Easy Ways Lower Your A/C Bill

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In Phoenix, air conditioning accounts for about 60% of your home’s electricity costs. In some cases, during the summer, energy bills will double because of the A/C use. To combat these outrageous energy prices, most Phoenicians will switch to the APS and SRP time of use plan. On this plan most will only do laundry at night and will set the thermostat up during the day. Here are seven ways you can save on A/C costs without spending thousands of dollars upgrading your A/C unit to a high efficiency unit.

Leave your doors open
Your interior doors of course! Phoenix air conditioning companies have spread a lot of false information out there about closing your vents and doors.  You want all the interior doors open or at least cracked to help circulate air back to the return.

Seal the ductwork
Around Phoenix, most homes are losing between 20% and 30% of their conditioned air in their attic. If 60% of your energy bill is coming from your use of A/C in the summer and 20% of your conditioned air isn’t making in to the actual rooms then you can see how that can add up to quite a bit- especially over 5 years!

Some HVAC contractors don’t seal the ductwork on new, high efficiency air conditioners which is like driving a Prius with a hole in the gas tank.  Sealing your HVAC ductwork not only saves money on your heating and cooling bills, it brings less dust in the home too.

Air seal your home
Sealing your home, especially around exterior doors, electrical and plumbing penetrations, and recessed canned lights will keep your conditioned air inside and the outside air outside. Chances are, when your house was built, the builder ran wires and plumbing plates through holes in the wall that are much bigger than the wires themselves. That extra space around the wires can let your expensive, air-conditioned air leak outside—and invite hot, summer air inside. This leads to heat gain quickly and makes your A/C unit work harder and more often.

Install shade screens
Shade screens block up to 90% of the sun’s conductive heat while still allowing sunlight in. Windows account from more than half of your homes heat gain because they have no insulation value and are (obviously) transparent.

If you’ve been holding back on shade screens because you don’t like the way they look, shop around! There are a lot of discrete designs that are coming out. Or, take them off in the winter! Shade screens are typically clipped onto the frame and can be very easily removed after the summer is over.

Increase your insulation’s R-value
Are you even surprised that Phoenix attics get really hot during the summer? The temperature difference between the attic and the house can be a major contributor to high A/C costs. Having the insulation up to R-38 can protect your home from taking on the heat from your attic and make sure it’s not taking a toll on your bill.

Make sure there’s no connection between your garage and your house
This is one of the lesser known causes of high energy bills and is surprisingly common in houses in Glendale, Scottsdale and Gilbert. Like the attic, the garage gets very hot during the summer. Temperature differences is one of the  main drivers of heat gain and having a direct connection to that is like filling a pool with a slash in the liner.

Annual A/C unit tune up
​The most important aspect to this tip is that the tune ups are done by a trusted, experienced, and reliable contractor. I personally know that finding a reliable HVAC contractor can be difficult.  Just because your friend is in the air conditioning business does not necessarily mean that they will do a good job.  I have been in too many homes where an AC contractor and friend installed a new unit and cut way too many corners simply because that’s the way they’ve been doing it for the last 20 years.  After that’s done, fixing any of their work is much more difficult.

Here’s an easy test that you can do yourself to see if you’re paying too much for your A/C. With the A/C on, close a bedroom door. Place your hand under the door to see if you can feel air coming out of the room. If you feel air coming out then your room pressures are unbalanced and you are probably paying too much for your A/C. Have an APS or SRP Home Energy Auditor do a home performance assessment to actually measure the pressure in each room to determine if correction is needed.

​Following these tips are a great first step to lowering your bills and taking control of your A/C use. For other ways to save money on your utility bills, be sure to check out our past articles and get up to speed on APS and SRP energy audits for your home. Feel free to call Green ID for more information or schedule your energy audit.

The Arizona summer home checklist!

There are a few things that you can do to prepare for the intense Arizona summer heat that is headed our way! These tips can help you keep your home cool and give you the comfort you need!

1. Check attic insulation

Making sure that your attic is properly insulated can assure you that the cool air that you’re A/C unit is producing aren’t seeping right out of the walls!

2. Clean your air filters

Checking to make sure that your air filters are clean of dust and other things will assure that you’re getting the maximum amount of airflow in your home without that conditioned air being blocked by your clogged filter.

3. Make sure there are no air leaks

By making sure that there are no air leaks in your home or in your ventilation system you’ll know that your conditioned air is getting to each room and staying there. Warm air leaking into your home can waste a lot of your energy dollars. These leaks are most often found in a home’s ceilings, walls, ducts, door and windows.

4. Give your vents space

Blocking vents in your home with furniture or curtains could be limiting the air flow in your home.  By making sure that there’s not any type of obstruction of airflow your homes cool air will spread more evenly throughout rooms.

