COOK COUNTY LOCAL ENERGY PROJECT
AKA CCLEP

12 Simple Ideas - First Two Ideas

A cooperative venture between the Energy Efficiency Working Group of CCLEP (Cook County Local Energy Project) and the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission and Arrowhead Electric Cooperative kicks off with wall receptacle gaskets.

In keeping with the phrase, "The cheapest energy is the energy you never use", twelve specific energy savings items will be identified each month in 2009. Supplies for these items will be available locally from area merchants and rebates offered by the two vendors of electricity in Cook County, Arrowhead Electric and the Grand Marais Public Utilities Commission.

These 12 items will be aimed at reducing the energy required to heat and cool a building and will be the type of thing anyone can do with their home or business by spending a few hours each month installing the item. Specific instructions, where the items can be purchased, and who could be hired to do the installation (if needed), will be made available in a variety of local news media.

January/February - gaskets on outlets in exterior walls

First Easy Energy Conservation Idea - Wall Receptacle Gaskets Wind can sneak into your home through tiny gaps and cracks that you don't even know are there. Often, the first time you're aware of such a problem is when you flick a switch or plug an electronic device into a receptacle mounted on an exterior wall. Not only does the switch or receptacle feel cold, but it's sometimes possible to actually feel a cold draft blowing into the room.

You can block many of these types of drafts from inside the house by purchasing and installing inexpensive switch and receptacle foam gaskets. The gaskets, made of non-electrically conductive fiber matt material, fit snugly around the switch or receptacle after the cover plate is removed. With the gasket in place the standard cover plate goes back on, creating an airtight seal against the wall. For the cost of just a few cents each, gaskets are a worthwhile investment in energy saving and comfort.

Caution: To avoid electrical shock, you should remove cover plates from switches and receptacles only after power has been shut off at the main service panel to the circuits where work is being done. Other than that, each gasket installation will require about two minutes of your time. Watch a one-minute video of the installation procedure.

February/March - water heater blanket

Second Easy Energy Conservation Idea - Electric Water Heater Blanket
Unless your water heater's storage tank already has a high R-value of insulation (at least R-24), adding insulation to it can reduce standby heat losses by 25%-45%. Install a radiant barrier insulation blanket on your hot water heater and you will save 4 - 9% on your water heating costs. A radiant barrier foil-foam-foil blanket eliminates standby heat loss by preventing heat from escaping from your tank. This insulation keeps the water hotter longer and prevents unnecessary start and stop operation of the water heater. Flexible foam and aluminum materials are used by consumers routinely and are safe for the environment. Watch a video of the installation process. To install a water heater blanket, you will need a water heater wrap kit, a pair of scissors, a marker, safety glasses, and glove (a "helper" is a nice addition, too).

March/April - power strips

Almost all computers, computer peripherals (printers, modems, scanners, etc.) and home entertainment products (stereo, DVD player, televisions, etc.)draw an idle electrical current even after they have been turned off. Some devices still draw the same amount of power even when turned off. To alleviate this, the device needs to be physically unplugged from the wall. Using a power strip allows multiple devices to be plugged into one unit. Rather than having to unplug multiple devices, you only need to unplug (ad plug back in) the power strip in this case making it a much easier process that you are more likely to remember. Watch this video.

April/May - pipe insulation
Insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2ºF-4ºF hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing for a lower water temperature setting. You also won't have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or showerhead, which helps conserve water.

Insulate all accessible hot water pipes, especially within 3 feet of the water heater. It's also a good idea to insulate the cold water inlet pipes for the first 3 feet.

Use quality pipe insulation wrap, or neatly tape strips of fiberglass insulation around the pipes. Pipe sleeves made with polyethylene or neoprene foam are the most commonly used insulation. Match the pipe sleeve's inside diameter to the pipe's outside diameter for a snug fit. Place the pipe sleeve so the seam will be face down on the pipe. Tape, wire, or clamp (with a cable tie ) it every foot or two to secure it to the pipe. If you use tape, some recommend using acrylic tape instead of duct tape. On gas water heaters, keep insulation at least 6 inches from the flue. If pipes are within 8 inches of the flue, your safest choice is to use fiberglass pipe-wrap (at least 1-inch thick) without a facing. You can use either wire or aluminum foil tape to secure it to the pipe.

