Reduce winter heating bills
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Purdue college researchers demonstrate us 1 great technique to reduce 50% of winter home heating bills:
Researchers at Purdue University are working on a new research project that promises the potential to reduce heating bill in half for folks who reside in very cold climates. The study, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, builds on previous work that began about 5 years ago at Purdue’s Ray W. Herrick Laboratories.
Heat pumps provide heating in winter and cooling in summer but are not efficient in extreme cold climates. The analysis involves changes to the way heat pumps operate to ensure they are more efficient in extreme cold temperatures.
Heating bills are outta control!
The revolutionary technology works by modifying the traditional vapor-compression cycle behind standard air conditioning and refrigeration.
The typical vapor-compression cycle has four stages:
1° Refrigerant is compressed as a vapor
2° Condenses into a liquid
3° Expands to a mixture of liquid and vapor
4° Then evaporates
The project will investigate two cooling approaches throughout the compression process.
In one approach, relatively considerable amounts of oil are injected into the compressor to absorb heat generated through the compression stage.
In the second approach, a combination of liquid and vapor refrigerant from the expansion stage is injected at various points during compression to supply cooling.
The newest heat pumps may be half as expensive to operate as heating technologies now used in cold regions where gas is unavailable and residents count on electric heaters and liquid propane.
In the meanwhile here some tips to improve you home air quality and save energy:
- Ensure your thermostat is located in a spot that’s not too cold or hot.
- Install an automatic timer to keep the thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees at night.
- Use storm or thermal windows in colder areas. The layer of air between the windows acts as insulation and helps keep the heat inside where you are interested.
- If you haven’t already, insulate your attic and all outside walls.
- Insulate floors over unheated spaces like your basement, any crawl spaces plus your garage.
- Close off the attic, garage, basement, spare bedrooms and storage areas. Heat only those rooms that you use.
- Seal gaps around any pipes, wires, vents or other openings that could transfer your heat to areas that are not heated.
- Dust is a wonderful insulator and tends to build up on radiators and baseboard heat vents.
Most people have no idea that common indoor air quality practices reduce home air heating costs too:
- Rain and high humidity can bring moisture indoors, creating dampness, mold and mildew — big problems for healthy indoor air. Check your roof, foundation and basement or crawlspace once a year to catch leaks or moisture problems and route water away from your home’s foundation.
- Help keep asthma triggers away from your house by fixing leaks and drips once they start. Standing water and high humidity encourage the growth of dust mites, fungus — some of the most common triggers that can worsen asthma. Utilize a dehumidifier or ac unit when needed, and clean both regularly.
- High amounts of moisture in your house increase dampness and the growth of mold, which not only damage your house but threaten health. Install and run exhaust fans in bathrooms to get rid of unhealthy moisture and odors from your home.
- Ventilate your kitchen stove directly outside or open a kitchen window when you cook. Keeping exhaust — including cooking odors and particles — outside of your home prevents dangerous fumes and particles from harming you or your family.
About me – Rosalind Dall writes for the ductless split system air conditioner blog, her personal hobby blog focused on tips to help people consume less energy and purify indoor air.
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