energy saving tips

[J.P.M.]

Agree with your tips on saving energy, but we can also save energy by installing solar panels on which we will save electricity. We can also use all the solar products to save electricity.

Rather than first using what's probably about the most expensive way to offset an electric bill, I'd suggest the first, best and simplest way to reduce an electric bill is to not use the electricity in the first place. Sane and probably more cost effective conservation measures come next.

Since use reduction and sane conservation measures cost less and save more in a relative sense, by the time they are taken (even though PV costs have dropped quite a bit over the last few years), those use reduction and conservation measures will have reduced the cost effectiveness of meeting a smaller electric bill with what's usually more expensive alternate energy methods, usually PV. Not using electricity will change the calculus of the PV economics.

Even though PV has come down in price, if cost effective use of assets is part of an energy use reduction plan, PV is usually far down the list of measures to implement.

Unfortunately, turning off an unused light doesn't seem to have the same panache and probably doesn't impart the same level of accomplishment as throwing an array on a roof, but it is more cost effective in terms of assets expended/return on investment. It just isn't as sexy.

But in this society of too much consumption and not enough thought about much of anything, energy conservation is the unwanted stepchild.

[SunEagle]

Agree with your tips on saving energy, but we can also save energy by installing solar panels on which we will save electricity. We can also use all the solar products to save electricity.

Or you can just use less electricity which is a lot cheaper then installing or using and type of solar panels or EV products,

[AmitBajpayee]

Hi,
There are some tips which can save energy.

According to the Department of Energy, a programmable thermostat can reduce your heating costs by up to 35% and cooling costs by up to 25%. If your home sits empty a good part of each day, consider investing in a programmable thermostat or manually adjust the temperature each time you leave and return home.
Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
Plant tall, fast growth trees on the south side of your house.
Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
Replace standard incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).

Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. Taken together, these small items can use as much power as your refrigerator. Televisions, cable television boxes, cell phone chargers and other electronics give off more waste heat than you might imagine. Unplug these items or consider purchasing power management devices to eliminate electric consumption entirely when not in use.

If you have a mechanical air filter or HEPA filter inside your heating and cooling system, have an air conditioning and heating technician replace the filter annually.

Allow air to circulate around your outside condenser unit. Fallen leaves may hinder the efficiency of the air conditioning unit so make it a habit to clear your air conditioning units with fallen shrubs. This means pruning any nearby hedges and keeping the grass mowed. Treat the area for fire ants, as needed. Ants commonly build mounds inside condensers and can cause your air conditioning to shut down.
Mod note - links are generally not allowed

Agree with your tips on saving energy, but we can also save energy by installing solar panels on which we will save electricity. We can also use all the solar products to save electricity.

[Mike90250]

Installing a whole house dehumidifier lets you set the AC 2-3 degrees warmer without any noticeable difference.

A correctly sized AC system will remove the proper amount of water, without the wasted power (and heat load) of another AC compressor and fans. You are, by all means, entitled to do what you suggest, but a dehumidifier is not always a good solution/replacement. there are plenty of charts & tables for sizing an AC system for heat loads and humidity

[SunEagle]

No it means if the units run for an hour they will use 0.6kWh and 5kWH. If you can't mentally flip between KW and kWh I suggest you go an see a good neurosurgeon.

You knew exactly what I meant you pompous smug prick. Its not just this post its a pattern with you. I would expect no less from the type of person that usually gets involved with a HOA. Its not a website for retired electricians; its a website to discuss solar in general.

Please refrain from using that king of language here. If you don't like what someone posts then just say so without attacking them.

[mjs020294]

Would that be 0.6 kW and 5 kW ?
Before getting into a discussion about residential HVAC and psychrometrics, it's easier to take someone seriously when they first get the basics right. It also helps neophytes and new students of the subject who might get more confused than they already are.

No it means if the units run for an hour they will use 0.6kWh and 5kWH. If you can't mentally flip between KW and kWh I suggest you go an see a good neurosurgeon.

You knew exactly what I meant you pompous smug prick. Its not just this post its a pattern with you. I would expect no less from the type of person that usually gets involved with a HOA. Its not a website for retired electricians; its a website to discuss solar in general.