5. A/C tune ups

Cleaning your air conditioning unit’s coils and fins once a year can go a long way. It’s even better to have it serviced annually by a professional to make sure that your unit is running to its optimum ability. 

The Most Common Home Efficiency Recommendations That Energy Auditors Give in Phoenix

All houses are different, but throughout the valley there are similar construction techniques and practices that are used on the majority of homes. These locally frequent practices could be the cause of your high energy bills, temperature differences within rooms, and poor indoor air quality.  Through many years of experience, the energy auditors at Green ID have found that fixing these construction flaws can improve your quality of life through lower utility bills, better air quality, and consistent air temperature from room to room.

We will go into detail about what our auditors have found to be the most common home efficiency recommendations around Phoenix.

1. Seal the ducts. SRP estimates that the typical Phoenix home loses 20% of its air-conditioned air through faulty ducts. Some installers will take shortcuts when it comes the dealing duct leaks but ENERGY STAR tells us that a duct system that is properly sealed can save up to 25% of heating and air conditioning costs.

2. Air-seal the house. Chances are, when your house was built, the builder ran wires and plumbing plates through holes in the wall that are much bigger than the wires themselves. That extra space around the wires can let your expensive, air-conditioned indoor air leak outside—and invite hot, summer air inside. This leads to heat gain quickly.

3. Add insulation or fix improperly placed insulation. In hot climates, having a well-insulated attic is crucial. This means insulation should have an “R” value (efficiency rating) of at least 30 or higher. Some homes in Arizona don’t have any attic insulation at all or have attics with insulation where it’s improperly installed.

4. Shade your windows. Windows are one of the things that are most to blame for heat entering your home. Help keep this heat out by closing curtains on the sunny side of your home or adding shade screens to your windows. According to the Electric League of Arizona, shade screens can reduce heat from the sun by about 50%.

5. Upgrade lights and appliances. Incandescent light bulbs add heat to your home and use far more electricity. Swapping them out for CFLs or LEDs can significantly reduce your energy use and has one of the fastest payback times of any energy improvement you can make.

​Get a home energy audit to get an in depth view of how your home is using energy. Homeowners won’t know which energy improvement projects are the most cost-effective if they don’t know how well or poorly their home uses energy. Home energy audits help pinpoint energy leaks and malfunctioning systems, and provide cost-benefit analyses for various energy-saving fixes. This service can find up to 35% in energy bill savings.

Know Your Ducts

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We’ve discussed different types of insulation, and why you should get a home energy audit, but what about ductwork? Simply put, a duct is the channel that carries cooled air from the air conditioning unit through your home, and also removes warm or stale air. Ducts for central air conditioning can also be used for heating and filtering systems. Let’s look at some of the different types of ducts needed for air conditioning.

Sheet Metal Air Ducts

The most common type of ridged air duct is constructed of galvanized steel or aluminum. Aluminum in particular is relatively light and easy to install. They may be round, rectangular, or in the form of a spiral oval. These are the types of ducts that you’ve see in movies – usually with an action hero crawling through them! Sheet metal air ducts are the most durable type of air duct construction, and because of their non-porous surface, are the least likely to have mold or biological growth.

Fiberglass Lined Air Ducts

Some sheet metal air ducts are lined with an external or internal fiberglass duct liner. Fiberglass lining is used to insulate air ducts from heat loss or to avoid condensation in cases where the supply air is very cold, or there is a high ambient humidity in the plenum. Fiberglass lining also provides sound attenuation, reducing the noise of the HVAC system. Because of the dampened sound benefit, this type of duct is common in office and commercial buildings. However, the fiberglass in these ducts can deteriorate and eventually release fiberglass particles into the air – which is a major health concern, especially with long-term exposure. Fiberglass lined ducts also have the potential to become contaminated with molds and bacteria.

Fiberboard Air Ducts

Fiberboard air ducts are constructed with boards of compressed resin bonded inorganic glass fibers. They have a foil face on the outside that serves as the air barrier and water vapor retarder. The interior of fiberboard air duct is sealed to prevent fiberglass fibers from entering the air stream. Fiberboard air duct also provides acoustical and thermal benefits, and are typically the most inexpensive air duct systems to install. This type of duct is good for cooling and heating systems because it is well insulated by itself. However, it is not recommended for ventilation because it can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew in humid climates. Also, because the surface is rough, it can affect airflow and efficiency.

