Ways to Conserve and Save Through Rebates

Dawn from Newark is doing a good job conserving water, but wants to know more about how to save through rebates.

Q. I love gardening - veggies, flowers & plants.  I have a lot of container plants/flowers and they need more frequent watering. I installed a rain water collection system in 2007 and since that time, I have not had to use the hose line, fresh water, to water ANYTHING outside. Outside of my savings on my water bill, are there any rebates available to me? Thank you for your help! 

Thanks for contacting us and thanks for being a responsible steward of the environment. Saving water around your home is commendable and also forward thinking. While water prices in the U.S. are still relatively inexpensive in most places, there are many experts that predict water shortages in the coming years that will cause an increase in focus on water conservation.

Energize Delaware has incentives to help.  Our appliance rebate program offers incentives on Energy Star dishwashers, clothes washers and gas water heaters. Visit our appliance rebate program for details. But act fast as this program ends with purchases made at the end of the month.

The program is shifting focus from the kitchen to the basement where the high-energy using heating and cooling appliances live. We'll be enhancing this program within the next month to include a host of ways to improve your home's energy efficiency. We'll continue to have hot water heater incentives, but now for gas and electric high efficiency models.  The program will also include energy audits to help you find out how all the ways to save energy around your home and which ones will pay back the fastest. Sign up for email updates on the home page of our website or check back in a few weeks to find out how to save.

Thanks again for your focus on conserving our precious energy and water resources. 

Requirements for Central Air Conditioners

Mary from Wilmington has a question on the efficiency and cost of new air conditioning units.

Q. We are replacing our A/C unit and would like to know if there are now minimum federal and/or state requirements for central cooling equipment? My 40 year-old central A/C unit died, and I want to compare the costs of installation and operation for a 13 SEER unit vs. a 15 SEER unit. Is the higher initial cost of the more efficient unit justified over a 10 year period? Also, it's my understanding that there is a federal rebate available for the higher SEER unit that would help reduce the cost. Does Delaware offer any incentive for installing higher efficiency heating and cooling equipment, either in the form of rebates or tax credits, and what are the equipment requirements?

You are approaching the cost/benefit equation correctly. Comparing the increased cost of the higher efficiency unit to the lifetime energy savings plus any available rebates or incentives will tell you whether your investment should pay for itself.

There are number of calculators available online to estimate the savings. It's important to note that these are broad estimates based on a number of factors, many of which are noted on the disclaimers at the bottom of the page.

The best place to find available rebates and incentives is the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at www.dsireusa.org. Energize Delaware rebates for Heating and Cooling equipment are a part
of a suite of residential programs being designed now. Please sign up for email alerts on these programs so you can be the first to know as program details and launch dates are finalized.

When it comes to equipment efficiency, it's important to know that quality installation is as important as the SEER rating on the nameplate. According to published studies, up to 40 percent of the efficiency associated with a given SEER level can be lost to poor design and installation practices such as oversized system, leaky ducts, and improper system charge and air flow.

Look for installers that perform something called a Manual J Load Calculation to determine what size system you need. Ask them how they are verifying the refrigerant charge and the air flow of your system and if they are leaving any documentation that this has been done with you after the job completes. If your ducts are accessible or if you are adding new ducts ask them to seal the ducts, and if they run through unconditioned spaces like attics or crawl spaces they also should be insulated.

Please continuing reading the question below which provides additional information on federal tax credits.

Minimum Efficiency Standards

Donna from Milton has a question on minimum efficiency standards.

Q. We are replacing our A/C unit and would like to know if there are now minimum federal and/or state requirements for central cooling equipment?

In January 2006 the federal government required that all new air conditioning equipment sold have a minimum efficiency level of 13 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).  The higher the SEER, the more efficient the unit will be and you should experience lower energy bills.  There are federal tax credits available for higher efficiency models which can help offset the increased cost.  The ENERGY STAR website provides a list of the models that qualify for the tax credit and other frequently asked questions.

Soon Delaware will have programs that will provide incentives and financing for a range of heating and cooling equipment.  The programs were approved in a Sustainable Energy Utility Board Meeting and are in development for launch later this year.  Read the press release for more details.  You can also sign up for email updates from Energy Delaware to be the first to know when the programs are kicked off.

Attic Ventilation

Anna from Wilmington is concerned whether she has adequate attic ventilation.

Q. How important is attic ventilation?  I have no soffits on my home, so there is no soffit ventilation.  I do have two gable vents and an attic fan.  The attic is very hot in the summer, and air does not seem to move much; however, I have not seen any moisture problems.  So, do I really need to worry about attic ventilation?  An energy auditor said that ventilation is not so important as long as I have the attic properly air sealed.  Is this true? 

