Maggie Delewski of Rotterdam has never used a clothes dryer. She uses her clothesline when possible and also has a wooden drying rack. It might take a little longer to get the job done, but the amount of energy Delewski has conserved along with the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars she has saved over the years is well worth it.
Although green living has become a hot trend lately, there are those who have been doing it for years. Delewski said saving on energy just takes common sense.
`It’s as simple as using the resources that we have all the time around us — free and natural resources like the sun,` said Delewski.
Colleen Q. Ryan, assistant director of communications for New York State Energy Research and Development Authority said that not using the clothes dryer and only washing full loads of laundry are the fastest and easiest ways to see a drop in electricity and water bills.
`When doing laundry, only wash and dry full loads, always rinse in cold water, and hang your laundry outdoors to dry when possible,` said Ryan.
Air conditioning is a major energy drain in the summer months. Ryan said the first thing NYSERDA recommends to residents is purchasing qualified Energy Star room air-conditioners and central air-conditioning systems, which use up to 25 percent less energy than non-Energy Star appliances.
`Always purchase units with the highest energy efficiency ratio, or EER, which are more energy efficient, costing you less to operate. When purchasing a room [air-conditioner], make sure you are purchasing a unit that is properly sized for the area you want to cool,` said Ryan.
Bill Paige, of Paige Heating and Cooling in Schenectady, said that in addition to purchasing an energy-efficient air conditioner, it is important for homeowners to make sure the units are working properly.
`We get calls all day long on what people can do to ensure they are not wasting heat and electricity,` Paige said. `Once you get that energy-efficient unit and central air, make sure your thermostat is working, any filters that you need to replace are taken care off, [and] make sure there are not leaks. A check-up is always recommended because when a heating-and-cooling system is running as efficiently as possible, that is when you save money.`
Other energy-saving tips are just as easy to implement.
Home Depot reported a major increase in the sale of those twisty, funny-looking light bulbs that are up to 75 times more energy efficient than standard incandescent lights. Replacing all the bulbs in a house can save homeowners a couple hundred dollars a year.
Other simple changes include using a programmable thermostat that will, on average, save about $100 a year.
Close blinds to block out the summer heat, especially on south-facing windows during the daytime.
Insulating the attic will keep the summer heat and winter cold from filtering through the roof and into the rest of the house.
Save electricity and reduce waste heat by shutting off lights and home electronics, especially computers, while not in use. With electronics, shut off not only televisions but also the cable television boxes.
Ryan also suggests unplugging cell-phone chargers when not in use.
`Unplug cell phone chargers, which give off more waste heat than you might imagine. Unplug these items or consider purchasing power management devices to eliminate electric consumption entirely when not in use,` said Ryan.
In the kitchen, the biggest change to make is only running dishwashers when they are full. Also, air dry the clean dishes by turning the energy-saver switch on.
In the bathroom, use exhaust fans sparingly. Ryan said that in just one hour, an exhaust fan can remove a houseful of warmed or cooled air.
Paige also said an easy change to make is repairing all leaky faucets. NYSERDA reports that one drop per second can waste as much as 10 gallons of water in a week.
Ryan said NYSERDA has invested a lot of time into coming up with ways that people can make simple changes every day, like air-drying clothes, to save energy. She said it is all part of Gov. David Paterson’s efforts to implement the recommendations of his renewable energy task force and his policy to reduce energy consumption 15 percent by 2015.
Ryan said NYSERDA also has a number of programs to help residents reduce their energy costs.
Some of the programs include Home Performance with Energy Star for existing homes. In this program, an accredited contractor performs a whole-house assessment to identify where the building is losing energy and why. The contractor then makes recommendations on how to improve the energy efficiency of the home. They also provide a cost estimate to do the improvements, and can even do the work themselves.
Ryan said the www.getenergysmart.org Web site could walk homeowners through the Home Performance process so they know exactly what to expect. The site also provides a listing of accredited Home Performance contractors throughout New York.
With today’s economy, there are some families who are struggling to pay to keep the lights on. Low-interest Energy Star financing is offered through the program. There are conditions, such as a limit on the loan of $15,000 to $20,000, depending on the homeowner’s credit score, and a term of three to ten years. This is an unsecured loan, not a second mortgage or equity loan.
Another option is the New York Energy Smart Loan Fund. Energy Smart loans are offered through a number of participating financial institutions. Loans may be unsecured for up to $20,000, and the interest rate is bought down by up to 4 percent for up to 10 years.
There is also a program called EmPower New York, which provides cost-effective electric reduction measures, specifically lighting and refrigerator replacements, as well as other cost-effective home performance strategies such as insulation, and health and safety measures.
NYSERDA is also looking into expanding its use of wind energy and is seeing more interest in its photovoltaic program, which provides homeowners incentive to purchase and install solar panels.
`We will continue with our photovoltaic program. People are much more aware of the energy issues and want to find alternative means to generate power in a clean, renewable fashion,` said Ryan.
As for people like Delewski, who have been conserving energy for years, most of what is new is old.
`I watch what I use, and my bill is half of what some of my neighbors see,` said Delewski.
“