Links & Resources
General Informational Sites:
Maine Assistance Programs:
Local Contractors and business
Facts & Tips
Interesting Facts:
- If you see a cob web you see a draft in that general area.
- Lowering your thermostat by as little as 1°F can typically save up to 25-30 gallons of heating oil per year.
- Programmable thermostats are recommended for individuals and families who are way from home during set periods of time. These thermostats will allow you to use less energy without sacrificing comfort. With proper use of an Energy Star qualified thermostat, you can save up to $150/year in energy costs!
- Qualified Energy Star light bulbs use about 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer!
- Energy efficient appliances can use up to 25% less energy than nonqualified models.
- Energy Star qualified windows and doors protect from the winter cold and summer sun while reducing condensation and interior fading.
- If you add up all the hidden air leaks in your home they can easily equal the size of an open window!
Useful Tips:
- Open south-facing curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home.
- Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows.
- For wood or pellet burning heaters make sure you clean the flue vent regularly and clean the inside of the stove with a wire brush periodically.
- Turn down your water temperature to 120°. You'll save money and avoid scalding your hands!
- Install computerized 7-day programable thermostats and save up to 5%.
- Keep furniture, curtains, and other objects 6” from hot water baseboards.
- Keep the fins on baseboards vacuumed regularly.
- Have your boiler or furnace effectively cleaned annually by a competent licensed boiler technician.
Geek Section
It’s all about Temperature difference and how much the wind blows.
Delta T
Heating Degree days Explained
Formula: HDD = 65° F – ((High temp of the day + Low temp of the day) / 2)
Annual heating degree days are determined by summing all of the degree days accrued over the heating season.
When I was taught about energy auditing we wanted a standard.
· Cars have miles per gallon stickers
· With electric you have KWH use
When you consider a building and how much energy it uses over a year
· How much fuel is being used over what time period
· How large an area is being heated
· What is the temperature difference
BTU/Square foot/Heating Degree Day
The Second Law of thermodynamics
· High goes to low
· Wet goes to dry
· Hot goes to cold
All these take is time…………Everything in nature will equalize according to those laws of nature.
Heat loss in your home is made up of a couple of things
Surface heat loss explained
Example.
· 10 ‘ x 10’ wall = 100 sq’
· 70° F inside and its 30 ° F outside = 40 ° F ΔT
· It’s a normal winter at 7200 HDD that is our time.
· R-11 Walls insulation
Q= (100 sq’ x40 ° x1 hr) / 11 = 363 BTU’s /hour lost through the wall
Now lets look at the year Q= (100 sq’ x 7200HDD x 24) / 11= 1,570,909 or about 11 gallons of #2 fuel oil per year
Air Transported heat loss explained
The specific heat of air is the number of btu’s needed to raise one cubic foot of air one degree Fahrenheit. .0182 is the specific heat of air
Air changes per how is the number of times the volume of air changes each hour
· 30 ‘ x 30’ Ranch house = 900 sq’ x8 (Ceiling hight) =7200 cubic feet
· Lets say our air changes per hour is 1.25 ACH Naturally. Our blower door number would have been 2775
· 65° F inside and its -5 ° F outside = 60 ° F ΔT
ACHn= Blower door number *60 / (Volume* LBL)
1.25 = 2775BD x 60 / (7200*18.5)=133200
How much does it cost to loose that air?
Q= 7200 cu’ x 1.25 ACH x (0.0182 BTU’s / cu , °F) x 60°F= 11,466 BTU’s Hour
Or 1.9 gallons of oil per day
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