Cutting Costs & Staying Cool!

 IDT Energy Offers Simple Tips for Cutting

Summertime Energy Bills and Staying Cool

            Nothing beats the first few pleasant days of spring. The migrating birds and their songs are back, trees burst forth with fresh, new leaves and it’s finally possible to sleep comfortably with the windows open. Best of all, that energy-gobbling furnace has been shut off for the season.

            But wait! Can summer’s heat and humidity be far behind?

            Of course not! And that’s why IDT Energy offers the following tips for saving energy and money during the summer. None of this is rocket science, but seemingly small savings can really add up.

First on the list is air-conditioning. Early spring is the best time to get to know a qualified heating, ventilation and air-conditioning technician (HVAC). This is the time of year when it’s easy to schedule a system check-up. An experienced technician can check your system for refrigerant leaks and diagnose potential problems before they occur. Once the cooling season begins, HVAC people are swamped with repair calls. Don’t suffer through extreme heat and humidity waiting for an appointment. There’s one more important thing you can check on your own before calling a technician: make sure your filters are clean and that registers aren’t blocked by carpets, furniture or drapes.

An obvious way to save on cooling is to turn the thermostat up to about 78 degrees during the hours when you’re home and adjust it to 85 when you’re away. However, it’s not a good idea to turn the system off when you’re absent. Remember that every item in your home – furniture, carpeting, draperies, etc. -- absorbs heat. That means when you return to a hot house you need to cool the air along with the contents of the dwelling, which can take a long time.

On that note, a programmable thermostat is a sound investment year round. It takes just a few minutes to set up and it can eliminate the need to remember to adjust your thermostat several times a day.

Have you been meaning to replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents or LED’s? This is a great time to do it because the majority of energy consumed by incandescent bulbs generates heat, while just a small fraction actually produces light. LED bulb prices have come down a bit, but they are still much more expensive than incandescent bulbs. Before rejecting them because of initial cost, be sure to read the fine print – LED’s consume a tiny fraction of the power sucked-up by conventional bulbs and they will last for a very long time.

If you can’t stand the heat, either get out of the kitchen – or change the way you cook in the summer! Remember that microwave ovens use about two-thirds less energy than conventional stoves and ovens. A task as simple as boiling water for tea or coffee can be accomplished more quickly and cheaply by using the microwave. Finally, fire up the grill more often. Fish, meats and vegetables seem to taste better and are more fun to cook outside on a charcoal or gas grill.

We will offer additional energy and money-saving tips in coming months, but if you have a great tip to share with us and our readers, please send it to: EnergySavingTips@idtenergy.com

The best suggestions we get will appear in a future post. If we use your suggestion, we’ll send you a $5 gift card from The Home Depot.

Favorite Fall Crock Pot Recipes

Fall is a great time to break out the crock pot. We have pinned some of our favorite recipes but check out our top 5 foods below!

1. Buffalo Chicken Wing Soup

One word - Yum! Buffalo Chicken Wing dip is a staple at many football parties, but have you tried the soup version? If not you are in for a delight. There are a number of different versions so we pinned a few on our Energy Efficient Foodie board. But the key ingredients are Franks Red Hot Sauce, chicken, mozzarella cheese and milk. We also really enjoy this in a bread bowl!

2. Candied Sweet Potatoes

This is great for Thanksgiving, easing up some of that precious oven space. It's sweet and yummy, plus who doesn't like marshmallows in their dinner?  Plus with around 3 main ingredients and a few kitchen staples, it doesn't require a huge chuck of your budget.

3. Chili - Chicken Style

Fall and chili almost go together. Ground meat and tomatoes all stewed together with some great spices and maybe beans... our tummies are doing grumbling. But least we forget traditional chili's favorite sibling - White Chicken Chili. A bit different take, but oh so satisfying.

4. Hot Apple Cider

It's apple season. Apple pies, apple crisp, apple sauce and one yummy beverage - apple cider. Your crockpot isn't just for food, but beverages too! Sure you can just heat up some apple cider and call it a day, but if you want to add a little extra yum to it, try it in a crockpot. Apple cider + cinnamon + whole cloves = amazing.

5.  Cheesy Buffalo Chicken Pasta

Yet another shout out to our Buffalo foodie customers, but we couldn't pass up this pasta recipe with our favorite hot sauce. We haven't tried it ourselves yet, but it just looks to good not to! Check it out.

Happy Friday!

