8 Easy Projects for Instant Energy Savings
(Page 5 of 9)
February/March 2008
By Gary Reysa
We have started to route the clothes dryer heat vent to the inside of the house in the winter. We live in a very dry climate, so the added moisture is a benefit, not a problem. There are two major advantages of venting inside. First, you recover the heat that was added to dry the clothes (about 2.2 kWh per load). Second, you avoid bringing in cold outside air to make up for the air that the dryer is pushing outside. To vent to the inside, you need to have a dry climate, an electric (not gas) dryer, and a way to catch the lint in the dryer exit stream. The cost of this project was $20 for some tubing and a lint filter.
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Caution: Gas dryers should never be vented inside, since toxic combustion products are in the vented air. Electric dryers should only be vented inside if your climate is dry — be alert for any moisture problems.
Energy savings/year | 630 kWh |
Initial cost | $5 to $20 |
DIY labor | 2 hours |
CO2 reduction | 286 pounds |
$s saved/year | $63 |
Energy source | Propane |
1st year return | 315 percent |
10 year savings | $1,002 |
6. Insulate Windows with Bubble Wrap
This is a neat idea that comes from the greenhouse crowd. You can insulate windows using bubble wrap packing material by spraying a water mist on the window, and then applying bubble wrap. The bubble wrap will usually stay in place for the full season with one spray. The bubble wrap distorts the view, but does allow good daylight to come through. It’s a good option for windows that you don’t need a view out of.
This is very cost effective — payback is usually less than one heating season. At the end of winter, you can just pull the bubble wrap off, roll it up and save it for next year. If you are going to use a lot of bubble wrap, it’s worth finding a dealer in packing materials to buy it from (or a greenhouse supply place). You can get bubble wrap from shipping companies such as UPS, but their prices are much higher.
My cost was 27 cents per square foot for 141 square feet, for a total of $38. This is something you can do in a couple hours, and use until you decide on a longer term solution — if ever.
Energy savings/year | 955 kWh |
Initial cost | $38 |
DIY labor | 1 hour |
CO2 reduction | 487 pounds |
$s Saved/year | $75 |
Energy source | Propane |
1st year return | 197 percent |
10 year savings | $1,195 |
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