Windows: Strategically raising and lowering windows is an age-old way to reduce heat buildup in your house and significantly reduce your need for air conditioners except on the hottest days. Opening windows at night will pull in cool air; opening sash windows top and bottom and cross-ventilating will circulate the air; and closing windows early in […]
One advantage of summertime is the abundance of solar energy that can be harnessed to dry laundry. In fact, a clothesline is an efficient and cost-free way to reduce your electricity bill. In 2021, the average cost to Iowans of a kWh of electricity was 12.21 cents ( U.S. Energy Information Administration). According to the EPA a typical
As we think about summer home energy use, one appliance working hard in the basement is the dehumidifier. Muggy weather, rainstorms, and lack of air conditioning combine to create damp conditions and that tell-tale musty odor. However, not all homes require the same capacity unit. The Energy Star program provides a useful table to help you determine
Used prudently, portable space heaters can serve as backup in cold rooms or to take the chill off before you start heating the whole house. They can be energy hogs, so it’s important to use the right size heater for a room, calculated at 10 watts per square foot (a 10 x 15 room would
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Air sealing and insulation are the first and most important investments many people should make in their home’s energy system. Insulation prevents heat from escaping in the winter and entering in the summer and can lower heating and air conditioning bills by 15% or more. Although walls, floors, and ceilings all require adequate insulation, a quick way
Most homes feature a single thermostat, designed to heat the whole house more or less evenly. This means many households heat unoccupied rooms for hours, days, or months at a time, increasing both carbon emissions and utility bills. This can be reduced by maintaining lower temperatures in unused areas, known as “zoned heating.” The least expensive zoning
Turning down the furnace is the fastest, easiest, and cheapest way to cut your winter utility bill. The US Department of Energy recommends keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees in the wintertime, and lowering it by 7-10 degrees at night or when you’re out of the house. This trims energy costs 10% or more. You can, of
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As summer temperatures soar, we all appreciate shade trees. A healthy tree canopy of diverse species cools surface and air temperatures, removes air pollutants, provides wildlife habitat, and absorbs stormwater runoff, all while being visually appealing and raising property values. Trees are, in fact, essential to a livable community. Many urban dwellers live in heat
As Iowa’s dog days approach, are you wondering whether your cooling equipment is up for the challenge? When fans and ventilation can’t keep up with the heat and humidity, what do you do? Have you given any thought to the new heat pumps and mini-splits that are now attracting lots of attention in Iowa? Might
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Increased precipitation, in the form of heavier downpours, is a commonly-seen impact of the warming climate. When heavy rain falls on streets, roofs, and other impervious surfaces or compacted soils, it can quickly overload drainage systems, resulting in flooding and all the related risks to lives, property, and natural ecosystems. Homeowners can help by reducing the
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