Video instructions as to how to apply pipe wrap.

May/June - retractable clothes line
Typical electric clothes washers and dryers generate 5 pounds of CO2 per washer/dryer cycle. After the refrigerator and washing machine, the clothes dryer is typically the third most energy sapping appliance in the home. The best way to save energy and money to dry your clothes is to hang them on a clothesline. By using a clothesline instead of your dryer, you can save 1,016 pounds of CO2 annually.

Not only does it save us money, but it cuts down on CO2 use as well. Let's look to see what kind of impact letting our garments air dry on a clothes horse has (advanced spreadsheet here, including gas dryers).

Cost/load (electric):
$ .35
CO2/load (electric):
5.6 lbs.
Loads/year for a family:
365
Cost of a clothes horse:
$ 5-10
$ saving/year (1/2 loads air dried):
$63.88
lbs CO2 saved/year (1/2 loads air dried):
1016 lbs.

So there you have it, throw your weekly washing to the wind and you can drop a couple of 10-spots in your pocket without feeling the pinch.

June/July - weather stripping

If you have an 1/8th inch gap around your door, that is equivalent to a 6 inch hole in the middle of your front door! Installing weather stripping can plug this hole and can reduce heating/or cooling bill by 30%.

The first thing you need to do is find out where the air is coming in (or hot air escaping). Below are some strategies Use a hairdryer and blow around a door or window with someone standing inside with incense - watch the smoke move! Have someone perform an energy audit. Stand outside your door with a flashlight with someone inside who can tell you where they can see the light. Try sliding a dollar bill between the door and door-jamb on the locked side. Here's a tip for checking windows. Wet your hand with water, and run your hand around the casing of the window. The moisture on your hand will help you detect any drafts that may be passing through the window perimeter.

Decide which kind of weather stripping will work the best in the situation:

Choose a product for each specific location. Felt and open-cell foams tend to be inexpensive, susceptible to weather, visible, and inefficient at blocking airflow. However, the ease of applying these materials may make them valuable in low-traffic areas. Vinyl, which is slightly more expensive, holds up well and resists moisture. Metals (bronze, copper, stainless steel, and aluminum) last for years and are affordable. Metal weather stripping can also provide a nice touch to older homes where vinyl might seem out of place. For adhesive type weather stripping, the outside temperature needs to be above 50 degrees. A door-sweep is a great way of sealing out drafts coming from underneath an exterior door. These attach to the bottom of the door using adhesives or screws.

A door threshold also helps to prevent drafts. If your threshold has a rubber gasket that is broken or damaged, you can obtain a replacement at home centers.

Shrink-film is an effective technique for sealing windows that won't be opened during the winter. The film is applied over the surface of the window and frame like cellophane. A heat-gun or hair dryer is used to heat the film so that it shrinks taut across the surface.

Here is an informative and short video to help you get started.

July/August - water saver shower heads

Showerheads That Save Water: Low-flow Shower Heads

Most showerheads use twice the water needed for a thorough, enjoyable shower. Every day, three billion gallons of water flow through showerheads in the United States-half of it unnecessarily. The toll this excess takes on one of our most precious resources, clean water, is a blow to both the environment and your pocketbook.

To get clean water, we tap lakes, build dams and reservoirs, and construct processing plants. By using more than we need, we overload sewer and septic systems and leach fields. Both the water itself and the energy needed to heat it cost you money.

What can you do? Think globally, act locally. Take this very easy step-convert your showerheads to low-flow models. This takes a few minutes and costs a few dollars. For an investment of $10 or less you can save $50 to $75 per year on water bills and $20 to $50 or more per year on energy bills (depending on your current showerhead and utility rates). Every new showerhead should pay for itself the first year.

Several states have initiated laws that require water-saving toilets and showerheads be installed in new construction. Other pending congressional legislation would set national water-conserving standards for plumbing fixtures and require their installation in new construction.

