To help you understand the differences between the dozens of home wind energy systems you’ll be comparing, here are the essential concepts and terms you need to understand.

Horizontal vs. Vertical

Horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs) resemble a child’s pinwheel toy, or the water-pumping windmills seen in the open pastures of the plains. Driven by blades that look like an airplane propeller, the rotating axis is horizontal.

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine

Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) resemble an anemometer – the instrument with cups attached to spokes that spins and measures wind speed. Spinning in the same direction as a child’s top, the rotating axis is vertical.

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

The difference between the two is more than just a matter of appearance. Both designs have been around since the 1920s and many variations of each have been thoroughly tested over the past 80 years. For the most part, the HAWTs are far more efficient at converting wind energy into electricity than VAWTs.

The greatest attraction to VAWTs seems to be the visual appeal of various novel designs compared to the old-fashioned propeller blades on HAWTs.  But because of lower efficiency, a VAWT typically generates less electricity than a HAWT of comparable cost, and is therefore a poorer investment. Recent advances in engineering and manufacturing, however, are helping to reduce cost and improve efficiency of some VAWT designs, making them more competitive.

Many companies marketing VAWT designs claim they are more durable because they don’t have to spin around to face the wind, and they cause fewer bird deaths, but these claims have not been substantiated. Some may also claim quieter operation than HAWTs, but that’s not true across the board. That comparison is only meaningful on a model-by-model basis.

The Effect of Average Wind Speed

Obviously, wind turbines require wind to work. The biggest problem wind-energy shoppers encounter is over-estimating their local average wind speed.  This is critical because a wind turbine’s electrical output is related to the cube of the wind speed.  Refer to the following chart for examples.

Wind Speed  Units of Power

5 mph             5 x 5 x 5 =     125

10 mph          10×10x10 =  1000

15 mph          15×15x15 =  3375

Referring to the chart, if you’re guessing your actual local average wind speed is 10 miles per hour, and it’s actually only 5 miles per hour, you think that means your power output is cut by 50%. Actually, that miscalculation cuts your power output by 87.5%.  Where you might have seen a return on investment at 10 mph, you could possibly see a negative return at 5 mph.

Although you could have a wind study performed, it’s typically expensive and requires monitoring throughout a full year to develop the seasonal wind profile. As an alternative, you may be able to locate wind maps for your area through resources such as the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or the Dept. of Energy’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy website. You might also find local wind maps by typing “(your location) wind resource map” into your favorite Internet search engine.

Roof Mount vs. Tower Mount

Now that you know how important wind speed is to your return on investment, consider this. At any average wind speed, the wind energy at 150 feet above the ground is twice as powerful as the wind energy 30 feet above the ground.  Slower wind nearer the surface is due to friction with the earth and turbulence created by trees and buildings.

This is important to keep in mind because many wind resource maps display wind data at 50 meters (164 feet) altitude. If you intend to mount your wind turbine on your roof, you can expect to receive half the energy output compared to mounting the turbine on a much taller tower.

Though mounting a wind turbine on your roof or a low tower sounds easier than raising it up on a very high tower, it can lead to a negative return on investment unless you live where there is a stiff and steady breeze at roof-top level.

Battery vs. Batteryless

Batteryless designs are wired directly into your home’s electrical system. In wind energy systems with batteries, the turbine is first connected to the batteries, then the batteries are connected through a DC-to-AC inverter to your electrical system.

The advantage of a battery system is if your local grid loses power, you can keep powering your home for a while using the backup batteries. The disadvantage of the battery system is the extra cost, and the extra electricity that is consumed in the battery and inverter system. The higher price tag and lower net output reduce your return on investment.

Energy Output Rating

Perhaps the most important wind turbine specification you want to compare is the kilowatt-hour output. Most homes use between 500 and 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month. Wind turbine specifications include the kilowatt-hour output per month at a given wind speed, but manufacturers use different wind speeds making comparison difficult.

Remember that you can’t do straight comparisons at different wind speeds because the power output differs by the cube of the speed, plus other factors unique to the turbine affect power output at different velocities. If you’re serious about comparing a few selected models, ask the manufacturer for specs showing power output for a range of wind speeds.

