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Yesterday I spent some time installing a tubular skylight. I had been thinking about this for quite a while. I have one bathroom that does not have a window. It is in a hall and does not get light from other windows. Kind of a dark place.
I have installed compact fluorescent bulbs in almost all fixtures to help cut costs. This "free" light sure sees like a good idea.
The install was pretty easy. It probably took about half the day including shopping for the tubular skylight kit, and making a second trip to town for some sharp sawzall blades.
I really like it! The natural light is much nicer. We have no need to turn on a light from dawn to dusk.
I bought my 10" ODL tubular skylight kit from HomeDepot for $159. It includes everything needed but the tools. I had to make some changes to work with the cathedral ceilings, but really like the results.

Another thing I have done for cutting cooling costs is to cover windows for the summer. I have been using the fabric collapsible sunshades for automobiles on some windows. They do a great job and fit the windows pretty well.

The Insultech foil and bubble pack insulation works great for those odd shaped windows and the big skylights in the kitchen. We have a bamboo roll up shade on the porch and I may add some to the west side of the house as well.

I am sure you are well acquainted with a programmable thermostat and the savings there. That is one that will pay back quickly the initial investment.

I would love to add some solar panels and drop off the grid, but thus far it just does not pencil out. My last calculation had it taking 73 years to break even , and that was with surplus panels. Energy costs here are not as high as some areas since much of our power is hydroelectric. If costs do increase significantly the tide could change. I used a solar powered flood light as a test case. It did not work very well at all. The battery is long since dead. This has discouraged me somewhat on the viability of a solar based system that depends upon battery storage. Grid storage is a better option and the direction I would go for a whole house.

I built a small windmill generator to visualize the potential for power generation here. We just don't get enough to justify the investment there either. I was worried about the lifespan and mechanical failure rate, but those concerns have been satisfied with the test mule. It has been trouble free for many years now.

Some day I may drop the shop off the grid. I think a combination of solar and wind might work for the shop since it does see long periods of rest and would have time to recover energy storage.

We try to dry clothes on the line outside, but sometimes our routine does not allow us the time to hang them out as much as we would like. That is a pretty good energy saver for sure. We currently dry with an electric dryer. I really should have install a natural gas dryer, but was sick of maintaining them at a laundromat I used to keep going. That may be what I install if we ever need a new clothes dryer.

I have had a water heat exchanger offered to me. I just have not taken the time to get it or think much about plumbing it in. I did double insulate the water heater we have. I can't say if it helps all that much on a gas water heater that is pretty efficient already.
Our heating needs are done with natural gas. Water, furnace, stove, cooking stove and oven. It has been pretty reasonable. Our monthly utility bills run probably an average of $100 per month for both natural gas and electricity.

What have you done?

HenryJ wrote:..........What have you done?

I burned about a tank of gas wheeling today in the XJ but, I didn't turn on the AC. I figured I saved a little fossil fuel

I do plan on hitting my home's front windows with that reflective tint because it faces south west and really heats up the place late afternoon. He_l Brule, I live in an in ground brick home and there is not a whole lot I can do! Skylights are not an option but solar panels might be in the future. I'll replace stuff with stuff that is more energy efficient when my stuff breaks but, I ain't gonna run out and replace good items to be more energy efficient. It's a proven fact that the hybrids take so long to make up for the extra costs that it isn't worth it.

I went through this in the initial ecology wave and it didn't get us anywhere! I hope it does this time.

f9k9 wrote:... I live in an in ground brick home and there is not a whole lot I can do! Skylights are not an option but solar panels might be in the future. I'll replace stuff with stuff that is more energy efficient when my stuff breaks but, I ain't gonna run out and replace good items to be more energy efficient.

There may not be much you need to do?
The tube skylight is very different from your standard skylight. It looks just like a ceiling mounted light fixture. I find it hard to believe that there is any application where they could not be used. There are places that do not need them. If you already have a window there is no need.
I doubt that the tube skylight that I added will ever pay out. The light is nicer than electric. Natural light is much better. It has become a fun joke around the house. "Someone left the light on", "I tried turning it off again"
Light fixtures can be cost effective. Compact fluorescents pay back pretty quickly. Especially when you get them for free from your power provider, or an sale for a buck a piece. Many power providers have programs to pay the power forward. Any they can save is an investment in power to be delivered.

Shades might be better than tint in the winter.

Solar panels are a neat novelty, but not cost effective yet.
Replacing appliances is a waste since you may never recover the costs incurred. Waiting for them to need replacement and getting the most efficient you can afford at that time is the best choice.

What about water conservation?

I have ceiling fans in the living / family room and the bedroom. This adds some comfort and we can run the AC a little less.

Where would you gain the most from improving efficiency?

The place was built in late 93. It is a 2 BR, 1 bathroom, combo kitchen/DR and a Living room. It was what I was looking for when I was single. 1 BR is shutdown for heating and cooling. Reversible ceiling fans in the DR and BR. Made the toilet mod a couple yrs ago. The attic is actually a "crawl space" with very hard objects every 16" apart and very well insulated. The roof angle is shallow and every time I have been in there, I swear it is my last last! Natural lighting would be wonderful in the bathroom but, lighting a homemade beeswax candle would appeal to me long before attempting your type of answer. It just isn't feasible here. Is there there more that I could do? Yes!

You guys keep saving energy, I need it all!! My A/C has been running constantly since the beginning of May (Swamp Cooler before that). I think the most it has stopped running this month is about 10 minutes. 1685 sq foot house here...My summer bills riun about $280 for May-Sep., and about $150 the rest of the year.

