Alternative Power Systems, Inc. is an  ** We are committed to helping our clients improve their energy performance. We work with businesses, governmental agencies and homeowners providing them advice on energy efficient products, building techniques and conservation.
While the energy systems we design are capable of handling just about any domestic load requirement, it is not a perpetual source of endless energy. All energy systems have their limits (even grid power). With this in mind, choosing the right appliances, HVAC, and insulation R-value is crucial. Designing an energy efficient house is just as important as designing a reliable energy system. Dollar for dollar, it is five times more effective to invest in conservation and efficiency than energy production.
What is the difference between conservation and efficiency? All energy savings comes from conservation. Conservation comes from two areas, efficiency and lifestyle. Efficiency means that your home and its appliances are designed and manufactured to use least possible energy, that is, they are efficient. This includes but in no way limited to the initial design and orientation of you home, the insulation and your choice of appliances and other energy consuming devices, e.g., lights, etc. For example, a well insulated home efficiently retains its temperature thus conserving energy required to heat or cool it.
When we say lifestyle, we mean your commitment to using the least energy possible. An Energy star fridge may be efficient in its design but if its turn down to maximum and the door left open, it will still eat up the energy bill. Click here for other lifestyle choices for energy conservation 10 easy ways to save power at home.
A well designed, energy efficient home is a function of early planning. Every element from basic design, to orientation, eave length, insulation, windows and their coverings and a 100 other considerations should be addressed at the beginning of the plan not as an after thought.
If you are planning to build a house, renovate or just upgrade your current home, call us and we can discuss the possibilities.
**Alternative Power Systems believes businesses benefit financially by continually improving their management of energy resources, and the environment benefits from reduced levels of related pollution. We are proud to offer services and products that may assist businesses who have committed to the goals of ENERGY STAR
| Ten tips to save energy at home: 1. Replace incandescent lamps with compact fluorescent. Compact fluorescent lamps use 75 percent less energy and last 6 to 10 times longer.
2. Turn off lights whenever you leave the room for more than two minutes.
3. Use the microwave oven or toaster oven instead of the oven to prepare meals. These only use about half the energy. When using the oven or stove, turn off the heating element a few minutes before the food is finished cooking. The residual heat will finish cooking the food without using energy. Avoid opening the oven door to check on food, use the light instead.
4. Weatherize your home. Calk, seal, and weather-strip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside. You can save 10 percent or more on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home. Also seal off outlets on outside walls by using an outlet sealer.
5. Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer. You can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do this automatically without sacrificing comfort by installing a programmable thermostat. Opening south facing windows on a sunny day in the winter season is a good way to naturally warm your home. In the summer season close the blinds to keep the home cool. Replace furnace filters often.
6. Let your dishes air dry when using the dishwasher. The biggest expense of using a dishwasher is the heat dry. Run the dishwasher only when full.
7. Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. An open damper will allow warm air to go right up the chimney. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
8. Wash and dry full loads of laundry. Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. The cost of drying a typical load of laundry in an electric dryer is 30 to 40 cents and 15 to 25 cents in a gas dryer.
9. Landscaping is a natural way to reduce energy costs. Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a typical household's energy used for heating and cooling. Planting shade trees that loose their leaves in the winter on the southwest side of a home can provide natural cooling in the summer and will allow the winter sun to naturally warm your home. You can create a natural windbreak on the north side of your home by planting pine trees.
10. Turn off Phantom Loads. Idle appliances like computers, TVs, VCRs, CD and DVD players, cassette decks, cordless phones, burglar alarms, and microwaves continue to consume energy when switched off. These energy "leaks" account for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption. Unplug unnecessary appliances and electronic equipment to keep this "phantom draw" to a minimum. Home computer use is the fastest growing electric load in the world. Turning off your computer during long periods of nonuse cuts costs and improves longevity.
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