Rotor Diameter and Swept Area

You may see specifications for rotor diameter and “swept area.” The swept area is just the square footage of the circle “swept” by the blades, and is calculated using the rotor diameter.  These measurements affect the turbine energy output, but there’s no real point in comparing these specs. What you really want to compare are the energy output ratings.

Peak Power Output

Peak power output is the maximum power rating in kilowatts (kW). Although every manufacturer features this specification in their literature, it is a relatively meaningless point of comparison. The wind turbine’s value is in its sustained energy output, not its peak capacity.

Related Articles

• Wind Energy
• Solar Energy
• Building a Green, Energy Efficient Home

Fill Up Before You’re Empty

When the needle hits E, you lose the luxury of filling up at your favorite economy station. You could end up paying 5% to 10% more if you’re stuck on the expensive side of town. Find the stations with the best prices on your normal driving routes, and keep your tank at least one-quarter full at all times. If you’re forced to pay robber-baron prices, only put enough in the tank to get you to a cheaper station.

Enjoy the Drive

Accelerating rapidly takes much more fuel than accelerating slowly. If you have to hit the brakes shortly thereafter, it’s like you’ve poured gas out on the pavement. Slower acceleration combined with earlier braking and coasting to stops can save 5% on fuel costs in town, and 25% or more on the highway.

Keep up on Maintenance

Dirty air filters, faulty emission-control equipment, and other delayed maintenance can add as much as 40% to your gas costs. If you calculate your gas mileage every tank, you’ll know when the mileage is going down and it’s time to see the mechanic.

To keep track of your gas mileage:

• Always fill your tank every time you buy gas.
• Reset your trip meter to zero after you fill up.
• When you fill up again, note your trip mileage and the number of gallons needed to fill your tank.
• Use the calculator function on your cell phone to divide the miles by the gallons.
• If the miles per gallon begins decreasing over several tanks, have your mechanic check your car.

Watch the Speed Limit

Every vehicle has an optimum speed for fuel efficiency. For most vehicles, it’s around 60 mph. Every 5 mph over the optimum speed is like paying $0.15 more per gallon.

Combine Trips

Running several errands in one trip not only saves miles, it saves miles per gallon. Shorter trips from a cold start use twice the gas as one trip with the engine warm, even if the mileage is the same.

Check your Tire Pressure

Under-inflated tires can cost you as much as $0.10 per gallon if your tire pressure is only 5 pounds low in all tires.

Unload your Car

Carrying unnecessary weight costs about $0.03 per gallon for every 100 lbs.

Avoid Idling

Turn off your engine if you’re not going anywhere.

—-

This article was originally published at Helium.com.

Used with the author’s permission.

Related Articles

• Save Gas by Improving Fuel Economy
• Hybrid Vehicles and Alternative Fuels

Geothermal heat pumps work by using the more consistent temperature of the earth a few feet below the surface to regulate the highs and lows of a normal temperate climate. When it is very hot in the summer, a geothermal system uses the relatively cool earth a few feet down to cool your home. Conversely, when it is very cold in the winter, the earth’s temperature below the surface is much warmer, and this warmth is conducted into your home. Geothermal systems collect this heating and cooling through a long series of tubes buried in the ground; the temperature of the earth is conducted through the tubes and into water or an antifreeze liquid inside, which is then circulated throughout your home.

Geothermal heat pumps come in many configurations, the most common of which is a horizontal or vertical closed or open loop system. Many factors contribute to what type of system you should use for your home:

• Home size. Larger homes require more tubing, so a horizontal system would probably work better because it can spread out far and wide instead of having to dig deep down in a vertical system.
• New home vs. an older home. An existing home may want to use a vertical system since it requires less ground disturbance.
• Soil type. Different soil configurations conduct heating and cooling differently and thus affect the size requirement of your geothermal heating system.

