Mythbusters - Energy Edition

Today we will tackle some of the biggest misconceptions about saving energy.

The Myth
This time of year, we are all trying to find ways to save on our winter heating bills. We are frequently told that keeping your thermostat at the same level all winter is more energy efficient than adjusting it up and down.
The Truth
Turning your heat down when you go to bed or when you leave the house for long periods of time will save money and energy. It is true that it’s better not to turn it down if you will only be out for a short period.


The Myth
Anything not in use should be shut off; therefore, turning off your electric hot water heater when you are away for a weekend or overnight will save energy.
The Truth
While it seems like good sense to shut off anything electronic when not in use, turning off your electric water heater results in very little savings. Water heaters are well insulated and retain their heat for a long time.

What other energy savings myths can you think of? We will be examining more myths in our next post.

Winter Savings Tips

It can be tough to cope with rising energy bills through the winter. Check out our top tips to save both energy and money. These small actions can add up to big savings!

1. Close the fireplace flu – this is one of the areas that so many homeowners forget about when it gets cold. Simply close the damper which helps keep heat in and cold out.
2. Keep shades and curtains open – if you keep your shades and curtains open during the sunniest hours of the day, you’ll allow the sun’s heat to penetrate the room,and your thermostat will run less.
3. Use the proper insulation – spaces like your attic, walls and basement need the right amount of insulation to ensure the least amount of heat loss. Have a professional inspect the areas of your home that could use additional insulation. This is a tip that will also help during the warmer months too!
4. Remove window air conditioners – no matter how “sealed” your window air conditioners are, leaving them in during the winter is the perfect way to allow cold air in and let heat escape. Remove them from the windows before it gets cold.
5. Use a programmable thermostat – set it to automatically turn down at night and when you are away during the day.
6. Check your furnace filter – change or clean it as needed. A dirty filter makes your furnace work harder to circulate air and wastes energy.
7. Check your windows for air leakages – there are inexpensive solutions to stop energy loss, like window kits and weather stripping.
8. Unblock the vents – go around each room in your home and make sure the vents are unblocked by furniture. The more heat that can filter through the vents, the more efficient they will run.

Wavering Winter Weather

With unseasonably warm temperatures hitting most of eastern Canada, lately it feels more like spring than the middle of January. Last weekend, daytime highs broke records in over 20 communities- Toronto set a new record with a high of 14.8 °C on Sunday. And, while for many parts of Ontario and Quebec, the end of 2012 brought a lot of snowfall, temperatures across both provinces were actually warmer than normal in December.

So how do we deal with these wavering weather patterns? Do you feel like you are constantly adjusting the thermostat up and down? Do you feel too hot and too cold within one afternoon? One solution is an advanced programmable thermostat, like a SmartStat. This wi-fi connected thermostat takes live weather forecasts in account to maintain the temperature of your home. It keeps you comfortable and maximizes energy efficiency as well. Cutting back on the amount of energy you use is going to translate into cost savings as well.

What other methods do you use to stay comfortable when the weather is wavering between warm and cool? Comment below and let us know your tips!

Heating and Cooling by the numbers

Why are the rating numbers of furnaces and air conditioners important?

Rating numbers indicate the efficiency of heating and air conditioning equipment and are directly related to the amount of energy a specific model uses. The higher the rating, the more efficient the product, and the lower your heating and cooling bills can be. The federal government establishes rating guidelines and sets minimum efficiency levels.

For cooling equipment, the rating is called SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio). The higher the SEER number the more efficient the unit.

For heating equipment, the rating is called the Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency (AFUE) and it is given as a percentage. For example- National Home Services installs 95% ENERGY STAR qualified furnaces.

How is the AFUE of furnaces calculated?

The AFUE is a complex calculation, derived from performance parameters that are measured under laboratory conditions. These include a set of temperatures, the energy consumption, and a few other performance parameters.  In general, it represents the percentage of heat in the incoming fuel which is converted to space heat.

How is SEER calculated?

The Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is calculated by the total cooling output of an A/C or heat pump during an average cooling season divided by the total electricity input during the same period of time.

Hope you enjoyed learning more about how we calculate the efficiency of your home equipment. Remember the higher the rating, the more efficient the product, and the lower your bills can be!

What is ENERGY STAR?

At National Home Services, we install ENERGY STAR qualified water heaters and HVAC systems. Learn more about ENERGY STAR and what it means.


What is ENERGY STAR?

ENERGY STAR is a trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

The ENERGY STAR label was established to:

• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants caused by the inefficient use of energy.
• Make it easy for consumers to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.

How Does Natural Resources Canada Choose which Products Earn the Symbol?

Products can earn the ENERGY STAR symbol by meeting the energy efficiency requirements set forth in ENERGY STAR product specifications based on the following set of key guiding principles:

• Product categories must contribute significant energy savings nationwide.
• Qualified products must deliver the features and performance demanded by consumers, in addition to increased energy efficiency.
• If the qualified product costs more than a conventional, less-efficient counterpart, purchasers will recover their investment in increased energy efficiency through utility bill savings, within a reasonable period of time.
• Energy efficiency can be achieved through broadly available, non-proprietary technologies offered by more than one manufacturer.
• Product energy consumption and performance can be measured and verified with testing.
• Labeling would effectively differentiate products and be visible for purchasers.

