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In part one of this series, we looked at energy concerns in the kitchen. You probably noticed when you walked through your kitchen that nearly every corner of the room has something that uses energy. Therefore, the opportunities for energy savings truly are everywhere!
As we walk into the living room, we are typically greeted by a slightly different view of a room when compared to the kitchen. Most living rooms lack the large obvious appliances that a kitchen has, yet they have more windows and most of the time a larger living space. In some homes, the living room may also have a fireplace. The focus though is the same. Take stock of the room’s energy usage.
The first obvious stop in most living rooms is in the entertainment center. Here, the TV, DVD player, stereo, etc, awaits. Older units are energy hogs for the most part. Older TVs generally use more energy than newer TV’s of a comparable size. Unlike refrigerators and stoves though, electronics generally do not lose electrical efficiency as they age. That is, the power they consume is generally the power they consume until they break. So you generally don’t have to be concerned with replacing older units because they cost more in energy as they age (unless you want to. New TVs can be very sexy.)
So, the key here is to limit their usage. Pick on the higher power electronics first. TVs can use quite a bit of power, stereos generally can use more. DVD players and VCRs often use less than 50 watts of power, but of course they are tethered to the TV (you can’t use either without a TV). A cable, satellite or converter box falls in this category and in general use much more electrical power than DVD or VCR players. Video game systems, especially newer high end ones are big offenders, often weighing in at over 300 watts or more.
Moving along…most living rooms are generally well lit. If not enough natural light comes in (or when the natural light goes away, i.e. at nightfall) you turn on lights. Most living rooms on average have 4 lights in them. They may be ceiling fixtures, floor lamps or table lamps. They may also be lights in the entertainment system.
The key here is not only to reduce usage, but reduce power consumption. You guessed it – CFL’s are your friend here (Compact Fluorescent Bulbs). They can be used anywhere normal incandescent bulbs are used. The exceptions are with dimmer switches and in areas of high humidity or moisture. If you replace a 60 watt bulb with a 14 w CFL with equivalent lumens (light output) you reduce the power consumption by about 75%. Savings can multiply quickly when you replace just a few bulbs.
You can also try using less lighting. If it makes sense to turn on the floor lamps and not the ceiling lights, do so. Again, reduce your usage.
Even if you don’t take any action now when it comes to usage / replacement, it is important to make note of what is in the room (and potential problems) just like we did in the kitchen area.
A living room often times has a direct doorway to the outdoors. Check this door carefully for leaks. Energy leaks through doorways (and windows) can account for over 20% of a home’s energy loss even if it is well insulated. The key thing you’ll want to check for here is the seal where the door (or window) comes in contact with the frame. Make sure it is tight, there are no gaps, and it seals well. On a windy day, if you hear a whoosh sound, or can feel a slight breeze, there is a problem.
The same goes for the fireplace, really. The damper should shut tight when not in use, but remain easy to operate. Fireplaces are a whole other can of worms when it comes to energy loss. They have their pros and cons. Because of this, I’ll be discussing them in greater detail in a future article.
Lastly, there’s the heat registers. The living room and bedrooms are the number 1 and 2 offenders of this next rule: Never block heat or air flow registers without diverting the air flow. In other words, don’t put furniture near or over an air register unless you have a plan to divert the air flow (i.e. with a deflector). The reason for this is simple – the dynamics of heat relies on some level of air flow to “mix” the air. Without this, heated air would move much slower throughout the house. Forced air heating systems work under the principle of moving heated air and “forcing” it into rooms, making it mix and heat the surrounding air to a target temperature. Convective heating systems rely on independent air movement to mix the air. So, by blocking air flow you are in effect restricting air flow, automatically making your heating and cooling system less efficient.
Again, the key points to remember are to look anywhere energy is used and possibly lost. That is where you find opportunities for saving money on energy bills.
In the next part of the series, we’ll move into the bathrooms and look for energy savings there.
David Anderson continues to be so completely obsessed with home energy and finding ways to reduce energy bills that he’s now losing sleep over it. He is a regular contributor to the Utility Bill Busters Blog, a site updated (almost) daily with a ton of free tips and resourced for helping homeowners save money on their energy bills. It can be found at http://www.utilitybillbusters.com.