Geothermal heating systems require professional site evaluation and installation. The initial cost is much higher than a traditional forced-air system, but with a vastly increased efficiency, and the continued rise of energy sources like natural gas and electricity, a geothermal heating system is an investment that will pay handsomely down the road. The pump itself, which is easy to replace, is usually guaranteed for 25 years, and the tubing system for 50. Compare that with the average forced-air system, which usually lasts 10 -15 years.

This article was featured in the Carnival of Everything Home at My DIY Home Tips.

Related Articles

• How to Make Your Furnace or Air Conditioner More Efficient
• Building a Green, Energy Efficient Home
• Solar Energy
• Energy Efficient Landscaping

Energy Star is a program run by the U.S. government’s Environmental Protection Agency that is dedicated to helping consumers improve their energy efficiency. The program has many facets, but there are four main areas it addresses:

1. Consumer products. Any new product that you might buy that uses electricity, from light bulbs to dryers, has an estimated energy usage guide on it. This guide is written by Energy Star and is intended to help consumers choose products that are the most efficient.
2. Home improvement. Energy Star promotes improved home efficiency and provides consumers with a list of professional contractors for home remodeling projects that can evaluate and improve your home’s energy efficiency. Energy Star also created a point based system that allows you to rate your home’s energy efficiency and see how it measures up against other homes in your area.
3. Home builders. Energy Star rates new home builders and recommends builders who adhere to green home building guidelines.
4. Commercial and industrial buildings. Energy Star also provides guidelines, building contractor recommendations, and energy efficiency consultants for commercial and industrial buildings and construction.

Related Articles

• Renewable Energy
• Hybrid Vehicles and Alternative Fuels
• Building a Green, Energy Efficient Home
• Energy Saving Lighting

It is important to compare the energy efficiency ratings of different washers before purchasing a new one. Front-loading units are better than top loading because they use less water (especially hot water) and spin more effectively. This means your clothes will be drier when you put them in your dryer and they will take less energy to completely dry.

Front loading washers don’t use a central agitator (the round thing with fins on it in the center of the tub in most top loading washers) but rather tumble your clothes through a reduced stream of water to clean them. This saves you having to fill the tub of your washer with warm water every time. The savings can be significant - up to 40 percent more energy efficient than a traditional tub washer.

Dryers vary little on energy usage, although some use natural gas rather than electricity. Electric dryers are much better because the energy they use to operate is much cheaper. Get one with a moisture sensor that shuts down the unit when your clothes are dry. Alternatively, air dry your clothes whenever possible and save yourself the energy usage of a dryer completely. Dry your clothes outside, however, to avoid raising the humidity level in your home, which increases your air conditioner’s energy usage.

Energy Efficiency Tips For Your Existing Washer and Dryer

1. Use cold water or warm water cycles in your washer. Hot water does not get your clothes cleaner and uses an unnecessary amount of energy. Use a cold water detergent and keep your washer on the cold cycle whenever possible.
2. Only wash full loads, but don’t over stuff your washer. Putting in too much laundry wears out your washer faster, but doing tiny loads reduces energy efficiency. If you must do a small load, adjust the load size knob on your washer.
3. Try to do laundry on weekends or later at night when the overall electricity grid use is lower, as some utility companies charge lower rates during off-peak hours.
4. Use the moisture sensor in your dryer, if it has one. This sensor turns off your dryer when the clothes are dry, helping you to conserve energy.
5. Clean the lint filter after every load to make your dryer operate more efficiently and check the vent for blockages.
6. Separate heavy cottons like towels and dry them separately from lighter items like T-shirts.
7. Don’t use your dryer at all - hang dry your clothes outside if possible. This is the most energy efficient option around.

Related Articles

• Energy Efficient Dishwashers
• Energy Efficient Refrigerators and Freezers
• Energy Efficient Water Heaters
• How to Make Your Furnace or Air Conditioner More Efficient

There are three types of solar cells: single crystalline, multi-crystalline, and amorphous silicone. Single crystalline cells are the most common and most efficient type of photovoltaic (”PV”) solar energy cell. These PV cells are guaranteed to produce at least 80 percent of capacity for 25 years. Solar power cells will continue to produce energy well past their warranty, but at a steadily declining efficiency rate.

