8 Easy Projects for Instant Energy Savings

(Page 8 of 9)

February/March 2008
By Gary Reysa 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

EERE Consumer Tips
Home Energy Saver 
Energy Star 
EEBA Energy Checklist 
Rocky Mountain Institute 

RELATED CONTENT

2. Don’t do projects that aren’t feasible for your residence or situation.

Some projects will be impossible for your home or situation — throw these out. You might want to put some projects that look like a big stretch on a separate list to be looked at later.

3. Evaluate each project — estimate the cost, energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction.

For each project on your list, see if you can come up with at least a rough idea of what it would cost and what kind of energy savings it would achieve. In the project descriptions for everything we did, I’ve included how we estimated the cost, energy savings and greenhouse gas reduction — these may be helpful for similar projects.

4. Make a master list of projects that you intend to do over time.

Using the results of your evaluations from Step 3, weed out the projects that don’t seem worth it. This should leave you with a good list of projects that make sense for your situation, economics and the planet.

5. Sequence the projects. Put them in the order you want to do them.

All things being equal, you might as well do the projects that save the most first. But there are other factors to consider, such as the fact that some projects may interfere with others if done too early. For example, it’s hard to seal up the electrical and plumbing penetrations from the living space into the attic if you have to wade through the 18 inches of loose fill insulation that you just added. Also, your budget may require putting off some of the pricey projects until later, or you might just be more interested in some projects than others.

6. Do them! Have fun and keep track of your progress. Be proud of the results.

Keep your utility bills so you can see what progress you are making. The bills will also be helpful if you sell the house to show its improved energy efficiency.

Here are a few other resources to keep in mind. If you are doing the insulating and weatherizing projects yourself, then Insulate and Weatherize by Bruce Harley is well worth the price. There are also some helpful how-to guides and plans mixed into these pages here  and here.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | Next >>
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.