Upgrades to increase efficiency in the summer time

[2K2 LS1]

One upgrades have everyone done to lower cooling costs and increase efficiency? What was the best upgrade and best bang for your buck? I have been thinking about this with the last couple summers averaging electric bills in the mid 4 to low $500 range on a 2400 sq ft house. We keep the thermostat around 72-74 during the work day and 70-72 at night. I was wondering what would be the most beneficial upgrade this late spring early summer? These are my following options. Please provide your experience and input:

1. blow in an additional 12-18" of insulation. We only have the minimum as of 5 years ago.

2. install powered exhaust fans in the attic along with soviet vents as we only have a couple soviet vents and the lil square vents here and there.

3. radiant barrier. not a huge attic space to spray as we have a two story, and the square footage is almost split between the floors, ie lil footprint=small roof area

4. water heater timer along with timed out lets throughout the house. ie tv's computer's etc.

5. Solar screens on all the windows. We have plantation blinds on all the windows but I think solar screens would also decrease the amount of heat allowed in the house.

[2165 Turbo Rail]

I have a 2 story 2400sqft house with two AC systems ( one fore upstairs and one for down). I have two twirly birds and one 12" powered fan and We turn it off during the day and then bump it to 72 when we get home. My electric bill last month was $82 ( I do have a gas water heater but everything else is elec)

My highest bill in the last 3 years was $276

Bad part is even though my bill is lower. I'm always looking for better

My very first suggestion is to look at your elec rate. I was on a .13 plan a few years ago and then I got it down to 11 the 9.5 and I just resigned at 8.9
It won't be the biggest bang but. It's also free

[2165 Turbo Rail]

Oh and we turn the down stairs off at bed time ( all bedrooms are upstairs)

[Vertnut]

Numbers 1,3, and 5 are biggies. Door seals and caulk (around windows) are your friends.

[2K2 LS1]

We are in Kaufman County so I am stuck with the electric COOP

I will recheck the door seals this weekend. Shitty part is we have a split zone single compressor unit

[ceyko]

-Check duct work for any issues, crimping...loose connections and so forth.

-Caulking and door seals like Vertnut said. Easy work.

-Insulate garage door

-Buy an IR thermometer and on a hot day check ALL interior walls. I neded up adding insulation to my upstairs room. All others had lets say 70 internal temperature - it was 90+ at the time of test. Also, I found a patch that had 0 insulation. Plus, you'll see how crappy your windows are (even with the solar screens that DO help)

-New windows

-Get AC serviced and if you have to replace it always upgrade to more efficient gear

-I'd personally use a timer or whatever they are called for the hot water heater during the summer if you have electric water heater. (mine is gas) Or upgrade it...lot of options for these things. At a minimum drain it and clear it out. A lot of crap builds up inside that a simple draining helps with.

-Vents under your eaves, cheap, easy and helps a little. I also leave my garage access stairs (which is in the garage) open a little.

We used to pay up to 800 a month, now my biggest bills are 300-400. What do you pay per kwh for electricity with the coop?

[2K2 LS1]

What do you pay per kwh for electricity with the coop?

$.105/kwh

[2K2 LS1]

-Check duct work for any issues, crimping...loose connections and so forth.

-Caulking and door seals like Vertnut said. Easy work.

-Insulate garage door

-Buy an IR thermometer and on a hot day check ALL interior walls. I neded up adding insulation to my upstairs room. All others had lets say 70 internal temperature - it was 90+ at the time of test. Also, I found a patch that had 0 insulation. Plus, you'll see how crappy your windows are (even with the solar screens that DO help)

-New windows

-Get AC serviced and if you have to replace it always upgrade to more efficient gear

-I'd personally use a timer or whatever they are called for the hot water heater during the summer if you have electric water heater. (mine is gas) Or upgrade it...lot of options for these things. At a minimum drain it and clear it out. A lot of crap builds up inside that a simple draining helps with.

-Vents under your eaves, cheap, easy and helps a little. I also leave my garage access stairs (which is in the garage) open a little.

We used to pay up to 800 a month, now my biggest bills are 300-400. What do you pay per kwh for electricity with the coop?

I know for a fact I need to insulate the ceiling of our media room as it was not done by builder's because it is over the garage and considered a bonus room. There is no insulation between the sheet rock and roof decking in that room and no insulation between the sub-floor and sheet rock for the garage ceiling. The upstairs thermostat is in that room as well!

