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The Rural Missouri NEWS Service April
2007 | June 2007 | September
2007 | October 2007 | November
2007 | December 2007 |
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August 2008 Let’s talk (about
energy) During congressional recess this summer, elected officials from Washington, D.C., will be meeting with folks back home. This provides us with a great opportunity to make personal contact with these lawmakers, as well as others, on some important energy issues. Through an awareness campaign called, “Our Energy, Our Future: A Dialogue with America,” we recently started a conversation with members of Congress urging them to help us tackle our nation’s difficult energy challenges. We began the campaign with a letter pointing out that our nation’s electricity needs are outstripping available supplies of power, even with very successful co-op energy efficiency programs factored in. Now we must now spread the message – the second question in the campaign – that American ingenuity is key to keeping the lights on and rates affordable while meeting environmental goals. Developing and deploying the technology necessary to develop low emissions solutions will require huge political and financial commitments, the likes of which we have not seen since the advent of rural electrification itself or the Apollo moon program. No one can afford to do this alone. Our government can – and must – be part of the solution, or it will be part of the
problem. The letter addressing this technology question is now ready for you to send to your congressional delegation. You can find it and send your e-mail by going to www.ourenergy.coop. We can continue the “Our Energy, Our Future” dialogue through face-to-face contact by attending candidate rallies and community events where lawmakers may be present. We can ask the tough questions that appear on the ourenergy.coop Web site. Let’s keep the dialogue going to secure our nation’s energy and economic future. The three questions
Turn down the heat In the dog days of summer, heating your home for winter is hardly a priority. But in fact, this is a good time of year to plan how to reduce your largest energy expense: heating your home. If your heating system is more than 15 years old, it may be time to bump up to a more efficient system, particularly as energy costs continue to rise. Home energy expert and licensed architect Doug Rye will tell you that when it comes to efficiency, heat pumps are the only way to go. The reason heat pumps are so efficient: they move heat from one source to another instead of creating heat. If you heat with electricity, a heat pump can trim the amount of electricity you use by 30 percent to 40 percent, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Air-to-air heat pumps have efficiencies of around 250 percent. Ground-source heat pumps, which use the earth’s more constant below-ground temperature, have 350 percent to 400 percent efficiency — a 3.5 times greater return on your dollar. According to a survey conducted by Associated Electric Cooperative, about 30 percent of Missouri co-op members already use heat pumps. If you’re building a new home or upgrading your existing heating and cooling system, call your local electric cooperative to see if you qualify for a rebate on a new heat pump system. Buying and installing a new heating system is a big-ticket purchase. But given that heating your home in winter is probably your greatest use of electricity, a new system could be the best use of your energy dollars. Get money back on your heat-pump purchase Take Control & Save (www.takecontrolandsave.coop) is a program to encourage energy efficiency and help cooperative members control their energy costs. Program incentives include rebates for ground-source and air-source heat pumps. The rebates are available for replacement of electric-resistance heat, new home construction, retrofits of existing propane or natural gas heating systems and replacement of existing ground-source or air-source heat pumps. Air or ground: which way to go? Electric heat pumps have been available for home heating for more than 30 years. The two most common types are air-to-air and ground-source heat pumps. Air-source heat pumps, which draw heat from the air, are relatively easy and inexpensive to install and have been widely used. They operate at efficiencies of 250 percent or more, meaning they can deliver one and a half times more heat energy to a home than the energy consumed. But because they use the outside air as a heat source, air source pumps are not as efficient in climates of extended periods of sub-freezing temperatures because there’s less heat to extract in those conditions. According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, air-source heat pumps are effective in winter at outdoor temperatures down to about 30 degrees Fahrenheit. Below that, a backup heating source is necessary. However, talk to a trusted contractor or check your equipment’s specifications for the optimal temperature for your heating system to run the backup heat. In Missouri, ground-source heat pumps are the most efficient option. They can produce efficiencies of 350 percent to 400 percent because they use the ground as a heat source for warming. Ground-source heat pumps are more expensive to install because wells or trenches must be dug for the piping loops that carry water to and from the system’s heat exchanger. Generally, ground-source heat pumps are installed at the time of construction or when retrofitting an existing air-to-air system. How heat pumps work Heat pumps are devices that move heat from one location to another. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources compares heat pumps to air conditioners running in reverse, producing two to three units of heat energy for each unit of electrical energy consumed to run the process.
Staying comfortable with heat pumps: it could take some getting used to If you’re accustomed to the blast of hot air from a conventional gas or electric furnace, you may feel cool at
Another adaptation is that if you want to set back temperatures at night and during times when the house is unoccupied, you’ll need a programmable thermostat made for heat pump systems that accommodates and emergency backup heating source like a gas furnace. Heat pump thermostats are readily available through your local heating/cooling contractor or equipment supplier. Heat-pump thermostats require additional wiring, and should be installed by a licensed contractor to ensure proper operation of the heating system. Finally, if you’re replacing an existing system with a heat pump, ask the contractor if your present ductwork is adequate. Heat pumps can require larger ducts, and there could be a need for additional air returns. Repair or replace? We’re all looking to save money on our energy bills. When is it time to bite the bullet and invest in a new heating system? It’s generally more cost effective to repair your furnace than to replace it, according to the experts at www.consumersearch.com, which independently reviews a wide variety of products. Existing furnaces and boilers can, of course, be retrofitted to increase their efficiency. But weigh the costs of retrofits against the cost of a new system, particularly if replacing the system within five years is likely. Energy Star, the U.S. Department of Energy and ConsumerSearch say it’s probably time for a change when you identify these telltale signs:
How much money will efficiency save? Switching to a high-efficiency heating system can save you big bucks. You can find out just how much by viewing Table 1 at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Consumer’s Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Web site at www.eere.energy.gov/consumer. Use the site’s search engine to locate “annual estimated savings for every $100 of fuel costs by increasing your heating equipment’s efficiency.” Or go to “space heating and cooling,” then to “heating systems” and finally to “furnaces and boilers.” The table compares inefficient systems as low as 50 percent to highly efficient systems up to 95 percent. For example, if your existing system is only 50 percent efficient (a contractor can tell you how efficient it is), upgrading to an 80 percent efficient system will save you about $37.50 annually for every $100 in fuel costs. A 90 percent efficient system will save you about $44.24. On the other hand, if your current system is already 90 percent efficient, upgrading to 95 percent will save you only $5.70 per $100 in fuel costs annually. Buying a new heat pump
According to DOE, other factors to consider when choosing and installing air-source heat pumps:
What about radiant heat? The Romans knew a thing or two about keeping toasty. Some of the floors of their villas were warmed by radiant heat in much the same way it’s used today. Radiant heating warms objects in a room – including yourself – in the lower half of a room rather than heating the air in the room. Here are some things to keep in mind about radiant heating:
Useful heating Web sites www.consumersearch.com – Search for “furnaces” for independent reviews and advice on furnaces and contractors from ConsumerSearch, including links to additional sources of information. www.eere.energy.gov/consumer - Look under “space heating and cooling” for information on heat pumps and furnaces. www.ashrae.org – Learn more about heat pumps at the Web site of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning and Engineers. www.dnr.mo.gov/energy - Look in the residential section of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources’ Energy Center for an overview of heating systems. |
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first with a heat pump. That’s because the heat pump delivers warmed air at temperatures closer to room temperatures than do gas or electric
furnaces.