Water Heater Cover

Water heaters are typically stored in poorly insulated rooms such as garages and basements, or may feel warm upon inspection. In these circumstances, heat is escaping from it. This causes the heating element to turn on occasionally to reheat water even when hot water is not being used, expending more energy. Using a water heater insulation jacket to cover the tank adds a layer of insulation, reducing the standby losses by as much as 45%. Look over the water heater for warnings of the use of a water heater cover, and what measures to take if one can be used.

A water heater insulation jacket is affordable, and can cut the cost of heating by 4-9%. The insulated sleeve pictured above is to be used with water heaters with capabilities of as much as 60 gallons. The R-Value of the Frost King Water Heater Cover is 10.0, and is produced using fiberglass insulation. A hot water heater cover can cut heat loss by as much as 25%, cutting your energy bill in the process as well.

Attic Tent

Perhaps you have already installed fiberglass for attic insulation. Check to see if the fiberglass is dirty. If it is, that tells you it is simply filtering the air as it comes through, not sealing the attic door. The attic insulation cover, which is also referred to as an attic tent, creates an air-tight barrier between your attic and general living space to reduce the amount of air filtering out of the attic. In addition, having an attic door tent raises the air quality in a home, being that the flow of dust and other allergens is also greatly reduced. The attic tent has been proven to decrease the amount of air filtration by at least 71%.

An attic door tent is an easily installed, cost effective tool for insulating the attic. Measure your attic door to choose which attic tent would be the best fit. Once you have the tent, staple the attic door tent to the surface. Then apply a small amount of silicone caulk around the seam to create the airtight seal, and you’re finished! The attic insulation cover will cost approximately $146-$232, depending on the size of the door. While the exact amount of money saved depends largely on your climate, the attic insulation cover should not only have paid for itself by year’s end, but save you at least $145 in energy costs every year after.

Spray Foam Insulation Kits

Weighing in at 120 lbs. and allowing for a tax credit of up to 30% is what we like to call the spray foam insulation kit. Spray foam insulation kits are essentially two tanks of chemicals which expand up to 30 times when applied to walls and floors, which then work to close up tricky air leaks in a home. You may not realize it, but over the course of 5 years these leaks can cost up to $3,400 (Somewhere out there is an endless list of much better ways to spend that money). The spray polyurethane foam kit continues to save you money long after it has paid for itself, as you will no longer need to tamper with the heating and cooling system in your home.

When choosing to insulate a home, tackle the attic and basement areas first. Once you have used a spray foam kitto seal the largest sources of air leaks, the energy spent (and money needed to provide that energy) will noticeably decrease. As if this wasn’t good enough, the spray polyurethane foam kit also prevents molding and helps keep bugs out. The time has come for you to conquer your fear of that blazing hot room. If you feel yourself faltering, just consider how happy your wallet will be once this task is done.

Water Saving Kit

A water saving kit includes items to help you start saving water in the kitchen and bathroom. The eco showerhead uses 1.75gpm (gallons per minute), is a great improvement to the standard 2.5gpm showerhead most homes have. The shower timer included can be secured to the bathroom wall, allowing you to watch, and limit, the amount of time spent in the shower. These changes in the shower alone can save a family of four as much as 11,000 gallons of water per year.

Ideal for saving water in homes with older toilets is the toilet tank bank.  Fill this displacement bag with water, shut the valve to avoid eventual evaporation, and hang the bag inside the tank of the toilet with the hook that comes on the bag to reduce the water in your tank by approximately 0.8 gallons. The water saving kit also comes with a dual flush converter, which is compatible with most toilets that have at least a 1.6 gallon tank. The dual flush converter provides you with liquid/solid options, and flushes accordingly.

The average kitchen or bathroom faucet aerator uses 2.2 gallons of water per minute. This is almost the amount of water used by the average showerhead. By replacing the faucet aerator with the 1.0gpm aerators you can save approximately 54% more water. This 54% decrease in water usage at the faucet will of course save you money on the water bill. Water saving kits are a great investment, as the items will pay for themselves within a matter of months, but continue to save you water (and money) throughout the entire year.

Chimney Balloon

A chimney balloon, also referred to as a chimney pillow, stops debris as well as prevents airflow and odors from coming in through the chimney. It is made from 3-ply poly membrane, and is flexible enough to close up open crevices in the flue while being able to resist the harsh setting it is in. A  Chimney pillow is created to react to heat, so they it not interfere if you decide to use the fireplace. In fact, they will safely deflate in a matter of seconds, providing the opportunity for gases and smoke to leave the chimney.

Chimney balloons come in different sizes, so it is important that you measure the depth and length of the area for installation. It is best to choose a chimney damper that is at most 6” larger than each of the measurements you took. This chimney plug is installed by being held into place while inflated. Opening the tap on the chimney balloon will allow you to deflate it. This should be done before starting the next fire in the fireplace. The chimney pillow is flexible, able to sustain the chimney environment, and reusable, making it a very handy weatherization tool.

Watts Up Pro Power Meter

The Watts Up Pro Power Meter is an electricity monitor, watt meter, and power analyzer. Using this device is as simple as plugging it in, plugging an appliance into it, and turning the appliance on. It comes with a USB cable to be hooked up to your computer for analyzing after collecting data. This power meter will work for all electrical appliances that use a lot of energy, such as a microwave, wall air conditioner, or refrigerator.

For an appliance as costly as a refrigerator you may worry that you don’t need a more energy efficient model or that getting one would take too long to “pay for itself.” The power meter also has a payback calculator. This estimates the amount of time it will take for a more energy-efficient model to essentially pay you back, helping you then decide the best move to make regarding that appliance. You may be shocked to discover how much energy you’re using as well as how much you could be saving. A power analyzer is a wonderful tool to help you start saving energy and cutting costs.

Energy Conservation Kits

Energy conservation kits are filled with inexpensive products, such as CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lights, foam gaskets, and an energy monitor to get you on the right track to reducing your utility bills and energy usage. For example, by switching 20 incandescent bulbs with energy efficient CFLs) you can help do away with over 12 tons of CO2. In addition, placing foam gaskets from the energy conservation kits in front of electrical outlets and wall switches you can stop unwanted air from coming and leaving the home, decreasing the heating and cooling bills. Using an energy monitor to keep track of the amount of energy you use is also a great way to decrease usage.

Water Conservation Kit

Are you aware that 95% of all water than enters the home ends ups down a drain? According to the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization of the UN), about two thirds of the earth could be faced with water shortages within 20 years. By using faucet aerators, toilet water savers, and the showerhead found in water conservation kits you can make the best use of the water we have. For example, a 1.75gpm showerhead uses only 9 gallons per 5-minute shower as opposed to an 8gpm showerhead which uses almost 40 gallons of water for the same amount of time. The technology of aerators and low-flow showerhead is such that more water seems to be used than really is. While facing these water and energy challenges of our time can be frustrating, we can take small steps and start conserving our precious resources with water and energy conservation kits.