Attic ventilation is important in order to avoid moisture problems. As long as there are gable vents and a functioning fan, you shouldn't have any problems. So your auditor is correct for your situation. But, it's very important to have good sealing and properly installed insulation between the living space and the attic so that the warm or cool air in the top floor stays where it belongs. Hopefully, the auditor ran a blower door test to detect leaks on the top floor. If he didn't, take a closer look at some typical leakage locations such as:

• The attic hatch - if you have a ceiling hatch to the attic, it should be treated just as an exterior door, with tight weather stripping and insulation above. Attic hatches with pull down stairs are often difficult to insulate on the top side - consider building a box above the hatch out of foam insulation board. There are also pre-fabricated solutions you can buy on the internet.
• If you have a door and walk up stairs to the attic, follow the same principles of tight weather stripping and a solid, insulated door. Also make sure the attic stairway walls are insulated.
• If your home has recessed lights (also known as can lights), look into retrofitting them with insulated, air-sealed cans from the manufacturer.
• Check around any pipe and wire penetrations for holes that can be sealed with fireproof caulk. If you can see light through the penetration they are definitely big enough.

If you have air leaks to the attic, moisture from the home can move into the attic and become trapped there leading to mold - a serious health and durability threat. Look at any bath fans on the top floor to make sure they are venting outside of the home and not into the attic. If you have bathrooms without ventilation, take care of this as a priority.

If you want to move the hot air through your attic, consider an exhaust fan that operates on a humidity and/or temperature sensor. That way you're not wasting energy venting the attic heat when you don't need to during the non-summer months. You can even buy solar powered attic fans that can be mounted on your roof and operate without energy costs. However, as your auditor indicated, this is more in the category of deeper savings than low hanging fruit though.

In our climate zone, ENERGY STAR® says you should have insulation of R38. If the attic is accessible you can do it yourself. Read the manufacturer's instructions carefully as poorly installed insulation can be ineffective and a waste of your money and time. 

Prioritizing Energy-Efficiency Projects

Steve from Wilmington wants to know more about energy audits.

Q. My energy bills were really high this past winter and I want to plan ahead and do more to lower my energy use. I’ve heard about energy audits, but I am not sure about what they involve or who to contact. Where do I start?

This past winter was tough on Delawareans!  You are doing the right thing by researching ways to reduce energy consumption in your home. Energize Delaware is here to help you get started by providing simple steps you can take now to cut your energy consumption, as well as information on options for energy audits.

First, take a look around your home to assess your home’s efficiency with these leading energy wasting culprits. There are a number of ways you can act now and start saving by focusing on a few key areas, including sealing cracks and leaks, insulation, heating and cooling equipment and lighting.

1. Check your home for air leaks. The potential savings from plugging cracks and other leaks range from 5 to 30 percent per year.  High-risk areas for air leaks include electrical outlets, window frames, baseboards and weather stripping around doors.   Your local home improvement store is a great resource for the right materials to do it yourself. 

2. Inspect your heating and cooling equipment. When not performing well, it can make conditions inside your house uncomfortable and cost you money. For example, dirty coils make your air conditioner work harder – driving up energy costs and reducing the life of the unit. Likewise, airflow problems can reduce your unit’s efficiency by 15 percent. If your equipment is more than 15 years old, you might consider replacing it with more modern, energy-efficient units. Your local HVAC contractor can help you tune up your equipment for the best performance.

3. Look around at the lighting in your home. Consider switching from incandescent to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs), especially in high-use areas.  

4. Check to make sure you have proper insulation.  Major heat loss can occur in your home through inadequate insulation. Attics and exterior walls are particularly important areas to ensure proper insulation.  ENERGY STAR has a helpful do-it-yourself guide.

Make sure to take advantage of 2010 federal tax credits available for many energy-efficient upgrades including insulation, heating and cooling systems, renewable energy systems and more.

You can take things to the next step with an energy audit:

• Do-it-Yourself Audits - The ENERGY STAR Home Energy Yardstick will help you compare your home's energy usage to similar homes across the country.  You will need to enter some basic information about your home, such as age, square footage, number of occupants, etc.  It also is helpful to enter your last 12 months of energy bills.  If you don't have that information, contact your utility for a 12-month summary.
   
• Find a Professional Home Energy Auditor in Delaware - If you are looking for specific recommendations, consider contacting a professional auditor who will use a variety of techniques and equipment to survey your home.  They can help you find hidden problems and significantly save on your energy bills. Once the evaluation is complete, you will receive a report that recommends improvements you can do yourself or hire a contractor to do. Prices for audits will vary, so please contact multiple contractors for pricing options.  This video will help you understand what to expect during a home energy audit.  While the video references the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program which is not currently offered in Delaware, it does contains useful information about services performed during a typical energy audit.

