Energy Savings

Swapping your indoor and outdoor household lights to LED (light-emitting diode) is a relatively inexpensive upgrade that is guaranteed to lower your energy costs. The average household saves about $225 in energy costs per year by using LED lighting. As the most energy-efficient option on the market, LED lights use up to 75% less energy and last up to 25% longer compared to incandescent bulbs. Part of what makes them more efficient is that LED lights release very little heat compared to incandescent bulbs which lose about 90% of their energy to heat. 

Switching your lights to LED allows you to customize the mood in every room with brightness, cool/warm tones, dimmability, and color. You can even have remote and voice control capabilities with “smart” LED lights.

Finding the right LED product

So, you’re ready to make the switch to LED. How do you know what type of LED bulb to get? First, look at the bottom of your old bulb to see the size and type of the base. Many lamps and fixtures fit the standard screw-in base E26 or E27. If you’re looking at replacing something other than a typical lamp, LED bulbs are also available for your recessed/can, flood, track, and tube lights. If you’re unsure, take your old bulb to the store. Next, consider the brightness you want. For LED bulbs, brightness is expressed in lumens (not wattage). Put simply, the higher the number of lumens, the brighter the light. For comparison, you will want to replace a 100 watt incandescent bulb with an LED of about 1600 lumens. LED bulbs also vary in light color temperature, ranging from warm to cool. On the LED package label, you’ll notice a value measured in Kelvin (K). A higher value (above 4000 K) will be in the bluer (cool) end of the spectrum, whereas a lower value (below 4000 K) will move towards the redder (warm) end. 4000 K is considered a natural white light. Lastly, you can consider whether you want multiple color options and/or a smart bulb. Smart bulbs come in white or color, and give you more energy-saving control like voice-activated dimming, motion-sensor detection, and schedule automation. Perhaps most appealing is that they offer remote customization (like changing brightness, temperature, and color) without getting up from your couch.

Budget and Recommendations

Budget: 

• Regular LED bulb: about $1.50 - $5 per bulb

• Smart LED light: $6 - $50 per bulb

Suggested Brands:

• Regular: GE 12-pack, Cree, Philips, EcoSmart

• Smart: Philips, Wyze, Lifx, Kasa TP-Link, Meross

Want to read more?  NYTimes Wirecutter - Best Smart LED Light Bulbs, Android Police

Video showing detailed testing from The Hook Up Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeR2uPPCA2k 

Energy Savings

A smart thermostat controls the heating and cooling of your house in a way that makes saving energy easy. Because it connects to wifi, this device allows you to conveniently control the settings and view equipment or temperature data all from your smartphone. Over time, your thermostat will learn your temperature preferences and create a schedule that automatically adjusts to energy-saving temperatures when you’re away. This automation feature helps eliminate guesswork and decision-making and may be worth it for that convenience alone. With a range of products on the market, you can find one that suits your needs.

Alternative Option

A similar option without the connectivity and “learning” capabilities is a programmable thermostat. Unlike a smart thermostat, which can learn your temperature preferences and automatically adjust the temperatures when you’re asleep or away, a programmable thermostat needs you to input that information. To do this, program the thermostat to a temperature closer to the outdoor temperature while you’re asleep or away.  For example, in the winter you might set the thermostat to 68°F while you're awake and at home - but when you’re asleep or away, you should program the thermostat to a lower temperature (say, 60°F). 

Tip: Turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F from its normal setting for 8 hours a day can help you

save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling.

Budget and Recommendations

Budget: $90-250

Rebates:  $75  PG&E - Golden State Rebates, $150 BayREN

(If not a PG&E customer, click here to find your region)

Suggested Brands:  EcoBee, Nest, Honeywell

Water Heaters

Water heaters use about 13.6% of a home’s total energy. If your water heater is due for an upgrade (over 10 years old, showing signs of visible wear, not heating effectively, or making rumbling sounds), consider an ENERGY STAR® rated heat pump water heater. These are up to 4 times more efficient and use 70% less energy than a standard model, potentially saving you up to $330 per year. Heat pump technology has come a long way, and uses electricity to move heat from one place to another, instead of using electricity to generate heat. While the upfront cost of a heat pump water heater is more than a standard water heater, there are state rebates and federal tax incentives to help lower the access barrier for many families. Ultimately, the long term savings will make the upgrade worth it in the long run. 