I think for that specific room, adding spray-in insulation will make a world of difference!

[ceyko]

$.105/kwh

I have the split single unit and a hair larger hours. You should be in the 200-400 dollar range for a home. Also, any natural shade you can provide to your home and outside unit will help too.

BTW, all those upgrades also add more to the comfort of the home a little as well. Meaning, a few of the upgrades/changes I noticed little difference in my bill. However, it felt better. i.e. the upstairs room insulation being added. Did not make my bill much cheaper, but my mo-in-law who lives up there - she appreciated not sleeping in a 80-90 degree room.

My thermostat is downstairs, so I don't think it really affected how much the AC was run.

[ceyko]

I think for that specific room, adding spray-in insulation will make a world of difference!

For the top part that makes sense for sure. What I did was bats type for the wall and ceiling and then I bought that panel type insulation and nailed that to the studs as well. In my eyes it's sort of like external dry wall. Add R value to the wall and helps make sure the bats does not slip out over time.

[2K2 LS1]

I have the split single unit and a hair larger hours. You should be in the 200-400 dollar range for a home. Also, any natural shade you can provide to your home and outside unit will help too.

BTW, all those upgrades also add more to the comfort of the home a little as well. Meaning, a few of the upgrades/changes I noticed little difference in my bill. However, it felt better. i.e. the upstairs room insulation being added. Did not make my bill much cheaper, but my mo-in-law who lives up there - she appreciated not sleeping in a 80-90 degree room.

My thermostat is downstairs, so I don't think it really affected how much the AC was run.

Yeah we have a split system single compressor dual thermostats. I need to after 5 years, program the damn things lol

My biggest interest is to maintain comfort without increasing the bill drastically. I know we are wasting energy during the day with 5 tvs, 2 computers, multiple gaming systems, and blu-ray players as well as other a/v equipment; and the thermostat not programmed. I think with programming the thermostat, putting the hot water heater on a timer, and the tv's all on timed outlets would make a huge difference!

[2K2 LS1]

For the top part that makes sense for sure. What I did was bats type for the wall and ceiling and then I bought that panel type insulation and nailed that to the studs as well. In my eyes it's sort of like external dry wall. Add R value to the wall and helps make sure the bats does not slip out over time.

Not sure how I would be able to add insulation in between the sheet rock and roof decking as there is now attic space above there, It is only as tall as the ceiling joists between the sheet rock and the decking for the roof

[ceyko]

Yeah we have a split system single compressor dual thermostats. I need to after 5 years, program the damn things lol

My biggest interest is to maintain comfort without increasing the bill drastically. I know we are wasting energy during the day with 5 tvs, 2 computers, multiple gaming systems, and blu-ray players as well as other a/v equipment; and the thermostat not programmed. I think with programming the thermostat, putting the hot water heater on a timer, and the tv's all on timed outlets would make a huge difference!

Yup, that's another thing that helped. I'm an IT guy and I shutdown my lab, since we got one at work with VPN access. I also setup my home entertainment system so that if we're watching normal TV - all the components are off. The receiver...etc would only come on when watching movies on xb360, or on the blu-ray player. (Otherwise, TV speakers only....Plasma TV which is also an energy hog, and puts out a ton of heat)

Get yourself a kill-a-watt too. Those help you figure out what's going on too. My home entertainment center would peak at over a 1000 watts and would basically hover around 600-900, which surprised the piss out of me.

Curious, how much electricity are you using per month? I could do the math, but am too lazy. I'd be concerned if over 2000 kw per month.

[2K2 LS1]

Yup, that's another thing that helped. I'm an IT guy and I shutdown my lab, since we got one at work with VPN access. I also setup my home entertainment system so that if we're watching normal TV - all the components are off. The receiver...etc would only come on when watching movies on xb360, or on the blu-ray player. (Otherwise, TV speakers only....Plasma TV which is also an energy hog, and puts out a ton of heat)

Get yourself a kill-a-watt too. Those help you figure out what's going on too. My home entertainment center would peak at over a 1000 watts and would basically hover around 600-900, which surprised the piss out of me.

Curious, how much electricity are you using per month? I could do the math, but am too lazy. I'd be concerned if over 2000 kw per month.

2777 kw last month...

[Duncan]

Solar screens made the most difference at my place.