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!

Energy Efficient Remodeling: Part 1 - Kitchen

Are you using this beautiful weather to fix up or remodel some areas of your home? Are you looking to update the cosmetics or perhaps lower your energy bills? There are a number of ways you can make your house work harder for you and spend less on your monthly bills.

The geeks at IDT Energy are always looking for ways to improve their own homes and as total energy geeks we look for ways to lower our energy bills. For the first part of this series we are looking at the kitchen - the heart and hub of many homes.

1. The first and the most obvious way to improve the efficiency in the kitchen is to replace and upgrade the appliances.  Older appliances tend to use a lot of energy, by upgrading to energy star rated appliances you will reduce energy usage and save money.
2. Lighting can account for 15% of your home's energy usage and because your kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, it uses the majority of that 15%. If you are not replacing the lighting fixtures, simply change your light bulbs from the old style to CFL (compact florescent lights). If you are replacing the light fixtures themselves, upgrade to Energy Star light fixtures. These light fixtures can use 75% less energy, generate 75% less heat and last up to 10 times longer.
3. Increase the natural lighting in the room. By removing any unneeded walls, increasing the window or door size and even adding a light tube you can increase the natural light in the room.
4. Add insulation to both the walls and the pipes. Additional insulation around the pipes will prevent the heat escaping from the water. For the outside walls add blown-in insulation if you are not opening the walls and spray foam if you are. Spray foam can be expensive so if you are looking save money, batt and roll works as well. Make sure you have an R value of at least R-30 for outside walls, but the higher the R value the better. 
5. Change out your faucet for a low flow faucet that can reduce water usage by 60%.
6. Check for any air leaks around electrical outlets, windows, doors and recessed lighting An easy way to look for leaks - use a stick of incense, use it around any possible leaks, if the smoke moves or shift there is a leak. Seal or insulate any leaks that you find. 

Stay tuned as we explore different areas of the house!

5 Tips to Keep Your Body Cool in the Hot Summer

It's hot out. You want to keep cool, but you don't want to crank on/up the Air Conditioning. There is no pool in sight, but you need to cool down.

Here are 5 energy efficient tips to cooling down in the hot summer:

1. Use cool water on  your pulse points (like your wrists). This can help bring your core temperature down as much as 3 degrees!
2. Your body sweats to cool your down as the water vapor evaporates. Take advantage of your perspiration - stand in front of a cool breeze or a fan and cool down faster. 
3. Go downstairs. It's simple - heat rises. If your home has a lower level or a basement the air will be less dense the further from the roof line.
4. Mint refreshes the skin and leaves a cooling sensation. Use peppermint lotion or peppermint soap, but avoid your face and eyes.
5. Take off your shoes and hat while indoors! Most of the body's heat is released through the palms of your hands, the scalp and the soles of the feet. If you have shoes or a hat on, there is no way for the heat to escape!

Check out IDT Energy for more ways to earn rewards and get cash back.

Beat the Humidity (On a Budget)

Spring is in the air and summer is almost here. Fun in the sun and outdoor activities are upon us. But with the heat comes the humidity.  Not everyone has air conditioning, or wants to spend the money of electric costs to keep it running. Here are a few tips on how to beat the humidity - on a budget.

1. Skip the drying cycle on the dishwasher. Simply open the door and let it air dry.
2. Wear light colored clothing with thinner fabrics - this will help sweat evaporate quickly, keeping you cooler. 
3. Eating spicy food can help cool you. It contains a chemical called capsaicin, which helps us perspire more readily, and when the sweat evaporates we experience a moment of cool. 
4. Drink water. Not only is it just plain good for you, it helps keep you cool. 
5. Turn off the lights!

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: 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. 

10 Energy Saving Tips for the Fall

The nights are cool, and the days are warm - Fall is here!  While the leaves change and the trees prepare for cooler temperatures, it's time to prepare your house to keep the heat in and cool air out.

Here are 10 tips to make your house more energy efficient for the winter:

1. Schedule a tune up for your heating system. Not only will this help your furnace run more efficiently, but it may help prevent a break down in the cold winter months. 
2. Replace your furnace filter. Continue to replace it once a month while in use. 
3. Find and seal any air leaks caused by pipes or lines entering your house. 
4. Add caulk or weather stripping to leaky doors and windows. 
5. Check your fireplace damper to ensure it is closed when not in use. 
6. If you never use your fireplace seal the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible. 
7. Add caulking to the fireplace hearth.
8. Take advantage of the heat from the sun - open the drapes during the day to allow the sun to come in and close them at night to keep the warmth in. 
9. Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. 
10. Your water heater can account for 14%-25% of your heating costs. Turn down the setting on your hot water heater to warm - or 120 degrees. 