Amorphous silicone solar power cells are actually a thin film that can be used to coat a variety of surfaces including glass, plastic, and roofing tiles. It is less efficient than a single or multi-crystalline solar cell but is much more durable and portable, and in many cases is incorporated in green home building on surfaces that receive a lot of sunlight.

Some things to consider when purchasing a home solar energy system:

1. Location. To maximize the efficiency of your solar power system, it must be located in a brightly lit area with no shading. Even if only one solar cell on a whole panel is shaded, that affects the electrical output of the whole unit, since all solar panels are a continuous circuit of multiple solar cells. Since crystalline-style cells are fragile, they are typically mounted in a metal frame and covered with glass or other protective material; therefore, you will need a large area that is shade free to accommodate a whole panel and frame.
2. Temperature. Heat actually reduces the efficiency of a solar power panel; however, you can purchase solar panels with colder or warmer temperature ratings that will maximize the efficiency of the panel based upon your local climate.
3. Region. Different regions receive different amounts of sunlight in an average year, affecting the electrical output of your solar power panels. In order to effectively estimate the potential output of solar power panels in your area, consider the average output of sunlight. In general, the Southwestern U.S. is the best, and the Upper Midwest and Northeast are the worst when it comes to solar energy output, with varying degrees in between.
4. Energy Usage.  In order to maximize your solar power investment, you should first minimize your home power usage through greater energy efficiency, that way you can greatly reduce or even eliminate your non-renewable energy usage. For more tips on improving home energy efficiency, check out Save Money With Easy Energy Conservation.

Off-Grid vs. On-Grid Solar Energy

Today the most common type of solar energy is off-grid, meaning the home is located in a rural area and has no other electricity source. That is changing quickly, however, as solar cells become more affordable and traditional power becomes more expensive. An on-grid solar energy system, meaning your house is connected to the power grid, can make your meter run backward by dumping excess energy produced by your solar cells back onto the power grid. Increasingly, utility companies and the local, state, and federal government are offering tax incentives and rebates to install a home solar power system. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (”DSIRE”) website contains comprehensive information on state, local, utility, and federal incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Passive Solar Energy

Another approach to using the sun’s energy for your home is passive solar energy: using smart home design to maximize solar heating in your house. Skylights, south facing windows, and solar thermal water heaters are all examples of passive solar energy. The more direct winter sunlight you use in your home, the less heating you have to do, especially in northern climates. South-facing windows are especially effective because they receive the majority of the sun’s light during the day, although west-facing windows also do very well. Solar thermal water heaters use the sun’s energy to heat your water and are typically more effective in warmer climates.

Related Articles

• Wind Energy
• Renewable Energy
• Energy Efficient Water Heaters
• Energy Efficient Geothermal Heat Pumps

There is an impressive array of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles currently on the market and in development. They fall into the following categories:

1. Flex-Fuel Vehicles
2. Propane/Natural Gas Powered Vehicles
3. Biodiesel Powered Vehicles
4. Hybrid Electric Vehicles
5. Fully Electric Vehicles
6. Fuel Cell Vehicles

Each type has its own unique advantages and disadvantages that should be considered before you buy an alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle. These factors are discussed below.

Flex-Fuel Vehicles

This is the most common type of alternative fuel vehicle on the road today. A flex-fuel vehicle can run on normal gasoline or E85, an 85 percent ethanol 15 per cent gas mix available at many fueling stations across the country. In the current climate of high gas prices, E85 sells for up to $2 a gallon cheaper than normal gasoline. Many consumers don’t even know if their current vehicle is a flex-fuel vehicle or not. Check your owner’s manual if you are unsure. 

Converting your current vehicle to flex-fuel is possible, but consider that for saving $1.20 a gallon (the price of ethanol E85 vs. normal gasoline), you’d have to put on quite a few miles in a year to justify the $5,000 - $10,000 expense. Consult with your mechanic to find someone who can do a conversion, and make sure they are officially licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency (”EPA”) to do conversions.

