Well some clarification for you Henene4:
1. I RENT not OWN a townhouse/condo. Thus I am at the mercy of the HVAC equipment that was installed when this was built in the late 80's.
2. I have NO say so at all regarding the HVAC performance. In other words, if it works, have a nice day. What I did do several years ago was replace the round Honeywell t-stat with a LUX programmable.
3. Similarly, I cannot change the insulation, windows or the upper and lower sliding doors which leak like a sieve.
4. My HVAC system is old school natural gas with a 220v central air unit. They are full on or full off. Neither is a Hi-eff unit.
5. Most homes in the US are forced air. As you know hot air rises. Well if I keep the tstat at 70 sure the downstairs is warm but the upstairs where I sleep is hot.
6. Believe it or not, it does take several days, sometimes weeks for me to become acclimated to cooler temps. This cold shot came rather quickly. Just last week I ran the A/C for 2 nights!
You would have been wise to ask what, if any, measures I have taken to reduce energy costs. But you didn't so I will attempt to illuminate your knowledge a bit.
1. See #2 above
2. Used felt weatherstripping all around the patio doors and the front doors to seal off air leaks.
3. Did the same thing to my door leading to my garage.
4. Wrapped my water heater with an insulating blanket.
5. Turned water heater from 145 down to 130. I tolerate less hot showers and less of a "hot" wash in the SQ
6. Switched all interior lights to CFL. It is true, they do last MUCH longer than traditional Edison style bulbs. And when they are warmed up, put out the same soft yellowish light.
7. Invested in a mattress warmer so I can have the furnace down to 65 at night and not awake with stiff muscles.
8. In the summer I go around in shorts and sometimes no shirt. That means I can use a 65w Hi velocity fan rather than the A/C to say cool.
9. Have taken to manually cleaning my Caloric oven with soap and water rather than run the 3 hour clean cycle which gobbles up electricity (although it does clean well)
10. Wear long sleeve sweatshirt and sweatpants in the winter with socks.
11. Run the SQ only when I have a completely full load. Believe it or not, especially in the winter, I dry about half my articles in the free air, not the dryer.
12. Ran pipe insulation as far as I can on the exposed hot water pipes in the basement to their termination points.
13. On sunny winter days, which are rare around here, I open all the blinds to take advantage of the suns rays.
Over and above that, I also combine auto trips. I HAVE to drive 5 days a week to work but on day 6, I can work at home. Obviously this saves fuel.
I also run my tyres at higher pressure than Toyota recommends. While it makes for a slightly harsher ride (not that a Corolla rides like a Lexus anyway), it cuts down rolling resistance and as a result, I get better MPG.
I also change the air filter 2x a year. Yes, air filters can trap dirt that you cannot see with the naked eye, reducing airflow into your engine. This results in a more consistent performance and better MPG.
As I stated many times, I don't care one whit IF an appliance maker comes up with a better idea AND the marketplace (consumer) endorses it. That is called competition and when it is allowed to work in a free market economy, it can do wonders for product improvements.
What I do have a problem with is government arbitrarily dictating these so called energy standards without ANY input whatsoever and doing it all under the guise of a major worldwide climate crisis, which in reality does not exist.
I've read far too many complaints on more message boards, forums than you can imagine. I personally looked at these machines when I knew I had to replace the GE. Yes, believe it or not I did do some research. What I found out was CR loves them because they happen to fit CR's agenda. I also found out they do not clean well, require additional cleanings and simply don't last as long as older machines. That is my biggest gripe; these things cost more money but fail to deliver longevity or performance. And I ask myself, why? Oh yes, I forgot, the all knowing government regulations kicked in and they had no choice. Well you'll never see my jump on that bandwagon. Never.
In other words, these DOE regulations are in response to a problem that was blown way out of proportion and talked up by the gutless media as the next "crisis" that simply must be dealt with no matter what.
I suppose it all comes down to one's perception of what government can and should do. Some of us here stateside, myself included, bristle at more control, more regulation, more intrusion in our private lives. Others accept these things and just go along. As you have probably figured out, I don't. Whether you agree or not, that is your choice my friend.
But I hope I have dispelled myths and/or stereotyping that I burn, churn, and use any and all resources to my hearts content, costs be dammned.