For more ways to save check out www.IDTEnergy.com

Vacation Energy Saving Tips

Hitting the road this Labor Day? Here are some ways to save on your energy bill while you are away.

1. Unplug all electronics not in use like your TV and coffee maker. Avoid paying for phantom electricity.
2. Turn your hot water heater to 'vacation mode.' 
3. Turn off your Air Conditioning or set it at 85 degrees.
4. Power down all computers.
5. Refrigerators use less electricity when they are full - fill them with water jugs. 
6. Adjust the thermometer to a slightly warmer setting. 
7. Close all of your blinds to keep the cool air in and the warm air out.
8. Install timers for your security lights and turn off everything else. 
9. Don't for get to read the meter when you leave and when you get home! See the energy you saved and detect if you have any hidden energy wasters.

Have fun on vacation!

Energy Saving Tips - Beat the Humidity

In many areas of the Northeast the humidity has been bad this summer.   Often people use their air conditioning more to remove the dense moisture from the air and cool the temperature in the house.  Here are some energy saving tips to cut down on your summer electric bill.

• Make sure your clothes dryer vents to the outdoors.
• Avoid line drying your clothes indoors to prevent more moisture being absorbed into the air. 
• Cover pots when cooking.
• If you have a crawl space under your house, make sure the ground is covered with a moisture barrier.
• Use an exhaust fan in your kitchen and bathroom.
• If you do not have an exhaust far,  use a window fan on the exhaust setting.
• Improve the drainage around your house - have your gutters move the water away from the foundation of your home.
• Repair any leaking faucets (and save on your water bill too!)

Stay cool and keep your bills slow with these energy saving tips and choosing IDT Energy as your energy supplier. 

Are you an Energy Hog?

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Are you an energy hog? Take the IDT Energy test to find out!

1.  How much insulation do you have in your attic?
     a.  6 inches or less
     b.  7-11 inches
     c.  12 inches or more

2.  How often did you change the filters on your furnace last year?
     a.  Not at all
     b.  1-3 times
     b.  4+ times

3.  How many layers of glass do your windows have?
     a.  Single pane with no storm windows
     b.  Single pane with store windows or double pane
     c.  Double pane with reflective coating or gas-filled

4.  At what temperature do you set your thermostat in the winter when you are home and awake?
     a.  73 degrees or more
     b.  70-72 degrees or more
     c.  69 degrees or less

5.  At what temperature do you set your thermostat in the summer when you are home and awake?
     a.  74 degrees or less
     b.  75-77 degrees
     c.  78 degrees or more

6.  How often do you turn your lights off when you leave the room?
     a.  Almost never
     b.  Sometimes
     c.  Always

7.  Do you keep the lids on pots and pans when cooking?
     a.  Almost never
     b.  Sometimes
     c.  Always

8.  How many Energy Star appliances do you have?
     a.  None
     b.  1-2
     c.  3 or more

9.  At what temperature do you wash your clothes?
     a.  Mostly hot water
     b.  Mostly warm water
     c.  Mostly cold water

10.  How much time do you spend in the shower?
     a.  15 minutes or more
     b.  10 minutes
     c.  5 minutes


Now give your self:

• 2 points for each A
• 4 points for each B
• 6 points for each C

Add up all of your points and see how you scored:

45 - 60 points - Awesome! You are officially NOT an energy hog! Keep on keeping on and enjoy your low energy bills.

31 - 44 points - You are making the right moves but there are more steps to kicking the energy hog habit.  Look back on those As and Bs and see where you can improve.

20 - 31 points - Oink! Oink! You are an energy hog! But don't worry there are many easy steps to take to reduce your energy consumption and SAVE on your energy bills.  Go through our quiz and pick out a few simple things you can change.  Plus check out the IDT Energy energy saving tips on our web site.

If you are simply looking for ways to cut your utility bills, IDT Energy is here to help!

The above quiz was adapted from the scavenger hunt on www.EnergyHog.org check it out for more helpful tips.

Energy Efficiency Road Trip Style

Did you go on a Memorial Day road trip? Have any exciting trips planned for the summer?