Flexible Air Ducts

Flexible air ducts are constructed with a spring steel wire helix, encapsulated in a 2-ply, polymer plastic. Flexible air ducts are inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to install. It is important that the lengths of the flexible air ducts be kept as short as possible as the amount that they bend greatly effects system performance. Typically, flexible ducts are tube shaped. This type of ducting is best in tricky spaces where rigid ducts are just not possible to install, or used to attach non-flexible ductwork to an air supply outlet. Kinks, bends, and turns need to be minimized in installation, as these issues reduce air flow and could hamper the efficiency and effectiveness of the air conditioner.

When installing an air conditioning system, consult with Green ID to find out which type of duct is best for your home.

After The Energy Audit...

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If you have an energy audit done for your house, feel free to give yourself a pat on the back. You just took the very first step to a more efficient and comfortable home. 

But it's not over yet! You may have been given small verbal updates on the state of your house during the audit, but the true results don't come in until later. You should have a follow-up appointment scheduled soon after the initial audit, where you will be able to see your audit report in-depth and be able to ask questions about it. This is where you might receive a list of possible fixes for the found inefficiencies in your home. 


​The next step is to make a plan! Write down what issues you want to prioritize, and what solutions you want to use on them. ​A good portion of the expected work might require professional touches. But don’t think you can’t do anything yourself. Some quick DIY fixes, along with the additional fixes your home might need, can have your AC running in tip-top shape even as the summer heat rages on outside. 

Energy Usage in Your Home

Going Somewhere this Summer? Save Energy While You're Gone.

It's that time of year again. Beaches, barbecues, road trips, and more! If you're going on vacation this summer (or you're a snowbird), make sure you follow these 5 tips to save on energy while you're gone.

TIP 1: Turn up the thermostat! You've likely heard this one before, but it's still an important tip. Keep it at around 90 degrees. Warm enough to save energy on your AC, but cool enough to be able to come home to a livable house.

TIP 2: Turn off the water heater. It's not like you'll be using it! You can choose to either completely shut it off, or if there's a vacation setting, feel free to use it.

TIP 3: Get rid of your energy vampires. It's not Halloween yet, but there are still vampires lurking around in the shadows of your house. Your electronics! Again, you're not going to use them, so keeping them plugged in is just a waste.

TIP 4: Keep water around. Bottle up some gallons of water and place them around the house for when it gets too dry.

TIP 5: Cover up those windows. Your windows are a major source of heat gain in your house, so just by covering them up, you'll be saving a ton of energy. A window shade screen works best, but any kind of shading will do.

​Safe travels, everyone!

Comfort & Payback in Your Home

Making green upgrades to your home can majorly increase your comfort. Unfortunately, comfort and quick paybacks don’t always go hand in hand. Upgrades like window replacements, garage insulation and increasing insulation levels to assure they’re up to the R-38 standard, are all upgrades where the most cost effective solution may not align with your lifestyle conditions. For example, replacing single pane windows in good condition is not cost-effective but the price paid for one south or west-facing window may be well worth the cost if it cools down a hot office or reduces traffic noise at night. It’s clear that in some situations the lifestyle conditions may outweigh the cost or payback of upgrades.

Insulation changes are another popular upgrade that homeowners choose to make. Adding insulation can often times give homeowners greater temperature control in their home but not every home is the same in terms of insulation. If a home has already met a R-38 Energy Star standard adding more may still save you money on utilities but only by a small margin opposed to adding insulation to an aged home where the insulation has sank. In the later example the upgrade would most likely save the home owners much more on their utility bills. Often the more important issue is finding out how the insulation installed.  A 5% defect in the installation will cut the R-value (its effectiveness) by 50%.

All considerations for upgrades can be discussed with an energy auditor who will give you their professional and unbiased opinion of the most cost effective upgrades you can be making in your home. It’s important to get a professional opinion when making investments that could save you money and increase your comfort. 

What is an Energy Audit?

Energy audits in Arizona are done to identify energy saving opportunities for home owners who want to lower their monthly bills, who are unsure what energy saving upgrades would be best for their home, who want to improve their health by cutting down on allergens and pollutants coming from the outdoors, and home owners who want an unbiased energy analysis and recommendations.

​An auditor will analyze your energy consumption and home performance by inspecting the layout of the home, its thermal envelope, air flow, and air leakage. This 41-point home energy audit will take into consideration any large appliances in the home as well as lifestyle factors when putting together your final report. This report put together by Green ID’s home-as-a-system inspection is a unique comprehensive action plan for how you can reduce the energy action in your home. This report will outline beneficial upgrades for your home, estimated costs, and payback periods.

Having a home energy audit can help with a variety of problems that you may be experiencing in your home whether it be hot/cold rooms, abnormally high energy bills, low air flow, noise control issues, and drafty rooms. Getting an energy audit can improve almost any home’s energy consumption unless it was designed specifically for energy efficiency.