Also consider emissions before you buy a flex-fuel vehicle or convert to flex-fuel. While ethanol blended gasoline emits less carbon monoxide, a major contributor to global warming, studies have shown that toxic aldehyde emissions are greater. Some major periodicals, such as National Geographic, have postulated that the emission balance is the same for an ethanol burning vehicle as it just emits a different type of greenhouse gas, and when you consider the petroleum used to produce corn (fertilizer, tractor and transportation fuel), net ethanol emissions are actually higher than normal gas. This is still an open debate, however.

Propane/Natural Gas Powered Vehicles

Propane and natural gas powered internal combustion engines first became popular in the U.S. during the 1970s, the last time we had an oil crisis in this country. Since then, the price of natural gas has skyrocketed, making an alternative fuel that was once much cheaper than gas about as expensive or even a little more so.

The primary advantage of natural gas vehicles is reduced emissions. They produce 90 percent less carbon monoxide and 25 percent less carbon dioxide than traditional gasoline powered engines without sacrificing power or acceleration. Converting your current gas powered vehicle is relatively easy. In general, a natural gas powered vehicle is ideal for those whose primary concern is air quality and emissions, since the primary fuel, natural gas, is not any cheaper than gasoline these days.

Biodiesel Powered Vehicles

The beauty of biodiesel as an alternative fuel is that it doesn’t require any modifications to your current diesel engine. The only thing you may want to do is change the fuel filter after the first 1,000 miles after switching to biodiesel. Biodiesel is rendered from vegetable oils and animal fat and is produced domestically in the United States. It burns much cleaner than normal diesel and in some instances may be cheaper as well. The hardest thing is finding a fueling station that sells biodiesel.

Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles run on a combination of electricity and gasoline, greatly increasing your fuel economy. The gasoline engine is used to recharge the car’s batteries when they are depleted, and the electric engine is used to save gasoline when the car is moving slowly or idling. They typically have the same power and range as a traditional diesel or gas powered vehicle. There are several hybrid models on the market currently, with many more in development, including plug-in hybrid electric cars that will allow you to recharge the vehicle’s batteries directly from the power grid, thus increasing fuel efficiency even more.  Before investing in a hybrid vehicle, consider the costs and benefits.  Hybrids are typically $3,000 to $8,000 more expensive than the normal gasoline powered model. Also keep in mind that many improved models are going to be available in five to ten years.

Fully Electric Vehicles

Fully electric vehicles produce no emissions, though producing electricity does, so they are not 100 percent clean. Even so, they are far cleaner and cheaper to operate than any other alternative fuel or hybrid vehicle out there. The main disadvantages of an electric car are reduced range, acceleration, and power.

There are several types of Low Speed Vehicles (LSVs) that are fully electric and available for purchase, including the Zenn electric car. These vehicles are designed for neighborhood or urban environments and are a great alternative if you need cheap transportation where the speed limit is generally 30 miles per hour or less.

There is no mass produced fully electric vehicle currently available on the market that can match the range, acceleration, and power of the modern gasoline powered vehicle. Several are in development and will be available in the coming years.

An exception to this is the 2008 Tesla Roadster, a high-end sports car that is fully electric and will be seen on the streets (probably mostly around Hollywood) in 2009. The engineering on this car is really impressive, with a 220 mile range, 0 to 60 miles per hour acceleration in 3.9 seconds, and all the bells and whistles of a Ferrari or Porsche. However, this vehicle starts at $160,000 (after your $5,000 rebate), so mass production is unlikely.

Truly affordable fully electric vehicles will still encounter the disadvantages stated above for the forseeable future. That does not discount their value once they become available to the average American consumer.

Fuel Cell Vehicles

Vehicles using a hydrogen fuel cell are still in the early stages of development and are therefore a long way from becoming available on the market. Not only does the technology to power the vehicle need to be perfected, but the required infrastructure, namely a network of refueling stations, must be developed.

Hydrogen fuel cells use hydrogen to produce electricity that powers the vehicle. They are truly zero-emission since not even the electricity used to run the vehicle is produced with a fossil fuel. The only byproduct of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is water.