In addition to taking steps to make your home energy efficient, IDT Energy wants to help you make your car energy efficient. All these steps lead to real savings on energy bills!

1. Keep your tires inflated. Proper inflation can lead to a savings of around $61 a year!
2. Use the correct oil. Using the wrong product reduces efficiency and can waste up to $40 annually.
3. Get your junk out of the truck. Reducing the weight of your vehicle reduces efficiency  An extra 100 lbs  can add up to $40 a year.
4. Keep the speed limit. Going over 60 mph reduces your gas mileage and can add up to 31 cents per gallon. 
5. Put it on cruise control. Staying at a steady pace which helps save money.

Have fun on your road trip and save on your annual energy costs.

Of course, one easy way to save is to sign up with IDT Energy!

Is Your House Ready for the Summer? Make it Energy Efficient!

Right now is a perfect time to save on energy! The heat is off and the AC hasn't been turned on yet.

It's also a great time to start preparing for the summer - keeping your energy bills low by conserving energy.

Here are IDT Energy's top 5 energy efficiency tips to get ready for the summer:

1. Change the filters once a month.  Don't make your A/C work harder than it has to. Pushing air through a dirty filter takes more energy; plus, who doesn't want clean air!
2. Install a programmable thermostat.  You have heard this one time and time again. So why are you waiting? Your couch and favorite lazy chair don't need to stay cool while you are busy at work. And who has time to remember to adjust the temp when you are running out of the house barely remembering to put shoes on! Set the thermostat to automatically adjust.
3. Clean the condensation lines.  Keeping this clean of sludge and debris is important to maintain the efficiency of the AC unit.
4. Check that the condenser (unit outside) is level.  If the cement pad that the condenser sits on outside is not level the machine has to work harder.  That means you have to work harder to pay those energy bills!
5. Clean the condenser.  While you are outside making sure that the condenser is level, make sure it's free of any debris. Debris blocks air flow, making the unit work harder.

Looking for more energy saving tips? Check out IDT Energy's Facebook and IDT Energy's Pinterest.

Is Your Garden Water Efficient?

Spring is finally here! It's time to start planning your garden and making your yard beautiful.  We have been scouring the internet, looking for ways to help you make your garden more energy efficient! Water is the most important natural resource that garden needs (well that and sun), reducing the drain on the water supply is very important.

Here are some neat ideas on conserving water:

Install a rain barrel to collect water for your garden. Make sure you water early in the morning before gets to hot. This mitigates evaporation and encourages the roots to grow deeper.

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In fact, mulch your gardens to reduce the amount of moisture needed by helping the soil retain the water.

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Using plants native to your area also helps reduce the need to water them!

The Freezer- A Power Consumer

Energy companies, like IDT Energy, can attest to the fact that using your appliances correctly can lower your electricity bill. Here is a good example of an appliance that many people neglect, which consumes a lot of power on a regular basis- the freezer.

Lots of freezers are put in a corner and are surrounded by walls or cabinets on all sides. It would be better to leave at least 5cm worth of space around it, to allow heat to circulate away from the compressor and condensing coil. Also, keep the back and underside of your freezer clean and free of dust. Defrost and clean the inside of your freezer once a year, and sooner if the ice buildup is more than a quarter of an inch thick. Always ensure that the door seal is intact and secure.

Also, make sure to keep your freezer at 18⁰C. Each degree lower than that causes your freezer to consume 2% more power.

Five Quick Energy Saving Tips: IDT Energy

We all want to save money on our energy bills. Whether you’re using IDT Energy or another company, you’ll want to stay on top of your energy use and minimize your superfluous expenditures as much as possible. Here are five quick ways to stay on track with your energy spending.

1. When you wash dishes and clothes, try to do so with a full load. One full load certainly uses less energy than do two half loads.

2. To save water, make sure to only boil the amount of water that you actually need.

3. Pay attention to your water taps. Fix leaky taps and make sure that your taps are always fully turned off. A tap that is continually dripping even a small amount makes enough hot water to fill half a bath in a week!

4. Pay attention to the light bulbs that you purchase and look for the ENERGY STAR label. Energy efficient light bulbs can save you a great deal of money over the life of the bulb, and they last up to 10 times longer than do ordinary bulbs.

5. Have a home energy check done on your house. Many companies conduct these checks and they will offer you other suggestions for saving on your electricity and gas bills and will provide quick tips for saving in the home.