The days are getting shorter and cooler, which will lead many of us to spend more time in the house watching our favorite shows or sporting events. A 2011 Nielson report found the average American household owns 2.5 televisions and 31 percent of us have four or more sets in our homes. According to the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), U.S. televisions use more than 46 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, or about 4 percent of total residential power consumption.

But which type of television is the best when it comes to energy use? The most common found in our living rooms are the traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) sets, plasma, LED (Light Emitting Diode) and LCD (Liquid-Crystal Display). You might be shocked to find out that of these four, it is the CRT that is the energy hog— drawing more power per unit of screen area than the other three.

Research conducted by E Source, an energy efficiency and technology company, in 2011 compared a 55-inch of each style for five hours in active, or “on,” mode. The CRT set used a staggering 400 watts (W) followed distantly by the plasma and LCD sets at 165 W and finally by the LED at 155 W. The data also revealed that the same televisions in standby mode (when the television is turned off, but still plugged in and drawing some power) for 19 hours a day, the CRT drew 8 W compared to the LCD drawing .4 W. And a 25-inch CRT used more power than a 35-inch LCD at 95 W and 65 W respectively.

Many find this hard to believe, as it was plasma TVs having a reputation for being major energy drains. There was some justification to this in the past, when an average model drew more power than a CRT or LCD, but today’s plasma draws nearly the same power as a comparable LCD in sizes larger than 31 inches.

Why the jump in efficiency? The increased manufacture of larger, flat screen televisions left the CRT to be, in essence, phased out of the commercial market when production ceased in 2007. This left plasma, LCD and LED models to follow many sets of revised energy standards set by Energy Star and state regulations.

Another energy drain connected to our home’s TVs is the increased use of set-top box receivers. More than 80 percent of us subscribe to some form of pay television service with approximately 160 million set-top boxes (including DVRs), nearly all of which are owned and installed by cable, satellite or phone providers. NRDC found that in 2010, these boxes consumed 27 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity, or the equivalent of the annual output of nine average (500 MW) coal-fired power plants. They also noted that two-thirds of their annual energy usage occurs when people are not even watching or recording content.

So what can you do to increase your TV’s energy efficiency? It may be a good idea to replace your CRT set for a more efficient model. Be sure to look for Energy Star ratings and read labels to estimate the annual energy consumption. If you already own an LCD TV, turn down the backlight in the television’s settings—you’ll save energy and still retain picture quality. Also, if you have TVs in multiple rooms and use a set-top box, consolidate to a multi-room model. And if your TV or box provides a power saver mode, use it or unplug both devices when you go out of town.

We all want our home to be energy efficient, and according to the U.S. Department of Energy, drafts are responsible for the loss of between 5-30 percent of a home’s energy. Keeping tight seals around your doors and windows is a simple and cost-effective way to help reduce power bills.

Supplies:

Latex Paintable Caulk

Tools:

Standard Caulking Gun

Putty Knife

Scissors or Knife

Towel

Directions:

Caulking compounds vary in strength, properties and prices. For a long-lasting seal, choose permanently waterproof, flexible, shrink-crack-proof 100 percent silicone (specifically for doors and windows), and if you are painting, try paintable silicone. For this project, we will caulk around a door frame.

1. Before you apply the caulk, wipe down the surface with a damp cloth to remove any residue or dirt; then strip or scrape old caulk out of the gap or crack.
2. Take the tube of caulk and cut the tip at a 45 degree angle. 
3. Pierce the seal on the cartridge to allow the caulk to flow evenly. 
4. Insert the tube of caulk into the caulking gun.
5. Start applying a bead of caulking to the areas you have prepared, squeezing evenly, and with consistent pressure and speed to control the rate at which the caulk leaves the tube. 
6. Complete a section at a time and smooth out the caulking with the tip of your finger.

Note: The trick to a good caulking job is to hold it at a consistent angle and draw the bead continuously rather than in a stop-and-start fashion. Then release the trigger before pulling the gun away to avoid excess caulk oozing out.

Caulk forms a flexible seal for cracks, gaps or joints less than one quarter-inch wide. Making smart choices like caulking to stop air seepage throughout your home can help you save energy and money.

During the summer, a typical backyard pool can use enough energy to power an entire home for three months making it a good reason to maintain and operate your pool or spa at peak efficiency.

Apply these few tips to help save energy, water and the money you spend on utility bills.

A pool filter can be one of the largest users of electrical energy in a home. If you reduce the amount of time you run the pump, you’ll save energy and money. Consider installing a high-efficiency, two speed pump for the pool. These pumps are set to run at lower speeds, for longer lengths of time, saving energy.

