Pumps: AlsPlumbing.com Heat Pumps Part 1 of 4
Click Here To Learn More About Energy Star Rated Cooling & Heating Systems: AlsPlumbing.com Energy Star Rated HVAC
Click Here To Learn More About Reducing Cooling Costs: Central A/C & Lowering Cooling Costs
Click Here To Learn More About Central A/C Efficiencies: AlsPlumbing.com 1, 2 & Variable Speed Central A/C/
Click Here To Learn More About Reducing Heating Costs: AlsPlumbing.com Reducing Home Heating Demand
- (Electric) cooking, clothes washing (not including the hot water) and dish washing = 1%. There is little savings to be achieved within these areas.
- Consumer Electronics use 4%+ of total household electricity use, and there are several opportunities to save.
When Considering Paying More For An Energy Star Rated Model,
Compare The Additional Cost To the Total % Of Electricity Saved.
Also consider Household Size & Lifestyle Habits.
Example:
- An Energy Star 50-gallon electric water heater (powered by a Heat Pump) at a Big Box Discount Home Center costs $1,300–$2,600 (+ installation charges)
- It’s rated at 1,289 kWh per year. Annual DFW operating costs (10 cents / kWh) = $129
- A standard efficiency electric water heater costs $425–$900 (+ installation charges).
- It’s rated at 4,625 kWh per year. Annual DFW operating costs (10 cents / kWh) = $462
- Over a 12-year lifespan, the Energy Star water heater can save up to $4,000 — depending on the number of people in the household.
- Subtract the difference in price $1,300 – $462 = $835. The net savings (based on lowest priced unit) = $3,165 in net savings (less price difference).
- If there are several people in the household, an Energy Star water heater can yield large savings during its lifespan.
- If your home has only 1-2 people, the extra charge for the Energy Star water heater is likely not justified — due to much lower hot water usage.
- The estimated cost of energy required to operate a water heater is based on a 64 gallon assumption for daily hot water usage as defined by the US Government. **
- A typical shower uses 17 total gallons of water. The percentage of hot water is determined is based on how high the water heater is set.
- In a 1 person household, hot water consumption is going to be markedly lower than a home with 4 occupants.
** Souce: https://www.energy.gov/eere/femp/energy-cost-calculator-electric-and-gas-water-heaters-0
Energy Star Products’ Performance — As Compared To Non Energy Star
There are many electric products that come in both standard efficiency and Energy Star rated models. Consumer Electronics (such as TV’s & Computers) also have Energy Star rated models.
It’s Worth Noting That Energy Star Certified Does Not Always Equate To Notable Savings
- The LG LSXC22336 CF refrigerator uses 530 kWh per year. It is rated as the most efficient Energy Star refrigerator of 2019.
- The Frigidaire 22.2 CF Model FGSC2335TF uses 550 kWh per year. This refrigerator does not have Energy Star Certification. This refrigerator costs $2.oo per year more to operate.
** Source: https://www.energystar.gov/productfinder/most-efficient/me-certified-refrigerators?me_type_filter=Side-by-Side
The reason the energy use difference is so small is because refrigerators have become so efficient in recent years. While these comments apply specifically to refrigerators, it certainly demonstrates that paying extra for an Energy Star certified refrigerator does not always equate to savings over the product’s lifespan.
The Best Way To Compare Products Is By Using Their Yellow EnergyGuide Labels
Click Here To See A Yellow EnergyGuide Label With Descriptions For Each Section: EnergyGuide Label With Descriptions
Most electrical devices come with a yellow EnergyGuide Label. The label advises of the estimated annual energy use of the product. The label also advises of the least and most efficient product’s energy use for that particular type of product. The sticker will note where a specific device’s energy consumption will be within the least to most efficient. In many cases, the difference with Energy Star is substantial.
LIGHTING
Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay
SHOWN: “Edison Style” LED Light Bulb
The Type Of Light Bulbs Used Reduces Power Consumption By Up To 90%!
Lighting Represents 6% Of Total Household Energy Use.
- 90% of the energy used by an Incandescent Light Bulb creates heat. Only 10% creates light.
- 35% of the energy used by an Fluorescent bulb creates heat. 65% creates light.
- 10% of the energy used by an LED bulb creates heat. 90% creates light.
- The heat generated by lighting must then be removed by air conditioning. This doubles (or more) the energy use of the light bulb alone.
- In cooling climates like DFW, the heat generated by light bulbs becomes an important factor in total household energy use.
