ENERGY (AND COST) SAVING TIPS
For
Next winter New York State is predicting a 35% increase in our fuel bills.
The low income and fixed imcome households will be hit the hardest.
Homeowners who use natural gas are to pay $1,024 this year, up 38%. Heating oil customers will pay $1,454 this year, up 28%.
The good news is that our heating bills, overall, can be reduced by up to 50% by applying the following energy conservation actions to our homes.
HERE'S HOW:
Note: The Human Services Department provides home repair personnel for senior citizens on a fixed income. Call 329-6939.
(A) INSULATION
1. "The most important energy saver,” proper insulation can prevent heat from escaping the home.
2. Well-insulated attics, outside walls, and floors over unheated basements or crawl spaces provide the greatest opportunity for increased fuel efficiency.
3. Hot water pipes should also be insulated. Foil-face fiberglass insulation or foam insulation sleeves are suggested. The first five feet of pipe or all that is accessible should be insulated in non-circulating systems. Most hardware stores have pipe insulation kits.
4. Areas in the house that can leak heat by as much as 20 - 30% are the joints, elbows, and connection of duct work. Ducts in unheated spaces such as attics and basements leak. A trip to the local hardware store for UL 181A and UL 181B listed tapes or mastic sealant used for HVAC duct sealing can reduce that seepage.
5. Caulking windows and doorframes will prevent air leaks and, again, caulking compounds can be found at most hardware or do-it-yourself stores. With heat loses from windows accounting for 10-25% increase in our fuel bills, adding a storm window or a sheet of window plastic to a standard window could also reduce heat loss.
6. Programmable thermostats provide for energy savings benefits, by engineering a system that allows homeowners to monitor and control their homes via the Internet and telephone.
The equipment installed features programmable thermostats which can be setback by time and day of week. But the most important energy efficiencies are realized by the convenience the system offers homeowners, particularly second homeowners.
Many homeowners leave their heating or cooling on during the day while at work, or during the week while in the city, in order to return to a comfortable home. The system allows homeowners to instruct their thermostats to come on just prior to their arrival, or at a set time. Lighting can be programmed and controlled to turn on and off at certain times, and even days of the week. Appliances such as water heaters can be turned on Friday"s at the office in the city before catching the train to
East Hampton. Homeowners can now return to well lit, safe and comfortable homes without an energy penalty.
A local insurance brokerage has negotiated a substantial homeowner premium discount in recognition of the superior loss prevention benefit of this system.
If you are interested in this efficient, cost saving system, contact John Thorsen @ 1-800-575-3479
To help stretch Long Island’s electricity supply and save you more dollars, we suggest the following:
Reduce non-essential electrical consumption, such as decorative outdoor lights or at least put lights on a timer.
Put air conditioners on timers; don’t leave them on when not at home:
Set AC units at 78 degrees
Clean and replace AC filters regularly for maximum efficiency
Use fans to circulate cool air, which will help AC use
Set refrigerator/freezer units at the most efficient temperatures
Install attic exhaust fans to reduce cooling needs
Purchase appliances, lighting fixtures and light bulbs with the highest energy efficiency (Energy Star).
LIPA has a wide range of energy conservation and efficiency programs and helpful tips that can help consumers reduce electric use and lower monthly bills. To find out more about these programs, you can log on to www.lipower.org or call LIPA’s EnergyInfoline, at 1-800-692-2626.
HOW TO BUILD AN ECOFRIENDLY HOUSE
Ecofriendly design, from appliance (energy-efficient, of course) to low-water, native plants save energy costs and water. Using ecofriendly materials, a new deck looks like rain-forest mahogany. It's actually Trex Brasilia, a composite made from recycled plastic shopping bags and scrap wood (trex.com). Kitchen and bathroom countertops are Ice Stone – a high-end terrazzo-like material fashioned from crushed, recycled glass and concrete (icestone.biz).
Dozens of factors contribute to savings, including an energy-efficient air-conditioning system, tighter ductwork, ceiling fans and compact fluorescent bulbs that use 18 watts apiece instead of 75 and even switching to an "on demand" water heater (rinnai.us), on the theory that it's wasteful to heat an entire tank of water 24 hours a day.
Not only is a "green" house easier on the environment, but it should also be healthier to live in. The "low VOC" interior paints are low in organic solvents, and the cabinetry and insulation have little or no formaldehyde.
Ready to try it yourself? The National Association of Home Builders maintains a list of residential green building programs (nahbrc.org). See the environmental section for news on the latest in green building materials, new carbon reduction strategies and tips on what you can do to help at (xtra.Newsweek.com).
A winner for greens: This year and next, you can cut your taxes and your energy bills at the same time. Install something - almost anything - that saves oil, gas or electricity in your home and you'll chop some dollars directly off your tax bill. Credits range from 30 percent of the cost of solar panels or fuel cells ($2000 maximum credit for each) to 10 percent on insulation (max: $500). For what qualifies, see energytaxincentives.org. States offer incentives, too.
Retired teacher Dale Prouty, 59, and his wife, Joan, 50, of Hudson Falls, N.Y., hit the jackpot this year. Not only did they install solar panels for heat and hot water, but they're using the sun to generate their own electricity. That adds up to tax credits worth $4,000 from the Feds and $3,750 from the state, plus a $16,000 state grant to help offset the cost. Joan expects to earn back their investment in five to eight years, and sooner if energy prices rise. Planner Bruce Sneed, 45 of Woodbridge, VA., spent Thanksgiving insulating his attic. He'll earn back his costs in three months, he says.
Solar Power for Homes in East Hampton.
Federal, state, and county governments have acted to promote the environmentally friendly solar panels through their own incentives. Mr. Raacke pointed to a federal residential tax credit of up to $2,000 for residences, and 30 percent on the cost of the systems for businesses –with no cap – which went into effect January 1 and will be in effect through the end of 2008. The state has also acted to increase its maximum tax credit from $3,750 to $5,000. Suffolk County, meanwhile, has waived its sales tax on the purchase of the equipment.
LIPA has been issuing rebates to homeowners installing solar panels since 2003, when it reimbursed customers for their systems at $3.75 per watt.
LIPA will reimburse the dealer so that the savings are passed on before the customer has to pay for the system.
These incentives significantly reduce the cost of installing a system. Renewable Energy's website has a calculator that will estimate the cost of the system for a homeowner based on the monthly household electric bill or annual use.
A 5-kilowatt system, which is about average for this area, will cost about $37,000 installed, but after all of the incentives actually will cost $13,000 without the town rebate included. Electricity costs will be over that time period would save the homeowner close to $32,000.
John Tortorella, the owner of Sunstream USA, a solar panel dealer and installation company in Southampton, recently confirmed that business has increased substantially since he started the company two years ago.
For more information, visit the Renewable Energy Long Island website at www.renewableenergylongisland.org.
[Departments] [Directory] [Forms] [Comprehensive Plan] [Town Code] [Links]
Web site designed by The Hamptons Web,
a subsidiary of Sagal Computer Systems.
Web site counter by Web counter.
(c) Copyright 2004 Town of East Hampton, All Rights Reserved