HenryJ wrote:Yesterday I spent some time installing a tubular skylight.

This skylight was a great investment. It was tax deductible this year as an energy saving device.
One of the better household mods.

This Year I Have Done The CFL Light Conversion, I Had Ceiling Fans In Every Room In My House, 5 Total (small ranch), They Use 4 Bulbs Each, I Have 4 60 Watt Standard Bulbs In Each 1 Now They Have 4-40 Watt CFL's (use 11 watts each) In Each Fixture. Got A 4 Pack Of CFL's At Walmart For About $6.00 A Box. I Have 2 Larger Fluorescent In My Kitchen, Smaller Fluorescents In My Hallways, My Outside Lights Are CFL Buglights, And My Garage Is Lit On Fluorescents Too.

Absolutely on those CFL's from Wally World. A person should make a goal to convert one or two roms per month until the house is done. Guess I'm kinda radical here but maybe someone needs to be thinking about outlawing the old "Eidison" bulbs. They've served us well, now time for them to go away. Hey, if the old ones were outlawed, we could have a new burecracy to support, the Light Bulb Police!


All kidding aside, I have converted my house and like to think I'm making a difference.

Don't be so fast to out-law my regular incandescent bulbs. The current CFLs have mercury in them which means in five years when we all start throwing them out they have to go in a special collection for hazardous waste. Incandescent lights are becoming more efficent also. I found this qoute in This Old House Magazine: "Within a couple of years, GE promises an incandescent that will be nearly as energy-efficient as its CFLs."
You can read the whole article at
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article ... -4,00.html

brandons4door wrote:Don't be so fast to out-law my regular incandescent bulbs. The current CFLs have mercury in them which means in five years when we all start throwing them out they have to go in a special collection for hazardous waste.

I Don't See Where Incandesents Need to Be Outlawed, But I Find My Cfl's Give Off A Lot More Light And A Lot Less Heat And Supposedly Use A Lot Less Wattage, My Local Landfill Already Has A Hazardous Waste Section Where I Take All My Paints, Old Tv's Oil, Antifreeze Ect, So I'm Sure They Will Be Ready For The Cfl's. It's Kinda Funny Though Everybody Seems Worried About The Trace Amount Of Mercury A Cfl Has, I Can Remember Playing With The Stuff In My Younger Days At School And People Didn't Get Too Worried...

My whole hose is using CFL with the exception of a couple flood lights outside and a lamp in the dog house for the cat to stay warm. I also have one in a lamp that is remotely controlled. The CFL did not work properly in that application. We do still need incandescents.
The fluorescent loop bulb in the kitchen ,which gets used lots went ten years.
The talk I hear is that retailers will be required to recycle them. A core charge and return policy much like automotive batteries?
There are lots of hazardous substances that need to be disposed of properly. I don't see the CFL as any different than other items that need proper disposal.

okie s10 wrote: Guess I'm kinda radical here but maybe someone needs to be thinking about outlawing the old "Eidison" bulbs. They've served us well, now time for them to go away. Hey, if the old ones were outlawed, we could have a new burecracy to support, the Light Bulb Police!

Apparently you don't listen to the news much. Bush signed it into law as part of the new energy bill already. No more incandescents after 2012 is what I understand. Yes they do contain mercury. There's already a furor starting over that one. They say if you break one in the house you should get all children, pets, and pregnant women evacuated then use a cardboard or stiff heavy paper to clean up the mess. Also say don't vaccuum up the pieces as this could spread it into the air. They strongly suggest you cut out the carpet (if carpeted floor) and dispose of that piece as well.
Sounds drastic to me. I have nothing against compact fluorescents but I DO have a problem with it being mandated by a LAW. Just another infringement of personal liberties in this country. There are several other laws I don't like as well that infringe on liberties as well but that's for another post or time.

Cool, That may be the push we all need!

Seriously thought this may open the door to some tax breaks, rebates, incentives, etc. The cost of LED lighting is coming down fast and the technology improving. That will be my next step. Incandescent to CFL was a 70% reduction. Going LED will take that another 70% or more.

A little over 2 watts for the 200 watt flood light I am currently using sounds good to me. No sensitivity to the on /off and no warm up needed. Lifespan out there in the tens of thousands of hours. I'm in!

This may be artificially creating a market and boost to the industry. Too bad consumers don't take the initiative themselves.
I am stockpiling my incandescent bulbs. Anyone want to buy black market 60w softwhite GE?

Gonna give a "bulk" price on em? I plan on stockpiling a few cause there's a few places that that's about all that'll work. And no I don't want to change out hundreds of bucks worth of fixtures to be able to use CFL's.

FAQ: The End of the Light Bulb as We Know It

Here Is Some Reading, But Believe What You May This Is The Internet

Right in line with what I've been hearing on the daytime talk radio shows. One of my main concerns is doubt about how energy saving they are since in my home there are only two of us and we both have firmly engrained the habit if you leave the room turn out the light. There's seldom more than one light on at any time in my home. If I have to leave a CFL on 15 minutes to avoid shortening it's life then how much will I really save since many times my wife or I go into another room and get something and upon leaving turn out the light. Usually less than 5 minutes. According to their advice this will greatly shorten the life of the CFL. Thus having to buy them more often incurring more replacement costs and not to mention the cost of production using energy to make them. Not old fashioned just money conscious.

I treat them no differently. My kitchen bulb sees the most abuse and it went ten years. I have a feeling your fears may be unfounded and somewhat "dated".