Energy Savers

Stay Above Water with an Efficient Swimming Pool

All eyes were on the pool recently for swimming's 2009 World Championships in Rome. As a former competitive swimmer (though I was a dog-paddler compared to the likes of Michael Phelps and Ariana Kukors), these events hold a special place in my heart, and I managed to catch a few exciting moments in the competition.

I'm no longer involved in the world of swimming, but I can only imagine that interest in the sport has skyrocketed since last year's thrilling Olympics in Beijing. Maybe you or your children were inspired to get serious about swimming; maybe you've even decided to install a pool at your home.

Ener-Gee Whiz Answers Your Questions: Thermostat Settings and Solar Water Heaters

Ener-Gee Whiz would like to offer a hearty thanks to all of you who've written in for your great efficiency and renewables related questions. Now, on to some answers!

10 Resources to Help You Save Energy Now

A lot of the feedback that I see about the Energy Savers.gov site says, "This is great, but way too detailed. I just want to know what's easy and what I can do now!" And that makes sense; EnergySavers.gov has a lot of information about a lot of topics—you can learn about buying efficient appliances, choosing new heating and cooling systems, selecting windows, and even how to use renewable energy.

But not everyone wants to make a big purchase right now; many of you want to know how you can save with what you have or with just a small investment in time and money. These 10 resources detail easy ways that you can start saving now:

Question of the Week: How Do You Reduce Your Water Heating Costs?

Water heating can account for a significant portion of your energy costs. Purchasing a new ENERGY STAR® water heater is just one way to save on your water heating bills. The Energy Savers Tips site lists other strategies you can use to cut your water heating costs.

How do you reduce your water heating costs?

Each Thursday, you have the chance to share your thoughts on a topic related to energy efficiency or renewable energy for consumers. Please comment with your answers, and also feel free to respond to other comments.

The Newest Addition to the ENERGY STAR Lineup: Water Heaters

If you've gone shopping for new appliances sometime in the last decade, then you're probably familiar with the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that sets higher-than-average standards for household appliances, electronics, and commercial products. Products that meet these rigorous energy requirements can be designated as ENERGY STAR products.

For the average consumer, it basically means that ENERGY STAR products are more energy efficient than their standard counterparts, and therefore will cost less to power. You can find the whole range of ENERGY STAR products available on their Web site. And while you're there, you can read all about their newest addition: ENERGY STAR-qualified water heaters.

Don't Let Your Money and Hot Water Go Down the Drain

Do you look at your retirement savings statements and feel like you're sending your money down the drain? Do you deposit more money each paycheck into your retirement account, but find the balance goes down, not up?

Pssst, want to invest in a "sure thing?" No, this isn't a scam. It's a device that has no moving parts to break down, but is certain to save you energy, and thus save you money by lowering your utility bills. When we all take showers and baths, wash the dishes or clothes, and wash our hands, we send heated water literally down the drain. That typically represents 80%–90% of the energy used to heat water in a home. Drain-water (or greywater) heat recovery systems capture some of this energy to preheat cold water entering the water heater or going to other water fixtures.

Energy Tax Credits: Stay Warm and Save MORE Money!

With all of the news this month about the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, you may have heard about the energy tax incentives that were included for both consumers and for business, utilities, and governments.

If you are already preparing for winter and working to make your home more efficient, this is good news. The federal tax credits can help you save energy, stay warm, and save money this winter and beyond. Combined with other sources of financial help that we've already discussed on this blog, you may be able to save significantly on your improvements.

EERE's Energy Calculators

Do you have a few minutes? Feel like seeing how energy efficient your home is? Go grab a bunch of your old utility bills and sit down with EERE's Energy Calculators & Software for Homes. There's a lot to search through, but some of these calculators are pretty fun to play around with.

This page has calculators for just about everything a homeowner would be interested in. There are tools here for home-wide energy efficiency, insulation, appliances, and water usage. There are also whole sections on renewable energy systems, space heating and cooling, and water heating. If you want to know how much you're spending on something and how much you should be spending, you can pull out a lot of useful information from these.

There are also a few calculators for vehicles that let you see how much money you'd save with a more fuel-efficient vehicle. I particularly like the one that compares your car's performance with a hybrid vehicle. Which is fun, if not a bit tragic, because there is something horrifying about seeing how my poor little one-year-old car will use $3,000 more in gasoline during its lifetime than its hybrid equivalent. Oh! And it'll also spew 400 more pounds of "Carbon Monoxide (Poisonous Gas)" into the air. Isn't that charming!

In any case, the EERE Calculators are a fun project for a rainy (or, considering the season, snowy) day. Some of the calculators are more technical than others, so don't be afraid to hunt around. And unless you're an energy professional or a home builder, you can probably steer clear of the software.

Elizabeth Spencer is a communicator at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which assists EERE in providing technical content for many of its Web sites.