Department of Energy

Energy Savers PowerPoint: Heating and Cooling

4 of 12

This 12 part PowerPoint series is taken directly from Energy Savers Booklet, Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home, U.S. Department of Energy

Contents

1. Save Energy and Money Today 2. Your Home’s Energy Use 3. Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks 4. Heating and Cooling 5. Water Heating 6. Windows 7. Lighting 8. Appliances 9. Home Office and Home Electronics10. Driving and Car Maintenance11. Renewable Energy12. References

Heating and Cooling

• This presentation will show you how easy it is to reduce your energy use at home.

• Easy, practical solutions include tips you can use, throughout your home—from the roof, walls, and insulation that enclose it to the appliances and lights inside.

Heating and Cooling

Reduce energy demand

Cut amount of resources needed

Create less greenhouse gas emissions

Reduce utility bills

Heating and Cooling Costs

46% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling$$$

Heating and Cooling Emissions

Heating and cooling systems emit• 150 million tons of carbon dioxide → global climate change • 12% of nation’s sulfur dioxide → acid rain• 4% of nitrogen oxides → acid rain

Household Heating Systems

Natural Gas53%

Electricity30%

Other9%

Fuel Oil7%

No Heating System 1%

Fuel Type

Heating and Cooling Strategy

Proper equipment maintenance

Appropriate insulation and air

sealing

Proper thermostat settings

Cut energy use and reduce environmental emissions from 20%

to 50%

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as HIGH as is comfortable in the summer.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.

Furnace filter

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season.

• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.

Low noise kitchen exhaust

fan

Heating and Cooling Tips

•During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

Select energy-efficient products when you buy new heating and cooling equipment.– Furnaces ≥ 90% AFUE– Air conditioners ≥ 14 SEER

Long-Term Savings Tips

AFUE = Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency

SEER = Seasonal Energy Efficiency

Ratio

Duct System

Hidden system - ducts

Ducts

Uninsulated ducts:•Lose heat•Waste energy•Waste money

Leaky Air Ducts

$

$

$$

$

Duct Tips

7 easy and effective ways to save energy with your duct system

Duct Tips

Can you find the

opening?

Duct Tips

UL-181 A

FOIL

Duct Tips

• Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder.

• Water pipes and drains in unconditioned spaces could freeze and burst in the space if the heat ducts are fully insulated

Duct Tips

• If your basement has been converted to a living area, hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms.

Duct Tips

• Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture buildup.•When doing ductwork, be sure to get professional help

Duct Tips

• Install a carbon monoxide (CO) monitor to alert you to harmful CO levels if you have a fuel-burning furnace, stove or other appliance, or an attached garage.

Long-Term Savings Tip

You can lose up to 60% of your heated air before it reaches the register if ducts are not insulated and they travel through unheated spaces.

Heat Pumps

• Efficient form of electric heating in moderate climates

• Types of heat pumps– Air-to-air– Water source– Ground source

• Do double duty as central air conditioners• Trim the amount of electricity you use for

heating by as much as 30% to 40%

Heat Pump Tips

• Do not manually set back the heat pump’s thermostat if it causes the electric resistance heating to come on.

• Clean or change filters once a month or as needed

Consider installing an energy-efficient heat pump system if• you heat with electricity• you live in a moderate

climate

Long-Term Savings Tip

Solar Heating and Cooling

Insulated windows

Solar Heating and Cooling

Passive solar cooling techniques:•Carefully designed overhangs•Windows with reflective coatings•Reflective coatings on exterior walls•Careful site orientation•Consult an architect familiar with passive solar techniques

Solar Tips

• Keep all south-facing glass clean• Make sure that objects do not

block the sunlight shining on concrete slab floors or heat-absorbing walls

Natural Gas and Oil Heating

• Before purchasing a new heating system–Talk to your local utility or state energy

office• Evaluate information on the latest

technologies–Select an efficient system

Long-Term Savings Tip

Install a new energy-efficient furnace– ENERGY STAR®– EnergyGuide label

Programmable Thermostats

Hot Winter TipUsing a programmable thermostat, you can automatically turn down your heat at night or when you are not at home.

Cool Summer TipIn the summer, you can save money by automatically turning your air-conditioning up at night or when you are at work.

Air Conditioners

Bigger is not necessarily better

Cooling Tips

• Use whole-house fans

Attic side, with a cover for the whole-house fan

Cooling Tips

• Use whole-house fans• Set thermostat as high as is comfortably

possible in the summer

Cooling Tips

• Use whole-house fans• Set thermostat as high as is comfortably

possible in the summer• Avoid setting thermostat at a colder setting

than normal when you turn on your air conditioner

Cooling Tips

• Consider an interior fan

Cooling Tips

• Consider an interior fan• Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your

air-conditioning thermostat

Cooling Tips

• Consider an interior fan• Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your air-

conditioning thermostat• Plant trees or shrubs to shade air

conditioning units but not to block the airflow

Long-Term Savings Tips

www.energysavers.gov

Landscaping

Well-placed plants deliver shade, and help reduce your energy bills

Buildings and Trees

Buildings and trees are natural partners

Landscaping

Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of the energy a typical household uses

Landscaping

A lattice or trellis will shade the home’s perimeter

Summary

Carefully select•Heating and cooling equipment•Duct system•Landscaping