APPLIANCES
Image Source: ShutterStock
Pre 1980 Refrigerators Use As Much As 5-1/2 Times As Much Electricity Than Today’s Refrigerators!
- A 24.5 Cubic Feet Side By Side Refrigerator made since 2011 uses $75 worth of electricity each year.
- The same size refrigerator made between 2001–2011 uses $100 worth of electricity each year.
- Made between 1993–2000 uses $160 worth of electricity each year.
- Made between 1990-1992 uses $250 worth of electricity each year.
- Made between 1980-1989 uses $325 worth of electricity each year.
- Made made before 1980 uses $415 worth of electricity each year. That’s 550% more electricity than a 2011+ model.
- If the refrigerator uses 5-1/2 times the power, it’s generating 5-1/2 times the heat that your A/C must remove from the house.
- At the time of this article, Home Depot’s least expensive 24.5 CF side by side refrigerator was priced at $1000.
- Replacing a 1980 or earlier 24.5 CF side by side refrigerator with a new one would pay for itself is just under 3 years!
Click Here To See An Estimate Of How Much Electricity Your Refrigerator Uses: EnergyStar.gov Refrigerator Energy Use Calculator
TIP: A full refrigerator costs less to run than one than one with empty, open spaces. With an empty refrigerator, more of the cold air exits while the door is open. The more full the refrigerator is, the fewer empty spaces that exists, so less cold air escapes while the door is open. If your refrigerator typically has empty, open spaces, buy gallons or bottles of bottled water to fill them.
Image Source: ShutterStock
Pre 1994 Dishwashers Use Up To Nearly 4 Times As Much Hot Water As Today’s Energy Star Models
Dishwasher:
- Energy Star Dishwashers use less water & 10% less electricity (to operate the dishwasher).
- Dishwashers made before 1994 use 10–15 gallons of hot water per load.
- Today’s Energy Star dishwashers use less than 4 gallons of hot water per load. **
TIP:
- Use the “Air Dry” setting reduces the dishwasher’s energy use by about 1/2 when compared to the “Heated Dry” setting.
- Additionally, your A/C must remove all the heat & humidity the dishwasher creates. Heated Dry is much hotter than Air Dry.
** Source: https://www.directenergy.com/learning-center/energy-efficiency/how-much-energy-dishwasher-use
Image Source: ShutterStock
Energy Star Washers Use 33% Less Water Than Standard Models
Energy Star Dryers Use 20% Less Electricity Than Standard Models
- Energy Star Clothes Washers use 33% less water than standard models.
- Energy Star Clothes Washers use 25% less electricity.
- Energy Star Clothes Dryers use about 20% percent less energy than standard models.
TIP:
- While running, your clothes dryer draws nearly 250 Cubic Feet of cooled or heated from the house each minute.
- A 2,000 square foot home with 8 foot ceilings holds 16,000 cubic feet of air.
- It takes just over 1 hour for the clothes dryer to remove all the cooled / heated air inside a 2,000 SF house (pulling in outside air through leaks).
- To minimize energy usage, open the window closest to the dryer while it’s running. 2-3 inches open will be enough.
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
Image From ShutterStock
- The Consumer Electronics Association says the average household has 24 Consumer Electronics products.
- Consumer Electronics use 4% of household electricity use.
- Energy Star certified audio/video equipment is up to 70% more efficient than conventional models
- A “Set-Top Box” (STB) is a Cable, Satellite, Internet, or other device to receive television signals.
- An STB with a digital recorder uses as much as 35 watts 24 hours a day.
- An STB uses nearly as much power when turned off as when they are turned on.
- An STB uses around 825 watts per day. In DFW it costs about 8.25 cents per day if a STB is not disconnected from electricity when not used.
- An STB cost around $300 a year if never disconnected from electricity.
- Additionally, the A/C must remove the heat generated by the STB.
- Energy Star Certified Set-Top Boxes, on average, use 25% less electricity than conventional models.
- As compared, an 18 Cubic Feet Energy Star refrigerator uses 6o watts while the compressor is running.
- It costs as much per day to leave the power on to a STB all the time as an Energy Star Refrigerator uses (because its compressor runs only as needed).
- Put your hand on top of a STB while it’s on standby. It’s warm, and the heat created must be removed from the house by A/C during the summer.
- Anything that is warm when turned off is using electricity and generating additional heat for the A/C has to remove.
