Browsing articles tagged with "Conserve energy consumption via your electrical system"

Advantages of LED lamps and high-efficiency lamps

Jan 27, 2013   //   by Robert Monk   //   Electric 101 Blog, Smart Energy Blog  //  No Comments

It’s not just about energy savings: CFL’s, LED’s and other SSL types offer aesthetic, labor-saving, and special-application advantages

Compact fluorescent,  and LED and other high-efficiency lamps in the emerging field of Solid State Lighting (SSL) promise dramatic advantages in energy use and control convenience in homes, businesses and industry. Although high-efficiency has been the primary focus in promotion of these lamps, all the new technologies also claim significantly longer lamp life, as well as a variety of other advantages not widely reported.

Read on about CFL and SSL advantages relating to lamp life, power factor, and reduced fading from UV

New ceiling fans for summer (and winter)

May 20, 2011   //   by Robert Monk   //   New in electricity..., Smart Energy Blog  //  2 Comments

Summer is a’ coming and ceiling fans are a time-tested green technology that can stand-in for air conditioning at a fraction of the installed and operating costs, or significantly reduce operating cost to achieve a given ‘wind chill’ comfort level for those who have already installed A/C.

In the right finish, a ceiling fan may tie room paint and furniture together like a rug.

2FL Rear: ceiling fan in master bedroom

Replacing the ceiling fan your dad put up?

Some things have changed.

 

Read more on the options and new pitfalls for ceiling fans and controls in the era of the high-efficiency lightbulb >>

Basement bath renovations electrical

May 13, 2011   //   by Robert Monk   //   Job Roll, Portfolio Blog, Residential Renovation  //  No Comments

The scope of this electrical contract for bath renovations in a tight basement area was to provide all new point to point wiring and devices/fixtures. Also, to delete a pair of wall outlet locations, move one to coordinate with the new vanity cabinet location and enclosed shower stall, add a new ceiling fixture location and expand switching controls to provide for separate controls on each lighting point, the exhaust fan, and newly-added ceiling heater.

Bath renovations with vanity GFCI and logic-controlled heater timer

The NEC-required GFCI receptacle at the vanity features GFCI protection from a remote device in the utility room behind the shower enclosure (glass walls not yet installed), avoiding unnecessary button clutter on the devices located in this finished area.

Bath renovations featuring 3-gang lighting and exhaust fan controls

3-gang lighting and fan controls includes a logic-controlled fan timer to conserve energy.

LED lamping for shower stall recessed light avoids nuisance of difficult lamp changes for basement bath renovations

A damp location recessed fixture lamped with new LED technology will not need a lamp change for up to 50,000 hours of lamp on-time. The LED performs particularly well in this application, where the luminaire uses its focused downward beam to the maximum, the diffuser adds a bit of warmth to the otherwise slightly cool 3000K color temperature, and the difficult lamp-change procedure behind a gasketed damp location recess trim could be a nuisance using shorter-life lamps (even CFL's have a rated life less than half as long).

Robert Monk Electric delivered the electrical installation as quoted during coordination on a tight schedule with other trades. A $50 additional charge applied to relocate the heater timer from beside the entrance doorway to beside the vanity GFCI (requested during construction), and the customer approved a $10 charge (cost) for the upgrade to LED lamp for the recessed damp location ceiling light.

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PennFuture announces new Keystone HELP money available

Apr 26, 2011   //   by Robert Monk   //   Customer Resource Blog, Smart Energy Blog, Solar PV Blog  //  No Comments

More HELP available for energy efficiency upgrades

PennFuture says:

Looking to make your home more energy efficient? Pennsylvanians can now couple Keystone HELP energy efficiency loans with utility rebate programs for HVAC, whole house improvements and other qualifying energy efficiency products.
Read more at Keystone HELP.

Energy Conservation for Qualifying Low/Moderate Income

Apr 15, 2011   //   by Robert Monk   //   Customer Resource Blog, Smart Energy Blog  //  No Comments
Pennsylvania has a number of federally- and state-funded programs to assist low- and moderate-income people pay their energy bills and keep houses warm.
Low-income qualifiers are eligible for a state minimum $300/year credit on the primary energy bill used for heating (electric or gas, depending on your home) under the Low Income Heating Energy Assisatance Program (LIHEAP). If a member of the household is 5 years or younger, or over 60 years, the base amount increases by $100, and amounts up to $1000 for the year are available in certain crisis circumstances.
Moderate-income qualifiers may not be eligible for any LIHEAP assistance, but PECO in Philadelphia and other Energy Distribution Companies (EDC’s) in other regions, allocate a percentage of all rate-payer income for Low Income Usage Reduction Programs (LIURP’s), which provides cash payment for energy conservation housing improvements for both homeowners and renters seeking to reduce their home heating bills.
Low- and moderate-income households can get funding to reduce their energy bill by measures such as
  • Attic insulation
  • Door and windows upgrades
  • Water heater replacement
  • Boiler/furnace replacements and upgrades Read more >>

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LOVEphilly

  • Bartram's Gardens Founded in Philadelphia’s colonial era, today the gardens continue pioneering in horticulture and agriculture with a variety of herbs, trees and other vegetation in an arboretum/gardens on the Schulkill River banks, and a new farm abutting sadly neglected
  • HiddenCity Philadelphia Surprising places it takes an adventurer to discover; events, too.
  • Philly Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off Schedule City of Philadelphia dates and places for disposing of spent batteries, CFL lamps, unused paint and cleaning products, etc. LovePhilly: don’t pour these in the drain or send them out with the trash.
  • Reading Terminal Market Purveyors of fine foods and foodie stuff, all under one roof downtown under the PA Convention Center
  • Secret Garden on the Rails Jacques-Jean Tiziou shows some dramatic natural and urban and naturalized-urban scenes along abandoned rails of Philadelphia
  • Sketch Burger, Fishtown A vegan-friendly burger joint with a #1 in Philly contender beef burger, best fries that somehow stay fresh for 1/2 hour while you tackle burger, and a vegan cafe vibe of friendly folks.
  • WXPN: Philly sings in key of love Love songs by Philly artists