Saving Tips On Utilities

[cercis]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

But, it should be noted, it was only 3F and it was in the furtherest room. Which really isn't that much of a drop. So, if you close off those rooms and use the fireplace and then heat them later, you can probably save a lot.

I know that my family used the fireplace a lot and we only had the heaters on to go to bed, and then turned on about 1 hour before shower/bath time and turned way down to sleep. Dad would turn it up when he got up and Mom would turn it down to about 55 when she left for work. We didn't touch it, but built a fire when we got home from school.

I don't know how much they saved, but the heat rarely kicked on from 55 (it had to be really, really cold outside for the thermostat to register colder than 55 - it was in a different part of the house from the fireplace).

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

"14. Save water by watering your yard when the sun will not evaporate it. Watering in the early morning or evening will do the same job with less water than doing so in mid-afternoon."

I have been told to be very careful about watering too early or too late in the day as this can encourage all kinds of nasty "molds" and "viruses" to propagate. Don't know if its true or not. So, I don't water between 12-4 pm. Then it's warm enough to keep my grass healthy(-ier) and yet not wasteful.

HTH

andi

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

I did find a link but it says it was actually confirmed. Interesting because my memory is so different. It was a strange episode though, so I could have gotten it confused, probably because they were so convinced it wouldn't be true.
.

Here's my question about that: is the other side of the house three degree's cooler because of the cool air escaping the house OR because the temperature goes up in the nearest rooms leaving the farthest rooms un-warmed?

Does that make sense?

Also, just an idea but your memory may not be incorrect, you are not reading something from a MB staff member but someone's summary of the episodes. My point is (FWIW) that it *might* be their memory.

a

[cercis]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

Andi, generally watering in the morning will prevent molds. Molds won't have time to grow before the sun comes up and dries any lingering water.

Some places can water at night, it will just depend upon your area and what kinds of molds and fungi you have. Call your master gardeners and ask them.

[cercis]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

It could have been their memory, but thinking back, I think I do remember them showing the thermometer and the drop.

They don't go into why the temp dropped. Just that those rooms were a certain temp and then they were 3 degrees cooler. If the thermostat was in the room with the fire, then the heater wouldnt' have kicked on and that could just be a function of bad insulation.

I figure it's only 3 degrees and it took a while to happen. So, if you want to have a roaring fire and you plan to be in that room for several hours, it could save heating bills, especially if you heat with central heat and turn it off while you're in the room with the fire.

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

Yep and thats EXACTLY what I do here.
We have a 3000 sq/ft house with dual therms... So, what I do is turn down the upstairs during the day, to about 62. Then, on days when I am home most of the day, I build a fire in the living room (we have an open floor plan so this warms the living room, kitchen and morning room). That's where we do the bulk of our day time living. If the boys want to be up in their rooms, they simply bundle up--they're up there playing the durned PS2 anyway so they can make the sacrifice if they want it badly enough, lol. Otherwise its them at school, dh at work and Lili and I in the downstairs.

I burn the fire until an hour or so before bed, turn down the therm and turn it up upstairs to about 64 and off we go to bed.

This is a new plan and I *think* it will work but we'll see.

andi

It could have been their memory, but thinking back, I think I do remember them showing the thermometer and the drop.

They don't go into why the temp dropped. Just that those rooms were a certain temp and then they were 3 degrees cooler. If the thermostat was in the room with the fire, then the heater wouldnt' have kicked on and that could just be a function of bad insulation.

I figure it's only 3 degrees and it took a while to happen. So, if you want to have a roaring fire and you plan to be in that room for several hours, it could save heating bills, especially if you heat with central heat and turn it off while you're in the room with the fire.

[Ima saver]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

I have a big house, over 3200 sq. ft. and my electric bill is usually under $100. I think keeping the hot water turned off except when it is used, helps to bring the bill down. I turn it on 20 minutes before my husband gets home to take a shower. Then I turn it off. My husband (a builde) now puts an easy cut off switch in the kitchen so no one has to go to the panel box to turn off the hot water heater.

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

It would be great if I could do that here! I have three kids and I think I'd be better off just leaving it low.

Any other ideas that work in your large house?

a

[Ima saver]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

I keep the heat set at about 60 and wear a sweater or too. Plus I walk on my treadmill to warm up. I have a heating pad for my little 6 pound poodles to lay on. My husband puts one of these cut off switches for the hot water heater in every new house he builds.

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

60! Wow! I am impressed. I push my limits at 63...unless I build a fire then I push it easily to 60. You are truly awesome to be able to do this. I will have to set a new bar to aspire to.

[Ima saver]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

I also wash only in cold water and use trend which is 99 cents here! I do not notice any difference washing in cold water.

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

I use the cold/warm cycle in our toploader and use Charlies Soap in it. LOVE IT, its soooooooo cheap and I dont need a fabric sheet for the dryer!

[AntiCost]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

If you have the opportunity to increase the number of zones for your heating or cooling system, you can save a considerable amount of money over time.. yes, it will require a larger investment at first, but overtime it can save hundreds of dollars..

On some existing forced air systems, this can easily be done adding in zone valves. For hot-water based systems, it will require a bit more work.

Also, be sure that your thermostats are located in optimal positions. If you have zones that span many rooms, check each room to see what the temperature is. You may find that some rooms are really hot while others are cold. If this is the case, you may want to relocate your thermostat. The good news is, many new thermostats are wireless so you can move them around to see where you get the best results.

In the summer; make sure that sunlight doesn't shine on your thermostats.

[andimorony]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

And avoid, where ever possible, heat pumps. Unless you live in an area that almost never goes below 40, they are pretty well worthless. They work by using the warmth in the air and if you live in most parts of the US, when it gets below say 35 degrees, it is constantly running. And that = expensive!

[Ima saver]

Re: Saving Tips On Utilities

Andi is completely right. Heat pumps are "pushed " by the electric companies here. My husband is a builder and he warns people not to get heat pumps. We are in the mountains and it is usually colder than 40 at night in the winter. The two people that insisted on them, have since taken them out. My girlfriend got one (she did not ask me) and now her electric bill is about $400 a month and she is having trouble paying it.