1. I RENT not OWN a townhouse/condo. Thus I am at the mercy of the HVAC equipment that was installed when this was built in the late 80's.
2. I have NO say so at all regarding the HVAC performance. In other words, if it works, have a nice day. What I did do several years ago was replace the round Honeywell t-stat with a LUX programmable.
3. Similarly, I cannot change the insulation, windows or the upper and lower sliding doors which leak like a sieve.
4. My HVAC system is old school natural gas with a 220v central air unit. They are full on or full off. Neither is a Hi-eff unit.
5. Most homes in the US are forced air. As you know hot air rises. Well if I keep the tstat at 70 sure the downstairs is warm but the upstairs where I sleep is hot.
6. Believe it or not, it does take several days, sometimes weeks for me to become acclimated to cooler temps. This cold shot came rather quickly. Just last week I ran the A/C for 2 nights!
You would have been wise to ask what, if any, measures I have taken to reduce energy costs. But you didn't so I will attempt to illuminate your knowledge a bit.
1. See #2 above
2. Used felt weatherstripping all around the patio doors and the front doors to seal off air leaks.
3. Did the same thing to my door leading to my garage.
4. Wrapped my water heater with an insulating blanket.
5. Turned water heater from 145 down to 130. I tolerate less hot showers and less of a "hot" wash in the SQ
6. Switched all interior lights to CFL. It is true, they do last MUCH longer than traditional Edison style bulbs. And when they are warmed up, put out the same soft yellowish light.
7. Invested in a mattress warmer so I can have the furnace down to 65 at night and not awake with stiff muscles.
8. In the summer I go around in shorts and sometimes no shirt. That means I can use a 65w Hi velocity fan rather than the A/C to say cool.
9. Have taken to manually cleaning my Caloric oven with soap and water rather than run the 3 hour clean cycle which gobbles up electricity (although it does clean well)
10. Wear long sleeve sweatshirt and sweatpants in the winter with socks.
11. Run the SQ only when I have a completely full load. Believe it or not, especially in the winter, I dry about half my articles in the free air, not the dryer.
12. Ran pipe insulation as far as I can on the exposed hot water pipes in the basement to their termination points.
13. On sunny winter days, which are rare around here, I open all the blinds to take advantage of the suns rays.
Over and above that, I also combine auto trips. I HAVE to drive 5 days a week to work but on day 6, I can work at home. Obviously this saves fuel.
I also run my tyres at higher pressure than Toyota recommends. While it makes for a slightly harsher ride (not that a Corolla rides like a Lexus anyway), it cuts down rolling resistance and as a result, I get better MPG.
I also change the air filter 2x a year. Yes, air filters can trap dirt that you cannot see with the naked eye, reducing airflow into your engine. This results in a more consistent performance and better MPG.
As I stated many times, I don't care one whit IF an appliance maker comes up with a better idea AND the marketplace (consumer) endorses it. That is called competition and when it is allowed to work in a free market economy, it can do wonders for product improvements.
What I do have a problem with is government arbitrarily dictating these so called energy standards without ANY input whatsoever and doing it all under the guise of a major worldwide climate crisis, which in reality does not exist.
I've read far too many complaints on more message boards, forums than you can imagine. I personally looked at these machines when I knew I had to replace the GE. Yes, believe it or not I did do some research. What I found out was CR loves them because they happen to fit CR's agenda. I also found out they do not clean well, require additional cleanings and simply don't last as long as older machines. That is my biggest gripe; these things cost more money but fail to deliver longevity or performance. And I ask myself, why? Oh yes, I forgot, the all knowing government regulations kicked in and they had no choice. Well you'll never see my jump on that bandwagon. Never.
In other words, these DOE regulations are in response to a problem that was blown way out of proportion and talked up by the gutless media as the next "crisis" that simply must be dealt with no matter what.
I suppose it all comes down to one's perception of what government can and should do. Some of us here stateside, myself included, bristle at more control, more regulation, more intrusion in our private lives. Others accept these things and just go along. As you have probably figured out, I don't. Whether you agree or not, that is your choice my friend.
But I hope I have dispelled myths and/or stereotyping that I burn, churn, and use any and all resources to my hearts content, costs be dammned.