Finally, after you have identified where your home is losing energy, set your savings priorities by asking yourself some key questions:

• How much money do you spend on energy?
• Where are your greatest energy losses?
• What is your budget and how much time do you have to spend on maintenance and repair?
• How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay for itself in energy cost savings?
• Do the home improvements provide additional benefits such as comfort, air quality, and noise reduction that are important to you?
• Can you do the job yourself or will you need to hire a contractor?

Once you prioritize your energy needs, you can develop an efficiency plan, which will guide your efforts to make smart purchases and home improvements. Learn more - save more can also provide suggestions on how to make your home more energy efficient.

A Tug of War Over Home Temperature Settings

Mary wants to make sure that big changes in her home’s temperature settings don’t break the bank…

Q.  At night, my husband turns down the heat to 60 degrees, which is fine with me. But when I get up in the morning, I am cold and turn the thermostat up to 68 degrees. But then he turns it back down to 65. Then, he turns it up (if he remembers) later on. His theory is that we would waste money if we turn the thermostat up more than a couple of degrees at a time. Is that true?

This is a great question and reflects a common “tug of war” in many Delaware homes during the winter months.

The kind of home heating system you have will determine whether turning up the thermostat more than a couple of degrees will result in wasted energy and money.

For instance, if you have a heat pump, and you set the thermostat back and then up several degrees to catch up, the heat pump may switch from standard mode to emergency backup. In this emergency backup mode the heater uses direct electric heat, one of the most expensive sources and it could cost you more money. 

If you do not have a heat pump, turning down the heat saves money. When the heater comes on to catch up to a higher temperature, it generally works more efficiently over a longer, singular period of time and uses less energy in the process of heating up the ducts. 

You can compensate for this by purchasing a special "adaptive recovery" thermostat made especially for your heat pump. These thermostats "learn" your patterns and attempt to slowly bring up the heat level rather than use the emergency recovery features. For example, if you were programmed to bring the heat up at 6 AM from 60 to 68 it would start the work earlier – perhaps at 4 AM – rather than trying to do it all at once.  It is important to note that thermostat should be compatible with your heat pump and must have a set program so it can learn your patterns and anticipate your needs. Manually adjusting temperature generally uses emergency backup – and more energy.

ENERGY STAR also has information to help you make sure your heating equipment meets your comfort needs and saves you money.

Passive Solar Energy

Rob from New Castle County wants to know more about solar energy.

Q.  Is passive solar energy a sensible approach in northern New Castle county?  I am looking to build a new home using ICF (Insulated Concrete Blocks that form a super-insulated wall).  I am considering the passive solar aspects and want to know if this is a practical approach in Delaware's climate?

Yes, passive solar works in our climate and I'd say its a practical approach in any climate zone.  Depending on your design you may or may not be able to fully heat your home through passive solar but you can surely make a large impact. 

Once upon a time builders took the sun into account when designing and orienting buildings.  If you look at the old farm houses that anchor many of our suburban neighborhoods (because they used to be farms) you'll see that they face the south; with the majority of glass in the building facing this direction.  Back in the days where you had to chop wood for every BTU of heat you house consumed, you had a vested interest in getting as much free heat as possible.  Then we discovered cheap fossil fuels and decided that it was more important for our homes to face the street than the sun.  Now once again - what's old is new again - and passive solar is all the rage.

The point is that passive solar isn't a yes or no proposition but more of a range.  You'll hear of high tech homes with features like double envelopes to let the winter sun's heat in and use the same convection cycles to let the summer heat out. The American Solar Energy Society sponsors annual tours of solar homes around the country.  This year they are on October 2nd.  There are usually some great examples of "super" passive homes on our local Delaware tours. 

But there are also some "typical looking" homes that dramatically decrease their need for heat and cooling by designing the home with some simple features: such as long south facing walls and shorter east/west walls, maximizing glazing on the south and minimizing it on other sides, and using small top floor north side windows with upward openings to ventilate the home in the summer.  The concept is simple, because the sun takes a low arch in the southern sky during the winter, maximizing southern window area helps heat the home in the winter.  During the summer the sun's angle is much higher in the sky so small well placed overhangs on the southern windows will keep the summer sun from penetrating.  Minimizing the glass on the east and west sides keeps the morning and afternoon summer sun from adding too much heat. 

Even homes that are not designed to be "passive" can compensate somewhat by adding shading, and planting the right kind of trees on each side: deciduous on the east and west, evergreen on the north, little to none on the south. 

When you're building a new home you have a tremendous opportunity to have a heating and cooling bill that's half, or less than the average home.  Find an architect who knows how to make passive solar trade offs. If your builder doesn't want to talk to you about simple things like facing your home toward the south, I recommend that you face the door and walk away.