I’ve been getting these Home Energy Reports from Duke Energy – I’m sure you have, too.
And have been amazed at what good grades I’m getting, especially since I never really give up anything, or work hard at it, I just do what feels right to me.? The July 2012 report, for instance, said I paid $56 for my home, when the expectation for an efficient home of the same size, age and with non-electric heating is $112.? So mine was half that.? Wow.
I have a whole house exhaust fan that I love – but sure wasn’t able to use it in June or July.? I have a big window AC in the living room which works great.? I close off the kitchen with a beautiful afghan hung in the doorway, and if the kitchen gets hot or humid, there’s a small exhaust fan in there. This summer, with the intense heat, I also put a white sheet across the big living room window during the morning and early afternoon when the sun shines in, so the heat would be reflected away from the house.
I actually have the furnace pilot light turned off from April til somewhere in October – costs money and isn’t needed.? Almost the same with the hot water heater.? I keep it set on ‘vacation’ most of the time during the summer, and when I’m going to do the dishes or take a shower, I turn it up.? It also keeps the downstairs much cooler.
The back of the house stays cooler in general, because it doesn’t get much sun, since I live in the woods.? When I need to cool my office even further, I have a large fan that I set up to push cool air from the living room into the office.? But since I work in there mostly in the early morning, I don’t do that much.
It seem pretty simple and mindless to me, so it doesn’t feel like work and isn’t anxiety producing.? and it sure is great to pay those much smaller Duke bills.? 😕 >