Another way to reduce energy loss and costs from the pool or spa is to install a blanket or cover. A good pool cover can keep the water in your pool an average of 10 degrees warmer, which can cut your pool heating cost by up to 90 percent.

Be sure to check the filter system periodically. Clogged filters can cause the pool to work harder, using more electricity. Additionally, check with a pool service technician to determine how long the filtration system for the pool or spa needs to run in order to effectively clean the pool. You may be able to shorten the length of the cleaning cycle. For example, run your pool for eight hours instead of 12 or 24 hours during non-swimming months.

Pools or spas can use a large amount of energy to heat the water and operate the filtrations systems. The steps you take to conserve will save you money while you continue to enjoy that backyard swim or relaxation in the spa.

Water heaters can use a lot of energy even when you’re not using hot water. A common culprit is stand-by loss which occurs when heat travels and is lost through your water heater’s walls. One way to combat this is by using a water heater blanket, which adds an additional blanket of fiberglass insulation to reduce stand-by heat loss. To determine if you need a water heater blanket, place your hand on the tank itself. The tank should be room temperature, if the tank is warm or hot to the touch, then you need to install a water heater blanket.

Water heater blankets come in kits that contain a blanket, straps and tape for approximately $20 (Lowes and Home Depot). The straps hold the insulation the water heater and the tape seals the seams to the insulation.

Here are some tips about installing your water heater blanket:

• Turn the water heater off before installing the blanket. Read all the instructions that come with the blanket.
• Identify and wash the area of the water heater where the blanket will be taped, so the tape will stick.
• Cut the blanket to size with scissors or a sharp knife, leaving some extra until you know how much you will need.
• Identify the pressure relief valve on either the top or the side of your water heater. Don’t cover this important safety device.
• For electric water heaters, you can insulate the top of the tank as well as the sides. Note where the two rectangular covers provide access to the thermostats and elements. Cut small flaps in the insulation to provide access to these panels.
• For gas water heaters, don’t insulate the top. Note the gas valve and burner access door near the bottom of the tank. Cut the blanket so it is at least two inches away.
• Install the blanket so that it is snug, and fasten it well so it will stay in place.

This long-lasting conservation measure will save energy for the life of your water heater.

When you hear of leaks in your home, you probably think of those involving water and plumbing, but what about air leaks? Homes that experience excessive air leakage are difficult to heat and cool. Too much air flowing in and out of your house can cause several problems such as wasted energy and high cooling and heating costs, moisture condensation, uncomfortable drafts from the outdoors and poor air quality flowing throughout your home. In fact, air leakage can account for up to 30 percent of your cooling and heating costs. The only way to know whether your home is leaky or tight is to measure its air leakage rate with a blower door test conducted by a trained professional. This test provides a highly accurate and cost-effective method for determining your home’s air leakage performance.

A blower door is a powerful fan that mounts into the frame of an exterior door. The “door” comes with a built-in fan and multiple gauges that measure air pressure. The fan removes air from your house, lowering the pressure inside. In turn, higher-pressure outdoor air will work its way through cracks and unsealed openings, making the leaks easier to measure and locate.

Before a blower door test can be performed, the following preparation is required:

• Close all exterior doors and windows
• Open all interior doors
• Remove any ashes from open fireplaces or cover the ashes with damp newspapers
• Walk-through your home with the auditor to point out areas that you know are drafty or difficult to condition comfortably
• Close any fireplace dampers, doors and woodstove air inlets
• Turn off the clothes dryer and all bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans

Once the blower door is set up and operating, many leaks can be found by feeling around with your bare hands or with the use of an infrared camera. The infrared camera finds air leaks through temperature differences. To use the camera alone, the temperature outside and temperature inside have to be very different, but since it’s difficult to plan an audit around the temperature outside, it is best to use the blower door and camera together. By creating a pressure difference that allows the air to move, it is not necessary for there to be a large temperature difference to be able to see the air movement through the cracks and holes allowing for a much better chance to find all the problem areas. View our video about this process.

After the blower door test is completed and the air leakage rate for your home is determined and evaluated, the auditor will assist you in identifying improvements that will potentially save the most on your energy costs and recommendations to improve comfort and indoor air quality can then be made.

When you have a home energy audit conducted by CAEC’s Energy Services Representative, a Certified Residential Energy Auditor, you can choose which level works best for you and your budget. The initial cost of either audit is reimbursed when ESR-recommended improvements are made to the home within a 12-month period of time. The Basic Audit cost is $75 and the Advanced Audit (includes blower door test) cost is $100. For more information, see our energy audit page for more details or call (800) 545-5735 ext. 2178 or (334) 351-2178.