Image Source: ShutterStock
Energy Star Certified Building Materials
Plus
The #1 & #2 Ways To Reduce Cooling & Heating Bills In Your Existing Home
- Black roof shingles reflect only 5% of the sun’s heat. The other 95% gets radiated into the attic.
- Teal Green shingles reflect 27%.
- Almond color shingles reflect 65%.
- Energy Star Roofing Products reflect more of the sun’s rays. This can lower roof temperatures by up to 50 degrees.
- A “Cool Roof” has 10-25% reflectance.
- Certainteed brand Energy Star Rated Shingles reflect 40% of the sun’s heat.
- You can reflect more of the sun’s heat with the lighter roof color standard shingles than with Energy Star rated shingles in a darker color.
- If you want a dark colored roof in DFW, Energy Star rated shingle’s are a worthwhile upgrade.
In DFW, Attic Insulation Needs To Be R-38 Or Higher
Here’s Why You Need At Least R-38 Insulation In Your Attic:
- During summer, heat transfers from the attic into the cooled living space below.
- During winter, heat transfers from the heated living space into the attic.
- Attics get as hot at 170 degrees during DFW summer.
- Most older DFW homes have HVAC ductwork in the attic.
- Heat transfer, plus ductwork operating in an environment as hot as 170 degrees, puts notable additional demand on your Central A/C.
- Your attic’s ventilation is designed to remove excess moisture. While it removes a little heat in the process, it’s not designed nor intended to cool the attic.
- Check below for the attic insulation level your home likely had when it was built. Homes built in the 1970’s were required to have only 1/2 the attic insulation as today’s new homes. Homes built in 1965 or earlier have even less, or no insulation at all!
Texas Insulation Levels That Were Common, Or Became Required By Building Code
ATTIC Insulation WALL Insulation
- 1950’s: none none
- 1965-1970: R-13 (3.5″ BATT) R-6 (2″ BATT)
- 1970’s: R-19 (6″ BATT) R-6 (2″ BATT) *3
- 1980’s: R-30 (9″ Blown) R-13 (3.5″ BATT) *4
- 2014: R-38 (15″ Blown) R-15 ( * ) *5
- * R-15 can be achieve with various methods. One national home builder achieves R-15 insulation with blown-in cellulose insulation in the 2″ x 4″ exterior walls.
- Today’s cellulose insulation is made from 75–85% ground up recycled paper or recycled denim. The remaining 15% is resistance products for fire, mold & pests.
- *3 Source: https://snuggpro.com/blog/item/many-homes-built-prior-to-1980-were-built-without-insulation-in-the-walls
- *4 Source: https://www.jlconline.com/how-to/insulation-code-change_o
- *5 As required by the 2012 Edition of the International Building Code (IBC)
Image From ShutterStock
Sealing Air Leaks Has A Notable Effect On Lowering Cooling & Heating Bills
Here Is Why You Need You Need To Seal Air Leaks:
- If not properly sealed, every location where the walls or ceiling have been cut (such as at an electrical outlet) leaks air 24 hours a day.
- The larger the difference between indoor temps & outdoor temps — the more air leakage that occurs.
- A DFW home built during the 1970’s ranges from 17–50 Air Changes Per Hour (ACH) during a Blower-Door Test! * This is extreme air leakage.
- As compared, a newly built DFW Energy Star Certified home must have no more than 3 ACH.
- Sealing air leaks + adding attic insulation (to R-38) to your existing home can result in a 20 — 30% reduction in cooling & heating bills. **
* Source: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/revisiting-an-energy-saving-handbook-from-1979
** Source: https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/52450/How-Much-Air-Leakage-in-Your-Home-Is-Too-Much
The US Department of Energy (DOE) Lists How Much Air Leaks At Certain Locations In A Typical American Home:
- 31% Ceiling, Walls & Floors
- 15% Leaking Ductwork
- 14% Leaking Fireplace Damper
- 13% Plumbing Penetrations
- 11% Doors
- 10% Windows
- 4% Fans & Vents
- 2% Electrical Outlets & Switches
How Many Of These Leaks Are Sealed:
- Base trim at floors: Any gaps left between baseboards and hard-surface flooring can be filled with latex caulk.
- Gaskets: Add gaskets to electrical outlets & light switches.
- Ceiling: The ceilings in your home act as a barrier to rising warm air. Any small hole or gap creates an outlet for warm air to escape. As cooled or heat air leaks from your home, it is replaced with outdoor air. That air must now be cooled or heated. Sealing cracks, holes, or small gaps in the ceilings (at light fixtures & vent fans) result in substantial energy savings.
