What does “saving energy” really mean? We all get hit with tons of different energy conservation messages from all over the place, but that gets confusing really fast. Saving energy means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. We’re going to give you the facts to help you define what it means to you.
So what’s the best way for you and me to save energy and money? Over the next few weeks, we’ll be helping you understand the impact of how making some simple changes can put some extra cash in your wallet and we’ll help you figure out what you need to make your home more energy efficient.
We’ll also help you create a solid plan that works for YOU and YOUR home, not someone else’s and we’ll be sharing information about saving on your budget too with New Lower Prices plus a huge selection of EnergyStar and WaterSense products to help you get it done right.
October is Energy Savings month here at Home Depot which means that now, the whole month of October and throughout the fall we will be sharing even more great ideas, plans and new ways to save energy the right way. Of course along the way we will find ways to save you money on the front-end and long-term too.
To get you started, check out this PDF that shows you how you make some really simple and affordable changes that can save you about $745 this year!
Here are some great articles and helpful hints on making your home more energy efficient and affordable to run:
- Quick Facts about LED Light Bulbs
- Blue Light, Yellow Light, Clear Light…GO!
- 5 Great Reasons To Bring Home ENERGY STAR® Rated Products
- Conserve: Evaluate Your Home’s Energy Efficiency for Free and Start Saving
- Save Money and Maximize Your Home’s Energy Efficiency: Heating and Cooling Q&A’s
- Prepare and Maintain: Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
- Prepare and Maintain: More Fall Home Maintenance Tips
- Fall Water Conservation: Rain Barrels Can Help Your Autumn Gardens Grow
- Fall…The Best Time for Planting Trees and Shrubs
- Sustainable Gardening: Composting Made Easy
- Help for Finding the Right Air Conditioner for Your Home
- Cool It Down: Tips For Cooling (and Heating) Your Home Efficiently
- Advice for Upgrading Your Appliances
Download the Fall 2010 Home Depot Green Guide for even more great energy saving ideas and cash savings.
Tip:
Be sure to bookmark this post as your guide for all of the energy and money saving information we’ll be sharing!
I agree with every thing already said about LED as a light source. The only loser is your electric bill! One thing I have seen all most NOBODY want to talk about is an idea that LED as a light source has no problem with. That is HEAT, or sometimes called “contribution factor”. Many people have never really thought much about how much heat their various sources of light produce!
An incandescent bulb is roughly 95% heat and 5 & light. I tested a 40 40 incandescent , CFL, 2nd generation halogen , and a CFL for a clinic I did several months ago at the Depot store where I work. The idea was that the electric meter spins how much is also being spent to get rid of unintended heat, and for how long after the dimmer ( or switch ) is shut off does heat remain in an area . !0 minutes run time had the incandescent @ over 375 degrees, the CFL @ over 350 degrees, the 2nd gen halogen @ over 300 degrees, & the LED, @ 99 degrees. Think about that the LED produced no more heat than a human being , ( or family pet) breathing in the area! That is HUGE.
This past summer I had a mom come in to the Depot where I work and take all the R30 60 LEDs on the shelf. She just got here over $200.00 electric bill, & saw she could not afford to run the A/C @ 60 degrees to keep the kitchen & dining room cool all summer w/ kids home from school!!
Another retiree came in and told me how taking 18 incandescent BR30 lamps out of his basement during the summer left his basement cold in the winter, when he watched his grand kids while mom worked a part time job. Grand pa and Grand ma told me it took a 1500 watt heater to beging to keep up to the heat lost from changing to 14 watt Ecosmart LED units. I saw him a couple days ago, he says even with the grand kids running around on the first floor above them all 18 are still on over a year later! They both agreed none of the non-LED bulbs could equal that useage for them. They both agree that in less than 2 years they will be paid for and the savings will all be in their pockets!
Those kinds of feedback from customers are what is almost never mentioned, they are where the really big savings are!
I could start to talk about how dimmers have the chance to positively make an LED the last light source purchased for any one over 30. I will let that concept go for another time, and another time
Light sources are not created equal!
The dimmers on the shelves @ Home Depot are not created equal either!
Not too many light sources can match an LED for easily starting to 0 degrees farenheit.
Almost NO other light sources besides and LED come with a 3 YEAR limited warranty! Home Depot has at least 4!
Almost no place has a light source that starts @ 0 and has a 5 year limited warranty! Home Depot does!
All most nobody has an LED that will work as a recessed light replacement that is 75 watt rated. And will also work on a 2″ deep 4″ square junction box, and works with a dimmer! Home Depot has all that on their shelves, and more!
Not many places if any have an LED that that can go into a 6″ recessed “can” over a shower , so that it becomes, ” the light in the shower”. And it is a 65 watt rated source. Not the 40 watt bulb behind the lens , which is the most common other option! A real : ” pay me now or pay me later , and get more light as you save, dollar saving value”, and yep, its there on the shelves at Home Depot.
Know any one who wants more light from the “cans” in their soffits, but wants to keep a good seal from the elements, in either white or nickle? Home Depot has that solution there too, ask an associate
Got questions on how you can save money, climb ladders less, to change bulbs , to keep the lights on !
Ask a Home Depot associate for more information,
Ralph Buschman E-MTS Darien, Illinois Home Depot
In the past,I did the Energy Study at an Institution in Danville Pa.,under the Electrical Engineer,for Pa Univercity and I imediatly, changed most of my Lighting to 20 and 40 watt flourescant fixtures,at quite a cost, at that time. But over the years,I have saved many dollars, and as soon as the compac (cfl’s) came out I imediatly purchased several to try, But the first cfl’s were chesply made and did not last long, now they are built better and do last longer , saving very much.
I want to take a moment and express my appreciation to an employee at store 580 in San Antonio, TX. Her name is Sheila Hardin and she truly is the example of customer service. Sheila went out of her way to go into great detail of making my Daughters room explosive so when she gets back from summer vacation. I just asked her where I can find the wallpaper and she stated we dont carry a large variety but I can go online. If that is all Sheila said would have been fine but instead she said what are you looking to do. I explained that I have a 12 year old daughter and wanted to do something special for her return from vacation. Sheila stopped what she was doing and went through many of ideas that will please my daughter. She even drew diagrams and gave me her contact info if I have any more questions. Sheila will probably not remember me because I am sure that her Enthusiasm is presented with every customer she deals with. She truly is the employee that every company would beg to be a part of their family team. Home Depot thank you again. You have a customer for life.
Thank you,
Derek Young
pls. let m know about energy savings. tks.
Hi Tony! There are many ways to incorporate alternative energy solutions into your home to save energy and money. Check us out here for tons of information on the subject.
WOW ! This is great Darren!
I really like the PDF.
So far I have.
1. Replaced my bulbs with the CF bulbs (they last a long time so they are perfect for those hard to reach places).
2 . Insulated around all of my doors
3. I change my filter every 3 months. i keep extras on hand so that I don’t forget
My next projects are-
1. Getting a more energy efficient or perhaps a tankless water heater
2. Replacing my 30 year old toilets with a water saving model
3. Replacing my windows with more energy efficient ones.
Wow back at you James! Great work on getting through your energy saving checklist. That’s a really smart tip to have extra air-filters on hand. I always go longer than I should between changes because while I remember that I have to change them, I usually have to make a trip to the store. Thanks for sharing and good luck on the rest of your list. Let us know when you start to see the savings!