Related Articles

• Save Gas By Improving Fuel Economy
• Save Money With Easy Energy Conservation

When considering how to improve home energy efficiency through landscaping, the first thing to take into account is your regional and local climate. Four regions occur in the United States: temperate, hot-humid, hot-arid, and cool:

The second factor affecting the climate surrounding your home is microclimate.

Many things can affect the local climate, but some common factors include sunny south-facing slopes, large bodies of water, large natural shading obstacles like canyons or mountains, and large valleys. These features immediately surrounding your home can alter the climate considerations when considering plant selection and location. For instance, a home on a sunny southern slope in a cool regional climate may be much warmer than average for that region. Carefully consider such factors when planning your landscaping features.

Shading and Windbreaks

The two most important things trees and shrubs can do for your home energy efficiency are shading your home from heat and shielding it from wind. Depending on your region and microclimate, you may want to maximize one or the other or both.

In general, landscapes in hot climates should use large shade trees for roofs and windows and shrubs or vines for walls, sidewalks, and foundations. If the home is primarily air conditioned, windbreaks for hot summer breezes will also help your energy efficiency. Also make sure you shade your air conditioning unit, which can improve its efficiency by up to 10 percent. If the home is naturally cooled, windbreaks should be eliminated to allow breezes into the house. Leave at least a foot of space between all shrubs and vines and the walls of your house to encourage water evaporation.

For temperate and cool regions, solar heat is an important factor when locating trees around your home. In general, leave the south and west windows exposed to the sun to maximize solar heat. Alternatively, use deciduous (leaf-bearing) trees to shade your home in summer but still allow solar heating in winter when the leaves have fallen. For west windows, you may want to use low-crown (shorter) tree species to block late summer sun as opposed to taller trees.

In general, it is best to use evergreen trees for windbreaks since they are denser than deciduous trees, especially in winter. Also consider planting shrubs in your windbreak to ensure wind blockage from the ground all the way up to the treetops. These shrubs can also act as a snow fence if planted on the exposed side of your windbreak, in addition to protecting young trees in a new windbreak.

Water Conservation

The most important aspect of an energy efficient landscape is limiting the amount of water you have to use to maintain it. If you plan your landscape according to your home’s regional and microclimate, as described above, then you will have already selected grasses, shrubs, and tree types that are ideal for your location. Many species available for landscaping can provide beautiful greenery and use water efficiently, thus allowing you to maximize the benefits of your lawn. The concepts of xeriscaping go more in depth into conserving water.  Primarily used in the arid Southwest, xeriscaping uses several water saving strategies that can be applied anywhere:

1. Plan according to your house’s climate and microclimate, as discussed above. Plant grass, trees, and shrubs that do well according to your home’s climate, and, wherever possible, use plants that are drought resistant and/or require less water.
2. Limit the amount of dense turf in your yard. Use stones, shrubs, and or naturally occurring plants to reduce the area you must water frequently.
3. Improve the soil before planting grass seed or installing turf to encourage well rooted grasses that require less water and reduce erosion.
4. Water more efficiently by avoiding over watering and using multiple techniques for each landscape feature.
5. Use mulch wherever possible to help retain moisture and reduce erosion.
6. Maintain your yard. Fertilize, prune, weed, and use pest control to maximize plant health, which helps reduce water usage.

Properly landscaping the areas around your home can realize significant energy savings in heating and cooling, and when combined with other energy efficiency practices, combine to make a truly energy efficient home.

This article was featured in the All Things Eco Blog Carnival at FocusOrganic.com.

Related Articles

• Energy Efficient and Green Home Remodeling
• Building a Green, Energy Efficient Home
• Conserve Energy One Window at a Time
• Solar Energy

The cheapest and easiest way to improve your fuel economy is to change how you drive your existing car.