It is all about flow
The amount of water that moves through a shower head is measured in gallons per minute (gpm). This is called "flow rate." For more about this, see Low-Flow Showerheads: What Is Low-Flow?

No more trickle-down
Early low-flow showerheads simply blocked some of the water flow. This solution was okay for saving water but took the joy out of showering beneath a robust blast of water. Newer heads are different. Manufacturers have met the challenge to both conserve and offer a satisfying shower by engineering the movement of water, sending it through special orifices that control droplet size, focus the stream, and-in some cases-increase the blast by mixing in air, creating turbulence or pulsing.

What about scalding?
Because low-flow heads deliver less water, they're more likely to scald you if a toilet is flushed, suddenly dropping the pressure of cold water in the system. Scalding shouldn't occur in bathrooms served by ample piping (3/4-inch supplies) or where thermostatic mixing valves, anti-scald valves, or pressure-balancing valves have been installed.

If your shower water currently rises in temperature when someone flushes the toilet, you can have a plumber install an anti-scald valve. Or you can try lowering the water-heater temperature to about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. See also our free guide to Anti-Scald Shower Valves.

Low-Flow Showerheads: Types and Features
There are two main types of showerheads: the regular, stationary type and hand-held models attached to a flexible hose. Most hand-held showerheads can be clipped onto a wall-mounted hanger, swivel or bar for hands-free showering. The flexible hose screws directly onto the shower arm, onto a diverter valve between a standard showerhead and the shower arm, or onto a deck-mounted diverter valve on a bathtub.

Hand-held models are more generally a bit more expensive because they include a flexible hose, but they are also more versatile and use water more efficiently by directing the flow to where you want it. As a class of fixtures, they also offer a slight energy savings over stationary heads because the water travels a shorter distance between the showerhead and your body, cooling less in the air--the net result is that you can adjust the water temperature slightly lower.

Prices for low-flow heads range from less than $10 for simple, no-frills plastic ones to more than $100 for designer heads. The cost of a particular showerhead has little to do with how well it delivers a satisfying shower. Cost is more a gauge of features and the construction materials and finish.

One of the main features of showerheads is the ability to adjust spray settings'narrow to wide, spray only, pulse, and so forth. This is particularly handy if different family members like different types of spray. The easiest types to use are those that have an adjustment ring or lever on the outside of the head so that you don't have to reach into the center of the water stream to adjust them.

One other handy, water-saving feature is a shutoff at the head. This cuts water to a trickle while you soap up or wash pets or kids.

There are two other devices that aren't really showerheads but help save water in the shower: flow-control inserts (basically a washer with a small hole to reduce water flow) and control valves that reduce flow and provide on-off control above the head. These fit between the shower pipe (arm) and showerhead.

Some showerheads combine water-saving technologies. For example, the Evolve showerhead pictured here offers low flow at 1.59 gallons per minute but also features an ingenious valve that allows you to save water and the energy used to heat it before you step into the shower. You can turn on the water to let it warm up and go brush your teeth--the valve automatically reduces the flow to a trickle once the temperature reaches 95 degrees F. Then, when you're ready to shower, you simply flip the valve for full flow. Evolve estimates that the head saves about 8 gallons of water--and the energy to heat it--for every 5 minute shower. Over the period of a year, this can save you more than 2,000 gallons of water.

Easy Low-Flow Showerhead Installation
Showerheads eventually wear out or become clogged with lime deposits. When this happens, they generally work poorly and look worse. This is the perfect time to replace the head with a newer, low-flow model.

Installing a new showerhead is usually just a matter of unscrewing the old one from the existing shower arm and screwing on the new head. If the existing arm ends in a ball joint, you'll have to remove and replace the arm'also an easy job.

Most showerheads come with easy-to-follow instructions for installation. Some old heads will unscrew from the inlet pipe by hand, for others you might require the help of an adjustable wrench.

For a particularly balky head, you might need a large pliers or small pipe wrench to hold the inlet (put a rag between the jaws so you don't scratch the finish) while you turn the head counterclockwise. Most directions call for wrapping the threads of the inlet with pipe-wrap tape before screwing on the new head.

