The NYC Energy Marketing Conference Honors IDT Energy, Inc. with its Industry Leadership and Integrity Award

We are proud to announce that our CEO has accepted the "Industry Leadership and Integrity Award presented by the NYC Energy Marketing Conference.

"Most CEO’s of REPs saw the crisis of 2014 as dangerous and catastrophic. Yet the CEO of IDT Energy saw it as an opportunity: a chance to separate his company from the industry, to grow as a business, to improve the customer offerings, to show his integrity and to lead by example,” said Jack Doueck, EMC Founder. “IDT voluntarily suffered economically, but they did the right things, the painful things, and in so doing, they overcame and grew from the adversity and became a better, stronger, and more responsive business.” 

Read more about the award and how honor IDT Energy received.

Air Leaks: Checking and Sealing

Fall is here! And it's time to start prepping your house for the colder weather. Did you know that even if you  have insulated your walls and updated your window there could still be small leaks sucking out the heat and costing you money? Small spaces, like your light sockets and outlets, could lack insulation and be the source.

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How to check for energy loss: Turn off the furnace and any fans, also shut the doors and windows in your house. Light an incense stick and hold it near the outlets and light switches. Any movement? There's a leak!

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How to correct a leak: At a home improvement store, like Home Depot, they have foam electrical outlet and wall covering insulation. By removing your outlet or wall plate, placing the insulation over the outlet and reattaching the plate, you can prevent these leaks. Not an expensive task, this minimally time consuming change could make your house a little cozier this winter!

Have questions on your energy bill? Contact an IDT Energy Customer Service Rep today!

IDT Energy: Energy Saving Ideas for Your Home

We all love our new LED lamps, but seriously, the light these wonderfully energy efficient bulbs emit is not too aesthetically pleasing. The answer is not to get rid of them since they save huge amounts of energy, and they have about a 50,000-hour lifetime. So what is the answer? How about a new device from a company called Cree.

Dimmable LED Lamp with Warm Incandescent Light

Cree developed a dimmable LED downlight. Known as the LR6, it uses a combination of red and yellow LEDs to get the lovely, warm incandescent look that most of us prefer. Best of all, the LR6 gets the effect without upping the energy consumption.

Using only 12 watts of electricity this clever light still can produce 650 lumens of light. That is the same as a 75-watt incandescent bulb. The light is even dimmable, a great advantage for use all over the home. The light also actively manages the output of the LEDs to insure that the light intensity and color does not change during the entire 25-year life expectancy of the light. They are a bit expensive, but if you divide by their lifetimes the deal is pretty good.

Energy Efficient Remodeling: Part 2 - Bathroom

Bathrooms can be one of the smallest rooms in your house, however, they can also be one of the most expensive (next to a kitchen!). So it's important to make it work hard for you and save you money on energy!

The IDT Energy geeks have identified four areas that you can make improvements to and save on energy.

1. Windows
2. Faucets
3. Walls/Floors
4. Lighting

The windows provide light and ventilation for a bathroom. However, if it is not energy efficient it might provide to much ventilation - a draft! A new, updated window can both make the room cozier and more aesthetically pleasing. By installing a window with the Energy Star insignia, it will help prevent the room from becoming too hot or too cold. 

One of the largest energy wasters in a bathroom are the faucets; 50-75% of your water usage is in the bathroom. Leave the sink or shower faucets running and gallons of water, and $$, can disappear down the drain. By installing Energy Star rated faucets, you can reduce the flow of water and limit the amount of wasted water. Additionally, by upgrading your toilet to a dual flush, it can use a fraction of the water every time you flush.

Increasing the energy efficiency of the walls and floors of the bathroom may be a larger renovation, but can make a vast difference in the overall energy efficiency of the room. People are most sensitive to temperatures in the bathroom and proper insulation helps maintain the correct temperature - preventing additional adjustments to the whole house thermometer.   If you are removing walls, one of the most important steps is to increase the insulation if it is below a R19 ( R30 for ceilings) value. Also, by insulating your pipes with in the wall, you can prevent heat loss in water, reducing the energy your water heater uses. While your walls are open, this is a good time to check and seal any leaks in the framing. 

Lighting in bathrooms is important - especially if you are applying makeup! There are a number of ways to increase the energy efficiency with the lighting. A couple simple changes you can make: clean the window(s) - a clean window lets in more light; and change the light bulbs - update to energy efficient light bulbs. A large renovation can increase the lighting overall in your room, depending on where your bathroom is located in the house, add a skylight or for smaller spaces, a solar tube. Either of these options will bring in daylight, decreasing your need for artificial lighting. 

Of course you can always check our Pinterest for more energy efficient tips and ideas.