1. Air conditioning. As a general rule, if you are driving under 40 miles per hour (MPH), it is more fuel efficient to turn off the air conditioner and roll down the windows. Above 40 MPH, however, the drag on your car created by the open windows causes you to use more gas, so turning on the air will actually improve your fuel economy.
2. Acceleration. When accelerating, do so gradually. Stomping the gas pedal at every traffic light or stop sign causes your engine to suck fuel to meet the heavy load you are putting on it. A more gradual approach can significantly improve fuel economy.
3. Deceleration. Let off the gas well before a stop sign or traffic light and allow yourself to coast to a stop while gently applying the brake. Accelerating all the way to the stop and then slamming on the brakes not only wastes gas, it uses up your brake pads more quickly.
4. Speed. For every ten miles per hour you decelerate, you can save up to 5 miles per gallon (MPG). So if the speed limit is 65 MPH and you drive 55, you can increase your MPG by 5 miles.

Car Maintenance

In addition to improving your driving strategies, use the following car maintenance tips to maximize your fuel economy:

1. Tire inflation. Make sure you keep your tires properly inflated at all times. This not only lengthens the life of the tire, it will help your fuel economy. By and large, the standard inflation for most car tires is 35 pounds per square inch (PSI).  Some mechanics may recommend inflating your tires to 30 PSI to improve riding comfort, which is true, but with gas prices the way they are the best thing to do is maintain proper inflation. Please make sure you check with either your tire dealer or the tire owner’s manual for proper inflation instructions.
2. Fuel grade. Mountain West states (New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, etc.) offer 85 octane fuel, whereas most other states offer only 87 octane and up. Check your owner’s manual, since some models have a minimum octane requirement. Using a lower octane fuel than what your vehicle has been designed for drastically reduces fuel economy. Also, it does not improve your gas mileage to use a higher octane fuel than the minimum requirement for your car.
3. Alignment. Most cars need an alignment every three to five years, although your mechanic will recommend you do it more often than that. A simple test of your alignment is to briefly release the steering wheel while cruising at least 55 MPH on a straight stretch of highway. Please make sure there is no oncoming traffic and that it is a calm day! If your car veers immediately to the left or right, have your mechanic check the alignment. Alignment problems affect your fuel economy and wear your tires down more quickly.
4. Tire rotation and balance. Have your tires rotated every 5,000 miles.  This not only improves their life span but also causes them to wear evenly, meaning improved fuel economy for you since they ride more smoothly. Your tires should be balanced when they are first installed, and in general they should not need another balancing. Regularly check for the wheel weights mounted on the rim of each tire on your vehicle. These will be oblong metal pieces clipped to the rim, one per tire. If you don’t see one on your tire, ask your mechanic to balance the tires when he rotates them. Most tire dealers that sell you your new tires will rotate and balance those tires for free.
5. Tune ups. Check your owner’s manual for the recommended life span of your vehicle’s spark plugs, plug wires, and coils. In general, spark plugs should be changed every 55,000 - 75,000 miles and plug wires every 100,000 - 120,000 miles. If your engine idles very rough, or cuts out easily, have your mechanic check the coils. Also make sure to change out your vehicle’s air and fuel filters regularly.  All of these parts affect your vehicle’s fuel economy.

Buying A New Car

When considering purchasing a new car, remember that the miles per gallon estimates posted on new cars are always very optimistic. Those estimates are generated by operating the car in perfect driving conditions, as in 55 MPH on a windless day at sea level on flat ground with the windows rolled up and the air conditioner and radio off. Typically your actual miles per gallon will be two to five gallons less than the estimate.

Go smaller! Technology has improved to the point where many smaller vehicles have high safety ratings and perform very well in adverse driving conditions. Remember that if you spend a little more on a smaller car with posi-traction as opposed to a bigger lunk with four-wheel drive, savings will be realized in improved fuel economy down the road. And you don’t have to put the thing in four-wheel drive; it will do so itself!

Go hybrid if you can. Some very important factors to remember: hybrid and electric car technology is skyrocketing right now, so the vehicles that come out in five to ten years will show enormous improvements over the ones available today. If you have a lot of disposable income and buy a new car every three to five years anyway, go buy a hybrid today. If you are not that lucky, follow the tips above to maintain your current vehicle and tough it out until the car companies can bring to market all the technology in development right now.