Some quick tips if you are in the process of replacing your water heater:

1. Check out the Rheem water heater brochure Smart Electric WH to jumpstart your research

2. Installing a heat pump water heater is not a DIY job!

1. Find a local, licensed plumber

   1. Ask for a referral from local family and friends

   2. Search Nextdoor, or Facebook group

   3. Confirm they’ve installed a heat pump water heater in the past, and have a plan for the “condensate” drain line

2. You’ll likely have to contract an electrician to install a higher power circuit

   1. It will likely be 30A 240V for most heat pump water heaters (check the manual to confirm)

Budget and Recommendations

Budget: $1500-$3000

Rebates: $500 to replace electric or $3000 to replace gas (PG&E/Peninsula Clean Energy) 

$1000 (BayREN)

Suggested Brands: Rheem, Bradford and White

Browse more options here

Refrigerators

Refrigerators use about 4% of a home’s total energy. A new refrigerator that is ENERGY STAR® rated uses more efficient compressors that require less energy and create less heat, have better insulation, and have more efficient technology for regulating temperature and humidity. Energy.gov estimates your total savings to be $220 over a new refrigerator’s 12-year lifetime.

Budget: $600-$3000 

Clothes Dryers

Clothes dryers use about 3.2% of your total energy, and similarly to other appliances, an updated dryer will be more efficient than your old one. ENERGY STAR® rated dryers use 20% less energy. When shopping for a dryer, look for the moisture sensor feature, which will shut off the dryer when it senses your clothes are dry - saving you energy and money. 

Next generation dryers may include heat pump technology, allowing you to save up to 60% more energy than a conventional dryer. These dryers use less heat to dry your clothes and often run longer per drying cycle.  Heat pump clothes dryers are also known as “ventless” dryers as they don’t require an exhaust vent out of your house. This saves one often leaky hole, and also allows you to locate dryers on interior walls (near a drain).

Budget and Recommendations

Budget: Standard $400-1000, Heat pump $1000-2000

Rebate: Heat pump clothes dryer $300 BayREN

Your windows are a source of beautiful, natural light, but could also be causing your energy bill to be higher than necessary. If heat can easily travel through your windows, your heating and cooling systems may be working harder to compensate. 

Here are 4 ways to make your windows more energy efficient:

Seal Leaks

Examine your windows thoroughly and check for air leaks. Are there any cracks or gaps? Carefully caulk or apply weather stripping to these areas. 

Window Coverings

Install energy efficient window coverings. This can help prevent heat from leaking outside during winter, and prevent heat from entering during the summer.

Storm Windows

Consider the option of installing storm windows, which is less expensive than switching all single pane windows to double pane, but gives comparable energy savings. 

Replacing Windows

Lastly, if you decide to replace your existing windows, look for the ENERGY STAR® label and review ratings on the energy performance label from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) to find the most efficient window for your home.

Heating and cooling your home requires a lot of energy - about 40% of your total energy consumption. If you have already addressed your windows and have a smart thermostat, these next steps will be an added layer of efficiency in keeping your home comfortable.

Air ducts

Similar to our discussion about windows above, a large source of energy loss can occur through air ducts, the system of tubes that carries air throughout your home in order to help heat or cool your space. 

First, ensure that your air ducts are sealed and insulated. If you want to take it a step further, adjust the way the air ducts flow throughout the home. Consider this: If hot air is being carried through an unheated area of your home, that section of the system will leak heat to the cold area. Air ducts can be strategically blocked and/or coupled with new additions in order to create a more energetically efficient flow of heat and air. If you’re in the position of renovating or rebuilding, do your research to ensure you are designing the most efficient system for that space.

Budget

Budget:

Rebates: $200 for sealing, $800 for replacement (BayREN)  

Insulation and Weatherstripping

Weatherstripping helps to seal air leaks around movable components in your home, such as doors or operable windows (whereas caulking is best for stationary components). There are many types of weatherstripping materials depending on the location, frequency of use, cost, and appearance. Energy.gov provides a great chart detailing the different options for the various locations in your home that might need weatherstripping with advantages and disadvantages. There is income-based assistance for weatherstripping and varies by state. Check program offerings and your eligibility here. Good insulation in your home will help lower your heating and cooling costs as well as overall comfort. Before adding insulation, you’ll need to learn where your home already has insulation, what type it is, and the thickness or R-value of the insulation. A home energy audit can help you assess where insulation is necessary. Read more about insulation here.

Heat pump System

A traditional HVAC system typically consists of an air-conditioning system and a furnace to cool and heat your home. A heat pump system can do both, and more efficiently! Heat pumps are not a new technology, but have gained popularity in recent years thanks to updated technology. In the most basic terms, heat pumps transfer heat where you want it: inside during cold months and outside during hot months. Because it is transferring heat and not generating heat, it requires less energy. 

Budget

Budget: $2500-$10,000

Rebates: $3500 (Peninsula Clean Energy)

IRA: Tax credit 30%, up to $2000. Rebates up to $4000 to make electrical upgrades in preparation for heat pump system