6 Unusual DIY Lamps

The weather has cooled off and and it might be time to move your DIY skills inside.  As energy nerds, we like projects that involve energy and lamps were right up our alley.  Plus we like saving money, so DIY projects are kinda our thing.  We found 6 cool and unusual lamps that you can create at home. Would you take on a project like this? Or have you already?

Auto Part Lamp 

This lamp is made from a car air filter and other auto parts. 

Find it here!

 Combo Lamp

Plug in or charge up with this lamp. It's both and outlet and a lamp!

Find it here!

Lego Lamp

If you have a little boy or girl that loves to build with legos this lamp is a fun activity to do together!

Find it here!

Teacup Lamp

Have some old china you aren't quite sure what to do with? Or a dainty room that needs some light?

Find it here!

Toy Lamp

The below picture has it with different action figurines and toy soldiers, but we thought it would also be cute with trucks & cars or ponies!

Find it here!

Colander Chandelier

 Looking for some rustic charm in the kitchen? Something useful and decorative? We think you could even take of the kitchen utensils if you have an over crowded dinner party. 

Find it here!

DIY Air Conditioner - Cool Your House with 5 Items

It's summer. It's hot. And your house doesn't have Air Conditioning. The fan just isn't cutting it anymore and you just want to cool down. It's time to make your own air conditioner and CHEAP!

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Materials List:

• 5 gallon Bucket
• Styrofoam bucket liner (You can purchase this from a store like Home Depot)
• PVC pipe - 3 pieces of 1.5" pipe 
• Small Fan
• Ice

How To:

1. Cut three circular holes in the 5 gallon bucket the size of the PVC pipe. We recommend using 2 1/4" hole saw.
2. Insert the liner into the bucket.
3. Use a 2 1/8" hole saw to cut holes in the liner where you previously cut holes in the bucket
4. Insert the PVC pipe into the holes
5. Cut a hole in both the lid of the buck and the liner slightly smaller than the fan.
6. Place ice in the bucket, place fan on top, and enjoy the cool air!

For the ice we recommend  freezing two 1 gallon jugs of water. Each jug should last 5-6 hours. Once one jug melts, re-freeze, and replace the "Air Conditioner" with the alternate.

If you would like a visual, check out this video: Homemade Air Conditioner

We have also pinned a few other ideas on how to make your own Air Conditioner, check out IDT Energy on Pinterest!

Brrrr.... Winter Energy Projects

It is cold out here in the Northeast! Are you looking for some projects to keep busy indoors? We have compiled some of our favorite energy projects (and a few others). Of course check out our IDT Energy Pinterest for more ideas.

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Fact: Laughing warms you up! Here are some funny (not energy related) winter warm up project. This funny list includes a nod to the famous A Christmas Story.

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You flick a switch and a light bulb lights up a room. Wouldn't it be neat to teach your kids exactly how it works, using only simple household projects? Check out this project that builds a simple light bulb using "circuit science".

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One of the favorite, easy projects that you can do is to simply draw any design on a lightbulb and light up your room with some funk.

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Are you a history buff or like vintage things?  Chances are you have seen these old insulators at garage sales or in an antique store. In a past post, we talked about some of the interesting different ways people are turning insulators into lamps. Also, make sure you read the post where we talked about the history of the insulators.

Turning food into power? Crazy but very possible. Here is a simple description of how you can turn simple household food into energy to light a bulb.

DIY Energy Audit: Light Switched & Outlets

You remember to turn off lights every time you leave a room. Good job! But are you letting warm air escape through the outlets and light switches?

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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive.  Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.

Your thin metal or plastic plate doesn't stop much in terms of air loss. Without insulation, these outlets are merely big holes in the wall.

How to identify a leaky light: Remove the plate from the wall. Cover the opening with a single ply of tissue and affix it to the wall with painters tape - just at the top. If the tissue billows - you have a leak.

How to correct a leak: A precut foam gaskets is only about 10 cents from a home stores. Just place the gasket over the opening and cover with the plate.

The leakage caused by light switches and outlets accounts for about 2% of your heating and cooling bill.  With that savings but the IDT Energy savings you could save up to 12% on your annual energy expenses.

Check out the other posts in our DIY Energy Audit seris: Drafty Window, Fireplace Energy Sucker, Cold Water Heater  and Leaky Ductwork  for more helpful tips. Plus go to the IDT Energy Facebook page for energy saving tips and tricks.

DIY Energy Audit: Leaky Ductwork

Do you have money blowing out of your ductwork? If your ductwork isn't properly sealed heat could not be getting to the intended location in your house leaving you cold and turning up the heat.

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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive.  Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.

Heat generated from your furnace or bolier must travel through the ductwork through your house and to various rooms in your house. If air is escaping in the ductwork in your basement it will never reach the intended destination of say, your bedroom. Overtime the adhesive tape that seals the joints of the ductwork becomes less effective as it dries out or is pulled away. 

How to identify leaky ductwork: While the furnace or AC is on shine a flashlight on the ducts - especially where they connect to the registers. Where you see dust on the ducts that has been blown away, that's a sign of a leak. 

How to correct a leak: Use HVAC tape to seal or re-seal joints between sections. Patch any small holes or misalignment's with a water based mastic sealant and mesh tape.

By reducing the air leakage by 15% you can save 3 to 10% of your heating bill. That, plus the savings with IDT Energy you can really save some money on your annual energy expenses. 