Related Articles

• Hybrid Vehicles and Alternative Fuels
• Save Money with Easy Energy Conservation

Before starting your home remodeling project, it’s a good idea to evaluate your current energy use so that you can identify the areas that need efficiency improvements. You can perform your own energy audit or you can hire a professional contractor to help.

If you are going to audit your home’s energy use yourself, start by collecting the past year’s energy bills, including electric, gas, and water. Evaluate your monthly averages and identify peak usage times and then compare that with your regional climate. 

For instance, if you live in Phoenix, you would expect to use more energy in July, or if you live in Montana, you would expect to use more energy in January. If you spot irregular peaks in energy usage, then try to identify what is causing the unusually high bill. 

Next, compare your energy usage per month to other homes of roughly the same size, age, and location. You can do this by contacting your utility company and requesting monthly averages for different house categories. 

The purpose behind the home energy audit is to see how your home compares to others like it in energy usage and also to begin isolating energy problems. This way you can also evaluate cost effectiveness. If you know you spend X dollars a month heating water, and it costs Y dollars a month to install a solar water heater, and Y is lower than X, then it makes good economic sense to invest.

Before hiring your own contractor, check with your utility company, as many offer free or discounted professional energy audits of your home. When weighing whether to do it yourself or contact a professional, keep in mind that a contractor will be able to apply special tools when auditing your home, like blowers to test duct, window, and door leaks and infrared cameras to identify insulation problems. Inevitably you are going to get more accurate information with these tools at your disposal.

The Whole House Approach

To maximize energy efficiency when remodeling your home, it is best to take a “whole house” approach, meaning that you analyze and improve multiple factors that contribute to your home’s energy usage. The following list is not complete but includes the most important factors:

1. Insulation. Improving your home’s insulation is cost effective and can drastically reduce heating bills.  Depending upon the age of your home, you may have little or no insulation.  Particular areas of concern are attics, around chimneys, and around windows and doors.  Not only does insulation improve your home’s heat/cooling retention, it helps keep all rooms and equal temperature and even deadens outdoor noise, making your home quieter.  If you have problems with one or more rooms consistently colder or warmer than others, then insulation is likely the answer to your problem.
2. Duct sealing. You can reduce heating and/or cooling bills by as much as 15 percent just by sealing your home’s ducting. The ducts are the metal box-shaped tubes that carry hot or cold air from your furnace or air conditioning unit to the floor and wall vents throughout your home. Holes and leaky joints in this duct system cause you to lose the air you just spent money heating or cooling before it ever gets to its destination. Also consider vent locations. Some homes, built by a contractor trying to cut corners, locate only a few vents in corners of large rooms. Consider adding more vents, and make sure they are located in the floor or baseboard.  A heating vent in a room with a vaulted ceiling located six feet off the floor does you absolutely no good, since all you heat is the empty space above your head.
3. Windows and doors. These are the primary culprits of home heating or cooling loss. Seal existing windows and doors effectively, or better yet, install new energy efficient windows and/or doors.
4. Install energy saving lighting. Also consider adding more natural lighting with new skylights or expose existing windows to solar energy by replacing overhangs and awnings and removing landscape obstructions.
5. Buy new energy efficient appliances. Furnaces, air conditioning units, and all your household appliances, especially if they are over 10 years old, can be replaced with a much more efficient newer model.  For tips on how to make your existing appliances more efficient check out the links on this Energy Efficiency Advisor post.

Add Renewable Energy

Now that you have spent the time and the money to remodel your home and maximize energy efficiency, the time is ripe for investing in renewable energy. An energy efficient home means that you can support all or most of your energy needs with a home solar or wind energy system, or a combination of the two. Depending upon where you live, you may even be able to turn your meter backwards by dumping extra energy produced by your home back onto the power grid, meaning your home is working for you while you are away.

Tax Incentives and Rebates

Also, you may be eligible for a variety of tax breaks, rebates, and special rate mortgages to finance your energy efficient home remodeling project.

Related Articles

• Energy Efficient Landscaping
• Energy Efficient Geothermal Heat Pumps
• Energy Efficient Water Heaters
• Energy Saving Lighting