Energy Saving Myths Debunked

Today’s Power Trip is my way of sharing my day-to-day adventures in home energy savings, in-a-way, you could say I have an slight energy conservation addiction.

Want to learn how to insulate attic knee wall – skip on down to the screen cast.

My e-Newsletter, the Energy Spy Insider, hits the emailing list about three times a week and brings you the latest news, tips, methods, and stories concerning the broad subject of energy conservation, energy politics, and renewable energy. If you found this “Power Trip” and have not signed-up for my eNewsletter, just look around, there is a sign-up form here somewhere, just add your email address and hit submit.

I really appreciate your comments and ideas, so be sure and leave me some of your wisdom at the end of every article. Follow me on twitter and facebook @detectenergy.

I would like to share with you the fact that Detect Energy will be up-grading the old website once again. Visitors will still be able to access all the great “energy saving” articles, but, in addition, there will be a wealth of “How To” checklists and ebooks to choose from. Perhaps you would be interested in being a contributing writer – just let me know.

Couple Myths I Thought Were Interesting – which ones do you believe?

MYTH: Buying an energy efficient air conditioner or furnace will automatically reduce my energy bill.

FACT: This is true to some extent, but you won’t realize all the possible savings if the equipment is not sized or installed properly.

MYTH: Cleaning refrigerator coils saves energy.

FACT: While this seems intuitively logical, and a very small savings my indeed arise, effort to actually measure this effect have typically come up empty-handed.

MYTH: Halogen lighting is super efficient

FACT: Although it’s true that halogen lights use slightly less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, many halogens require transformers that can use extra energy, even when the light is off.

Wall Panels Moderate Indoor Temperatures

I have discussed thermal wall mass or trimbe walls in previous articles. Well known for storing heat during the day and releasing heat during the evening, this system of wall mass heat storage is more popular in European homes. In most of these homes, concrete or rocks are used as the storage mass. Now Thermal Core is testing a new drywall product that reacts like a thermal wall by releasing and absorbing heat. Not available commercially yet, this type of product and others like it will be something to keep an eye on as we continue to look for ways to save energy and lower our power consumption.

The following information on ThermalCore is from their website:  www.thermalcore.info

National Gypsum ThermalCORE Panels with Micronal PCM help maintain a comfortable interior environment as indoor temperatures fluctuate during the day.

Made by BASF Corporation, Micronal is a phase change material. A microscopic acrylic capsule contains high-purity paraffin wax. The capsules absorb and distribute heat energy as the wax melts and solidifies as room temperatures fluctuate. Micronal changes phase at 73 degrees F.

National Gypsum ThermalCORE with Micronal PCM absorbs and stores heat during the day, cooling a room, and releases the heat during the cooler evenings, helping keep the room comfortable.

California’s Emerging Technologies Coordinating Council and the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory will provide input on field trials and assist in evaluating results.

National Gypsum has exclusive access to BASF’s Micronal PCM and is the first company in North America to produce wall panels from it.

National Gypsum ThermalCORE Panels made with Micronal PCM are:

• •½-inch thick
• •Faced with fiberglass mat
• •~2100 pounds/msf
• •Melting point of 23 degrees C, 73 degrees F
• •Latent heat capacity ~22BTU/ft2
• •Scores 10 in ASTM D3273

National Gypsum Thermal Core handles and installs like regular drywall and provides added thermal mass not typically found in traditional light-weight construction. The panels require a skim coat and will accept decoration similar to standard gypsum board.

Guess What’s in the Picture?  One thing for sure, it has to do with energy efficiency and conserving power. How about insulate attic knee wall?

And thanks for stopping by Detect Energy, hope you come back soon, but I won’t leave the light on for you…