[azdave]

You can set your AC at 80f because there is very little humidity in AZ. What humidity is present is most likely getting dragged out by your AC. If you set teh AC at 80f in Florida you humidity would probably be 65-75%.

Agree. Our indoor humidity in the summer (with normal A/C cycling) hovers around 35%. The outdoor humidity in the worst of the summer can be in the single digits such as in June when it's 115-120F. My son lives in Boca Raton so I've experienced that humidity in June too.

It was mentioned above about old pool pumps and A/C units. Replacing a perfectly good unit with a better efficiency model results in a long payback compared to not paying the high replacement cost up front but if they need replaced, then by all means go for a variable speed solution in both cases.

[J.P.M.]

A whole house dehumidifier uses around 0.6kWh. My AC uses around 5kWh. I am guessing 5-6 hours dehumidifying a day will reduce the summer AC usage by a couple of hours a day in Florida. In the SE using a dehumidifier is highly recommend but hardly anyone actually has them installed.

Would that be 0.6 kW and 5 kW ?
Before getting into a discussion about residential HVAC and psychrometrics, it's easier to take someone seriously when they first get the basics right. It also helps neophytes and new students of the subject who might get more confused than they already are.

[mjs020294]

Seems the electricity used running the whole house dehumidifier would not offset the reduced A/C demand all that much but I'm sure there are areas and climates where it would pay off. We set our A/C at 80 and only down to 78 if we have visitors staying with us. We pull several gallons of water per day from our condensate drain but only during July-August. It's too dry here other times of the A/C season to get much moisture dripping off the coils.

A whole house dehumidifier uses around 0.6kWh. My AC uses around 5kWh. I am guessing 5-6 hours dehumidifying a day will reduce the summer AC usage by a couple of hours a day in Florida. In the SE using a dehumidifier is highly recommend but hardly anyone actually has them installed.

You can set your AC at 80f because there is very little humidity in AZ. What humidity is present is most likely getting dragged out by your AC. If you set teh AC at 80f in Florida you humidity would probably be 65-75%.

[SunEagle]

Seems the electricity used running the whole house dehumidifier would not offset the reduced A/C demand all that much but I'm sure there are areas and climates where it would pay off. We set our A/C at 80 and only down to 78 if we have visitors staying with us. We pull several gallons of water per day from our condensate drain but only during July-August. It's too dry here other times of the A/C season to get much moisture dripping off the coils.

I agree. That is why I stated it really depends on your location if a de humidifier would reduce the AC temp by 2 degrees or not.

[azdave]

Depends on where you live and how cold you want to keep the house.

Seems the electricity used running the whole house dehumidifier would not offset the reduced A/C demand all that much but I'm sure there are areas and climates where it would pay off. We set our A/C at 80 and only down to 78 if we have visitors staying with us. We pull several gallons of water per day from our condensate drain but only during July-August. It's too dry here other times of the A/C season to get much moisture dripping off the coils.

[J.P.M.]

Installing a whole house dehumidifier lets you set the AC 2-3 degrees warmer without any noticeable difference.

That's at least partly because of how the dehumidifier works. It reduces the temp. of the air going though it to below that air's dew point temp. just like an air conditioner will do if the return air's dew point temp. is above the A/C's delivery temp. In one very real sense common dehumidifiers are mini A/C units.

Dehumidifiers will also help keep the house air from becoming "clammy" as can often happen when A/C units are oversized to the design load or improperly designed for humid climates. They do that by lowering the air's dew point.

[mjs020294]

Depends on where you live and how cold you want to keep the house.

No actually its fact. A house at 75f without a dehumidifier will feel just the same as a house at 77f that is properly dehumidified.

[SunEagle]

Installing a whole house dehumidifier lets you set the AC 2-3 degrees warmer without any noticeable difference.

Depends on where you live and how cold you want to keep the house.

[mjs020294]

Most people that decide to go off grid have no clue what it takes to reduce their electric consumption. My wife would also have an issue if I decided to reduce our AC consumption but again my electric bill is still around $200 per month which is not the biggest expense for me so if we consume more then so what.

Installing a whole house dehumidifier lets you set the AC 2-3 degrees warmer without any noticeable difference.