Workshop Provides Tips to Save Energy and Money at Home

From unplugging your computer at night to not buying an energy-guzzling aquarium, a home energy consultant said that changing behavior is the most cost-effective method to save energy at home.

Kate Latham of Ennovationz was the featured speaker on Feb. 17 at a sustainable workshop at the Millbrae Library.

“It’s what you choose to buy and how long you choose to have them on,” said Latham.

Latham said her Mountain View-based company used to perform a lot of home energy audits when it started in 2008. But now Ennovationz offers web-based tools, such as compiling energy rebates available in your zip code and analyzing your energy bill after it's uploaded.

She gave examples of the annual energy cost for luxurious appliances that people have in their homes, like a wine closet air conditioner ($500-$1,000) and a towel warmer ($500). But commonplace home features also add up – like fountains ($200-$300 a year) and aquariums ($400 a year).

“Changing the behavior is most cost-effective, yet people are more resistant,” Latham said.

Recirculation pumps, which circulate water to keep it hot, are also energy hogs ($200-$500 a year), she said. 

“It saves you water,” Latham said. “On the other hand you are constantly using electricity and natural gas.”

She advised replacing light bulbs with compact fluorescent lights and pointed out that LED lights are even more efficient.

In addressing so-called “phantom” energy loads, like keeping your entertainment system plugged in, Latham recommended using a special power strip that allows people to turn off associated appliances all at once with a flick of a switch.

LCD TVs are superior in energy efficiency to plasma televisions, she said, adding that installing a water-saving shower head also consumes less energy.

Reider highlighted Energy Upgrade California, a statewide program that offers rebates and incentives for home improvements that meet requirements for energy savings. Rebates range from $1,000 for basic home sealing and insulating to $4,000 for upgrades like energy-efficient windows and solar or tankless water heaters.

Millbrae and all San Mateo County cities are participating in the program with a goal of reducing energy use by 20 percent in 1,000 homes by 2012, Reider said. 

“The more energy you save the more you get back in rebates,” she said.

The second strategy that Latham discussed was home improvement. 

Here are some areas she suggested to look for energy savings and possible remedies:

• The attached garage door often leaks cold air into the home and weather stripping can go a long way.
• Outlets on walls can leak air. Buy gaskets for them or use baby plugs.
• Holes made under your sink for plumbing fixtures leak air. Use caulking to seal them up.
• “Attic hatches breathe notoriously,” she said. Put insulation on back of attic hatch.
• “Recessed lights are often like having holes in the ceiling.” Make sure lights are airtight and safe for insulation.
• Attics sometimes aren’t completely insulated or under insulated. Make sure knee wall and skylight shaft are also insulated.

The biggest way to save electricity is to produce it yourself. Mounting photovoltaic panels on your roof or in your yard can supply enough electricity to power your house, according to Latham.

“The more renewable energy stuff you can do the better,” she said.