August/September - door sweeps

Door sweeps are the small pieces of rubber or vinyl at the bottom of your door that effectively cover the gap where the door meets the bottom of the frame. This area is almost always built with a gap to allow the door to open and close smoothly. Contrary to its name, the door sweep doesn't "sweep" anything. It acts as a buffer between the small gap and your home.

So does it save you money on energy? In short: yes.

By acting as a layer of insulation between the air on the other side of the door (the outside) and the inside controlled temperature air, it is effective at prevent heat transfer or heat loss through air movement. Of course, it is even more effective when combined with a screen or storm door, because then less air is allowed to even come to the door in the first place. It may also prevent heat loss if it is made of a good insulation material. Heat loss happens when heat is transferred between two materials when there is a difference in surface temperature. If the cold outside air touches the door sweep, and the door sweep is warmer than the air, the heat from the door sweep will be lost. If the door sweep is cooled and the material becomes colder, heat will be lost because the house is warmer. Rubber is a fairly good insulator for this purpose, which is why it is the material most often used in door sweeps.

The "brush" type of sweep is good for reducing air flow, but will readily transfer heat if temperatures are different - which is why a lot of modern outer facing doors are longer sold with this type of sweep (though that may be the reason why "door sweep" adopted its name...it looked more like a broom attached to the bottom of the door.)

If your door sweep gets worn and falls off (they all do), you may ask yourself if you need to actually replace it? Do a simple test. If you feel air entering through the bottom of the door, then absolutely - you need a door sweep. If not, and you can not see the light from outside within your home, you may not need one. Though it certainly will never hurt to add one! It also bears mentioning that your storm door could use a door sweep as well! Considering it is really the first line of defense against cold air entering your house, it should prevent as much heat loss as possible. So...do you have a door sweep?

If not, or perhaps the one you have on your door is old or worn out, fear not! You can make your own out of rubber, a piece of vinyl (from vinyl molding perhaps?), foam, felt, or even a makeshift less permanent door sweep from a towel or heavy cloth.

David Anderson continues to be so completely obsessed with home energy and finding ways to reduce energy bills that he's now losing sleep over it. He is a regular contributor to the Utility Bill Busters Blog, a site updated (almost) daily with a ton of free tips and resourced for helping homeowners save money on their energy bills.

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October - caulk
November - indoor shrink wrap

Indoor Shrink Wrap for Windows

Drafty windows can increase your heating bill by 30%. Here are some inexpensive ways for you to add insulation to you existing windows that will save you money on your next heating or air conditioning bill.

Add clear shrink wrap on the inside
You can add a layer of clear plastic to the inside of the window. This seals off any air leaks and traps a layer of insulating air at the window. Being clear it still lets in light and lets you see out. It is easy. First sit down and read everything printed on the box. Remember, "if all else fails, read the directions." The directions are an easy read and the illustrations are very helpful.

The first step of the job is to put two-sided sticky tape all around the window frame. Next, hang an over sized sheet of the clear plastic on the sticky tape. Then the fun part, use a hair dryer to shrink it so it is tight and wrinkle free. Last step is to cut away the excess plastic film around the window frame to make a neat looking job. Do not use heat shrink film outdoors; it is made for indoor use only.

Bubble Wrap your window to save money
You can use bubble wrap in place of the expensive clear shrink-wrap. Bubble wrap lets light in, but you can't see through it clearly. When you use bubble wrap, those little bubbles act as additional insulation. The bubble wrap obscures sight through the window like frosted glass does. Bubble wrap is good for bathroom windows or other windows where you want more privacy.

You can tape it to your window frames, either indoors or out. Seal the edges of the bubble wrap with clear packaging tape before putting it up. You can either spray the window with water and attach the bubble wrap directly or use double-sided tape to hold it to the window frame. Leave the bottom two corners loose from the window frame to allow moisture to escape.

Space Blankets save money by reflecting heat where you want it
Space blankets are also called emergency blankets or survival blankets. They are an item that should be in your car first aid kit. Space blankets are made of tough highly reflective Mylar plastic. They are used to reflect 90% of a person's body heat back to them. They are available for about $1 each in a size of about 5 feet by 7 feet, just right for wrapping up one person or one window. Why use them on your windows? They make a good window covering because they will reflect 90% of your home heat back inside.