- Recessed Ceiling Lights: If your home has recessed “can” lights, they allow tremendous amounts of air to leak into the attic. This is because older recessed lights have vent holes to allow the heat from the bulb to escape. Note: Newer recessed lighting is now air-tight.
Use The Link Below To See The Vent Holes In Older, Recessed Lights. Also shown is a thermal-image depicting the heat escaping through the recessed light fixture. https://structuretech1.com/recessed-lights-are-evil/
- An easy solution is to install Retrofit LED Covers to cover the existing recessed light. This will eliminate the air leakage and update your recessed lights to LED, which is 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Many retrofit lights simply screw into the existing recessed light’s socket — no wiring is required.
- TIP: Add a bead of caulk on the inside of the lip that touches the ceiling. Put the caulk as close to the center of the LED Cover as possible. That way, if you ever need to remove the LED cover, you won’t damage the texture on the ceiling where it would be visible.
Click On Image To: View Details, See Product, or Purchase From Amazon.com
- Pull-Down Attic Stairs: This is typically the largest hole in the ceilings. A typical pull-down stairs can equate to an opening size of 40 square inches.
- Add self-stick, foam weatherstripping along all the edges of the pull down door. Click on the YouTube Video below for installation details.
- Note: The foam weatherstripping does not provide insulating value.
For A Better Attic-Hatch Seal + Insulating:
- Here is a cover that zips / unzips to provide a nearly air-tight seal.
- Adds Insulating Value of 14.5
- + Radiant-Heat Barrier — Reflects 97% of the attic heat that would radiate into the living space during summer. Radiant heat is generated by the sun.
- DIY installation with a staple-gun.
- Fireplace Damper: Sealing of the fireplace damper eliminates air leakage up the chimney. Check your wood-burning fireplace damper to see if the damper closes tight. Checking around noon, when the sun is directly overhead, may show daylight at the gaps. Close the gaps with fireproof caulk or other fireproof products.
You Can See Leaking Fireplace Dampers Here: http://chayamachicon.info/fireplace-damper-repair/fireplace-damper-repair-and-fireplace-damper-repair-to-frame-astonishing-fireplace-damper-handle-repair-345/
TIP: If you have a leaking fireplace damper, you can provide a removable seal with a Fireplace Balloon.
Click On Image To: View Details, See Product, or Purchase From Amazon.com
- Weather stripping: Check weather stripping around doors & windows. The weatherstripping around doors wears out over time.
Click Below For More Ways To Reduce Heating & Cooling Costs:
An Energy Audit Identifies Where Your Home Is Leaking Air.
It Is Done With A Blower-Door Test
Image From ShutterStock
A Blower-Door Test Will Reveal Where Your Home Is Leaking Air
A Blower-Door Test creates a vacuum inside the house. This causes air to enter at any point where the home leaks air, making the leaks easy to identify.
A professional home energy audit is the best way to determine where your home is leaking air and plus determine if your attic is adequately insulated.
NOTE:
- Blown insulation settles over time. If your home is older, notable settling of the insulation has likely occurred.
- Older homes were not insulated to today’s R-38 Requirement.
- It’s common for workers to kick insulation out of their way while working in the attic.
- What you can see from the attic hatch may not reflect insulation depth at other locations.
Most Companies That Offer Energy-Audits Provide Air-Sealing & Insulating Services.
Click Below To See A Diagram Showing Common Air Leakage Locations In A Home:
Click Here To See To See A Photo Of An Air Leakage Location At Bath Fan: Gap Around Bath Vent In Ceiling
Click Here To See To See A Photo Of An Air Leakage Location At An Electrical Outlet: Gap Around Electrical Outlet Leaking Air
Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C, in Plano, Texas provides full service plumbing maintenance, repairs and replacements for every plumbing component in your home. Al’s sells and installs Rheem Professional Series gas & electric water heaters, and tankless water heaters. Al’s Plumbing, Heating & A/C is near your home in Wylie, Murphy, and Rowlette, TX. We service all homes in southern Collin & Denton Counties with no additional travel charge.
Al’s also provides maintenance & repairs for all brands of Central A/C, Gas & Electric Furnace, and Heat Pumps. Additionally, we sell and install new HVAC Systems from American Standard (same company as Trane), Ameristar (same company as American Standard) and Coleman HVAC (same company as York HVAC).
Call Al’s today to discuss any concerns or problems you have with your HVAC System or Plumbing. We will arrange an appointment at your convenience and offer 24/7 Emergency Service.