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful... But my Cool House Feels Delightful!

Well, it's certainly not snowing here in Phoenix around this time of summer. With our infamous heat and unrelenting sunlight, our air conditioners are working overtime just to keep our homes at a livable temperature. That also means it's that time of year when you're probably spending a ton of money on your energy bills. If only there was anything that could be done...

Oh, wait! There is. A huge reason for heat gain in your home is the windows, which are always the least insulated part of any home. Think about all the houses you pass by every day with windows directly in the sun's rays, and no or minimal shading and covering. What a terrible fate! These people must be spending a small fortune to cool their house! 

Or maybe you see your neighbors with all kinds of window treatments! Some neighbors might have awnings. Some might have sun shades. Some might just have some shady trees or vines! Great! But how do you know where to go with all these options?

Well, luckily, here's a list of some window treatments that will help curb your heat gain... And, by extension, lower those bills, and make it easier on your AC unit, too! Feels a bit like Christmas in July, right?

Can I Use Spray Foam Insulation In My Cement Block Home?

So you’ve heard about spray foam insulation, but you live in a block home. This makes you wonder, is it even possible to have spray foam in a cement block home? What about in an older home?
​
The answer is YES!

The ideal way to install spray foam insulation in a cement block home is during construction. This allows our professional installers direct access to the empty concrete block cells that will be filled with the spray foam product.

However, even after construction is finished, or during a remodel or retrofit of an older home, we can get foam insulation into a block wall by drilling a series of holes near the top of the wall and filling the wall one vertical cell at a time.

Working from the inside face (or the surface most likely to be covered with a finish), contractors drill 5/8-inch or 7/8-inch holes into the face of the blocks about 4 feet up from the floor to fit an injection tube running from a “mixer” that combines a non-toxic liquid resin, a foaming agent, and air.

Once the foam starts to seep through the injection holes (indicating a full cavity encompassing several blocks), the process is repeated along the length of the wall every 4 feet, and then again along the top of the wall about a foot short of its full height.
Here is how that works: as one cell fills up, the foam will start to exit from the hole in the adjoining cell, signaling the installer to move the hose to the next cell and seal the hole that was just filled. One vertical cell is filled at a time, until the entire block wall is full of foam insulation.

Another option would be to fur out an interior wall with wood or steel studs and spray the foam directly into place over the face of the block wall and in between the studs. Be advised, this option would imply added material costs in the form of studs, sheetrock, etc…and it would result in a slight – although measurable – loss of interior square footage.

These are only two examples of how spray foam insulation can be retro-fitted to existing concrete structures. Spray foam is a highly adaptable material, and it can be used on nearly any project.

Here at Green ID, we have the needed experience and expertise to assist you with all of your insulation needs!

If you have any questions or concerns about whether our spray foam products can be used at your home, call us at (602) 926-1650.

There’s a huge attraction toward solar panels for a reason. The source of “free energy” has been growing in popularity because solar power is a great way to reduce not only your energy bills but also your carbon footprint. Although this energy alternative is definitely something to keep in mind, it’s important to fully consider this investment. Rebates are available for solar through SRP and APS, but the cost alone for having solar installed on your home can cost owners up to $9 per watt, meaning that a 5,000 W system could run you $35,000, and that’s just for installation!

​The truth is that, although solar energy use is a great advancement on homes and definitely something to consider, there are more cost effective methods to cutting down your carbon footprint and saving money on your energy bill.

Cutting down energy consumption is an important first step whether you decide to invest in solar power for your home or not.  At Green ID, we say reduce before you produce.  Reducing your energy use by keeping warmed and conditioned air inside through correct insulation of the walls and roof, and also by making sure your heating and cooling systems are working properly. This will put you in a much better position to use renewable energy if you choose to go that route. This is because by reducing your energy consumption, your home will require a smaller PV system.  Cutting down your energy consumption before the instillation of solar panels will not only lower your current energy bills, but also will lower your overall cost of installing and purchasing solar panels because you will require a smaller unit.  For each kW you reduce could save you about $500 upfront cost when investing in solar panels.

Home energy audits are the best way to learn where your whole home can save on energy.  You wouldn’t get a heart transplant without first making sure you absolutely needed one and in the same way, a home energy audit would be the diagnostic testing of your home. Will solar energy help reduce your energy bills no matter what? Yes, of course it will, but putting solar panels on an inefficient home is like driving a Prius with a hole in the gas tank!

The Department of Energy put together a video explaining what an energy audit includes, and you can also view a checklist of what an energy audit includes here.

Although solar panels may be the right move for you and your home, first consider that it may not be the right first move. It’s important to make improvements on what you already have existing so that you’re cutting back on energy consumption and cost both initially and long term.

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