Why buy ENERGY STAR qualified products?

By choosing ENERGY STAR qualified products, buyers save energy and money on utility bills, reduce air pollution without sacrificing the features, versatility or style they expect from high-performing products.

To learn more about ENERGY STAR products in Canada please visit www.energystar.gc.ca

Our Top 10 Green News Stories of 2012: 6-10

2013 is here so today we will finish our review of the Top Environmental News Stories of 2012 with numbers 6 through 10. Click here to see number 1 -5. Lets hope 2013 brings good news for the environment.

	Pipeline Battles TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline plans continued to face obstacles this year. The proposed pipeline, aiming to carry tar sands oil from Canada to the Gulf Coast, was blocked by President Obama earlier this year, but he later offered support for the lower portion. Construction has begun on the southern segment between Oklahoma and Texas, but faces challenges from protesters and some landowners. While supporters claim the pipeline will create jobs, NASA's James Hansen argues that Canada's exploitation of oil from the tar sands could mean "game over for the climate."
	Japan Tsunami Debris The 2011 March tsunami in Japan carried about five million tons of debris into the ocean, according to the Associated Press. Some of that debris has begun to wash up on the west coast of North America. While most of this debris consists of smaller items, including a motorcycle which volunteers are attempting to reunite with its Japanese owner, larger debris is already costing authorities millions of dollars to dispose of.
	Doha Climate Conference The UN climate conference in Doha, Qatar resulted in the extension of the Kyoto Protocol, although the treaty will only cover about 15 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Associated Press, the talks also lead to "vague promises of financing to help poor countries cope with climate change, and an affirmation of a previous decision to adopt a new global climate pact by 2015."
	Ontario Mega-Quarry In July 0f 2009, Highland Companies made pubic their intent to build a large open-pit mine north of Toronto, in the Melancthon area. Those opposed to the project were concerned about losing a massive swath of rich farmland and worried about the quarry’s effect on the water table. The company had said the limestone quarry would have provided an essential supply of aggregate, used to build everything from homes to roads. But the proposal was met with fierce opposition from the community and beyond. From five-day protest walks to SoupStock, Mega-quarry opponents laid out a winning game plan. On November 21, 2012 Highland announced it is withdrawing its quarry application.
	Federal budget bills and the Idle No More movement C-45 is a large omnibus bill implementing numerous measures, many of which activists claim weaken environmental protection laws. In particular, laws protecting all of the country's navigable waterways were limited in scope to protect only a few waterways of practical importance for navigation. Many of the affected waterways pass through land reserved to First Nations. This led to a series of teach-ins, rallies and protests, eventually gaining loose coordination under the name “Idle No More”. The protests were timed to coincide with the announcement that Chief Theresa Spence of Attawapiskat was launching a hunger strike to demand a meeting with Prime Minister Harper and the Queen on Aboriginal rights. So far, the Canadian federal government has indicated it will not meet the demand of a meeting with First Nations groups over environmental concerns

Our Top 10 Green News Stories of 2012: 1-5

As 2012 draws to a close, here is a review of our Top Environmental News Stories of 2012. Today we reveal numbers 1 to 5. Stay tuned for the second half of our Top 10 stories to be posted later this week.

	SuperStorm Sandy Hurricane Sandy made landfall in Jamaica on Wednesday, October 24, 2012. The storm turned deadly in the Caribbean, and a hurricane/winter storm hybrid decimated regions along the U.S. East Coast. Officials at a UN meeting on climate change have cited the support of scientists in claiming that devastating storms like Hurricane Sandy are not purely "coincidental" but actually affected by global warming.
	The Fracking debate The hydraulic fracturing debate heated up this year as multiple provinces and states contemplated the natural gas drilling process. Fracking is a technique that involves the injection of millions of litres of water and thousands of litres of unidentified chemicals underground at very high pressure in order to create fractures in the underlying shale rock formations and extract the natural gas below the surface. Fracking for unconventional gas is rapidly expanding in almost every province across Canada. Environmental groups oppose fracking because of its high water use, carbon emissions, and the danger it can pose to groundwater.
	Arctic sea ice Levels hit record lows this September- the ice extent covering 49 per cent below the 1979 average, when satellite records began. Scientists continued to emphasize the role that humans play in these changes. "It's crystal clear. If we burn all the fossil fuels, we create certain disaster," NASA scientist James Hansen warned.
	Toxic Chemical Concerns Parents were given more to worry about this year as reports suggested that the chemicals replacing their problematic predecessors were similarly toxic. The "BPA-free" label also faced scrutiny this year, as experts questioned the labeling regulation process.
	BP Oil Spill Aftermath In November, BP pleaded guilty to felony charges related to the Gulf oil spill, including charges of manslaughter and lying to Congress about the size of the leak. For these charges, the company is expected to pay $4.5 billion, the biggest corporate criminal penalty in U.S. history.