Check out the other posts in our DIY Energy Audit seris: Drafty Window, Fireplace Energy Sucker,  and Cold Water Heater  for more helpful tips. Plus go to the IDT Energy Facebook page for energy saving tips and tricks.

DIY Energy Audit: Cold Water Heater

Does your water heater belong in an antique shop or museum? It's old but still functions - why replace it! But how much energy are you loosing but holding on? 

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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive.  Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.

An old water heater may still be pumping out warm water and if it ain't broke, don't fix it.  But is it costing you more money every month than it needs to be? Water heaters more than 10 years old are usually lined with fiberglass insulation and tend to be less effective vs the  foam used today. If the water heater is cold, it's working harder to keep your water warm. 

How to identify an old water heater: Check the manufacturer's date. There should be a sticker or metal plate on the unit that will tell you exactly how old it is. Next, touch it. If you can feel the warmth from inside the tank, there is not enough insulation. 

How to correct: Put a coat on it! Wrap the tank in a precut blanket with an insulating value of at least an R-8. Take it a step further and fit foam sleeves or insulating tape around the pipes. Hot water looses some warmth as it travels through the lines and cold water pipes cause condensation which leads to mold and mildew in your basement. 

Adding a blanket to your water heater can save up to 9% on water heating costs alone. That plus saving up to 10% on your annual energy costs with IDT Energy really adds up!

Check out the other posts in our DIY Energy Audit seris: Drafty Window and Fireplace Energy Sucker for more helpful tips. Plus go to the IDT Energy Facebook page for energy saving tips and tricks.

DIY Energy Audit: Fireplace Energy Sucker

You love cozy-ing up by the fire on a cold winter night. But do you love the cold chill you get every time you get near the fireplace?

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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive.  Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.

A damaged fireplace damper can suck up 10 to 20% of warmed air if the damper is not functioning properly.  The damper is what stops warm air from escaping up the chimney flue. A rusted, stuck or improperly sized damper could be costing you money.

How to identify a damaged damper: With a closed damper hold a candle flame in the fireplace. If the flame of the candle begins flickering or goes out, air is going up the chimney.

How to correct: A chimney sweep. Hiring a chimney sweep is the only way to correct it and have a functioning fireplace. In addition to identifying a way to correct the damper issue, they will clean and lubricate the chimney.  In the off season, you can plug the problem and seal the flue with a balloon-like plug. Simply deflate it when you are ready to use again. 

Correcting a damaged damper can save you up to $500 in  your annual energy expenses. That, plus enrolling with IDT Energy can really cut down on your annual energy expenses.

For more energy saving tips check out the other post in this seris of DIY Energy Audits, Drafty Windows and the IDT Energy Facebook page. 

DIY Energy Audit: Drafty Windows

A cool breeze coming through the windows in the summer is refreshing. But a cool breeze coming through your window in the winter? No thank you!

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A professional energy audit is helpful, but expensive.  Our multi-part series on how to perform your own energy audit will save you money on the audit and on your monthly energy bills.

If you have leaky windows, not only will the cool air come in, but the warm air will escape.  This can account for 10 to 25% of your heating bill.

How to identify the source of a draft: On a windy, blustery day close all of the windows, doors and chimney flues (if you have a fire place).  With a lite stick of incense, move it around the windows and doors. Look for air the disrupts the smoke coming from the incense stick. If it flutters or changes direction - you know, you have a leak.

How to correct a leak:

1. Check the window from the outside of the house. Pay special attention to the casing where the window meets the house's siding. 
2. Scrape off any dried or cracking calking and apply fresh calk.
3. On the inside of the house, add new weather stripping. 

Each window that you weather proof can shave $20 off your annual energy expenses. 10 windows - $200! That combined with the savings from IDT Energy can really add up!

Stay tuned for our next DIY Energy Audit and watch for more tips on Facebook. 

Vegetable Electricity: Potato Power

Can your everyday vegetable power a light?  How about a clock?  You betcha.  Looking for a fun weekend project with the kids that just might 'jolt' some excitement into learning?  We gotcha covered.

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Electricity generated at power plant is generally generated from burning fossil fuels.  The heat from the fuel heats up water and the water becomes steam.  This steam then spins turbines which turns a generator (or magnet) and unbalances the charges in atoms and supplies a current of electricity. That electricity then flows through the utilities lines and into our homes.

Batteries are able to generate electricity through a chemical reaction between two types of electrodes (like zinc and copper) and an electrolyte.  The connection of these substances creates a circuit that allows a flowing path of electricity.

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Here's how you do it:

Materials
2 Potatoes
2 Short pieces of copper wire
2 Galvanized nails
3 Alligator clips
1 Piece of sand paper
1 Low voltage clock

Directions

1. Remove the battery from the clock
2. Number the potatoes "1" and "2"
3. Insert one nail into each of the potatoes
4. Insert one piece of wire into each of the potatoes
5. Connect one alligator clip to the copper wire in potato #1 to the positive (+) terminal in the clocks battery compartment
6. Connect the other alligator clip to the nail in potato #2 and the negative (-) terminal in the clocks battery compartment
7. Connect the last alligator clip to connect the nail in potato #1 to the copper wire in potato #2

A pretty neat alternative energy supply right? Talk about going green!

Now, of course, this method of electricity is not that reliable. So we suggest keeping your utility and an energy supplier like IDT Energy for a more reliable source of electricity.

Check out more cool energy related projects on our Pinterest.

Sources: Education.com and teachengineering.org/