If you have a window, where seeing out or having light coming in is not an important factor, you can cover it with a space blanket. Bathroom or basement windows are possibilities for this window treatment. I use clear packing tape to hold the space blanket material to the outer edges of the window frame. If you want daylight and the view, you can stick the space blanket material to the inside surface of a window blind. Roll it up during the day and roll it down to reflect heat back inside at night.

If you are making your own window quilts, you can add a layer of space blanket material to make a super energy saver window covering.

Window Quilts/Window Treatments
Heavy full-length curtains help also. Heavy floor length drapes add insulation and stop the draft caused by cold air at the window sinking to the floor. Window quilts can be beautiful and helpful, too - or just cover windows in a room with blankets.

Video
Link to a short video that shows how to apply indoor shrink wrap.

November/December - expanding foam

Expanding foam sealant fills gaps and holes that are too large to pack with caulking. Expanding foam insulation is applied by spraying it on the desired surface. The foam then expands to fill small spaces in gaps that can cause air to be exchanged between the interior of a home and the outside environment. This prevents air convection from carrying heat between the interior and exterior of a home. In turn, this results in lowering the expense of heating and cooling a house. However, smaller heating and cooling bills is only the first advantage of using this technology.

Polyurethane foam cures to a rigid but porous texture and can be sculpted (with a bread knife) to a suitable shape. The foam sticks to almost anything including wood, aluminium, masonry, galvanized steel, plastic, rubber, drywall, glass and SKIN. You can use expanding foam at this time of year. Fill cracks and holes under sinks, in and around your foundation, chimneys and siding. Great things about expanding foam sealant:

• Foam acts as a form-fitting barrier to the elements, and has no nutritional value so it doesn't attract insects or rodents.
• Foam has cosmetic potential.
• Foam doesn't support the growth of mould or fungus in damp conditions.
• It doesn't smell badly as you're using it, or after it's cured.
• Many brands of foam are free of volatile organic compounds that pollute the environment.
• Foam efficiently seals air leaks that compromise the energy-efficiency of your home.
• Foam sets up quickly, fills large voids, deadens sound, is airtight and water resistant and conforms to any shape as it expands.
• Foam can (and should) be painted after it's fully cured to protect it from UV light, which causes discolouration and deterioration.

Foam comes in a couple of expansion varieties. If you haven't used expanding foam before, go with a low-expansion variety. High-expansion is handy in some places (really large areas that need to be filled) but can be harmful if you put too much around your door or windows - it can actually cause the bucks to bulge inward and stop the door or window from working properly. It is MESSY - so usually you don't want to use it in areas that will be seen. To take advantage of foam right now - walk around your house and look for all the places that pipes/vents etc. enter your home and fill the holes around these spaces with the foam. Home insulation is often thought of in terms of its ability to reduce heating and cooling costs. However, this same ability is only one of the many perks of expanding foam insulation.

The fact that air is inhibited from entering from the outside into the house also means that this remarkable substance is capable of improving the quality of air inside the house. Thus, expanding foam insulation can reduce the concentration of allergens, ash and pollutants within a building's interior. This may be an important consideration if one or more residents suffer from allergies or respiratory conditions.

Small gaps and holes within the walls of a home can act as a conduit for which sound may pass. Therefore, expanding foam insulation can prevent sound from traveling from room to room as well as preventing outside noises from entering the home. Additionally, many foams have a high STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating which means that they are very effective in absorbing acoustic energy.

December - Programmable Thermostats

Programmable thermostats save energy by permitting occupants to set temperatures according to whether the house is occupied. These thermostats can automatically store and repeat settings daily with allowance for manual override. By eliminating manual setback, which is easy to forget, they allow the setting of more comfortable temperatures in the morning before occupants wake. Temperature setback can be adjusted for both heating and cooling seasons. More Information...

More energy-saving tips
CCLEP is making a list of additional energy-saving tips to be posted here. Let CCLEP know if you have a good one to contribute.

To see the entire listing of the 12 simple ideas, you can visit the CCLEP Working Group web page.

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