Electric Supply - From Generator to Light Bulb

In the past we have discussed generating energy from wind, sun, water and even garbage , green slime and potatoes. But how does that energy travel into your house and light up a room?

IDT Energy supply is delivered through utility power lines

It's something that could come up in a rowdy game of "Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader" but perhaps not something you have pondered on a daily basis as you flip the light switch and turn on the TV remote.  Energy is harnessed from things like moving water and burning fossil fuels; which turn turbines and unbalance the charges in an atom (simple, right?). But then it must travel, sometimes hundreds of miles in order to be ready for you to utilize that electricity.

Electricity is made when electrons move between atoms. Transmitting wires are made of conductive materials like copper and insulators (like glass or rubber).  Conductive materials allow the transfer of electrons, while insulating material does not allow the electrons to move around.

Electric current is created when electrons move through the conductor.  Electrons need a circuit to move though and cannot move freely through the air. So electricity can flow from the power plant, through the wire, and into your home.  That light switch that magically provides light - a simple switch on the circuit that blocks the electric current from flowing to the light bulb.

Of course this is a simplified version. There are lots of little steps in between - like deciding where your electric supply comes from and making sure a current is always available for you to flip the switch.  Having a company like IDT Energy, doesn't determine the reliability of your supply - but it sure does help the pocketbook when it comes time to pay the bill!

Managing Heating and Cooling Costs

According to IDT Energy, a New-York based energy provider, "the best way to manage your heating and cooling costs is to conserve."
Energy conservation and money-saving tricks are a hot topic in almost every community as the seasons change and heating and cooling costs rise. IDT Energy offers some tips:

• Lower the thermostat and dress warmer. As little as 1 to 3 degrees (F) makes a noteworthy difference in energy consumption.

• Lower the temperature on your electric water heater to 120 (F) degrees and turn it off when leaving for extended periods of time. It is important to note that electric water heaters can be set on timers, but gas heaters must be set manually.

Winter is Coming: IDT Energy Says Its Time to Get Ready

Here we are watching the days shorten, leaves fall, sun loose some of its warm luster and taking our winter things out of mothballs. IDT Energy is getting ready for winter by sending you some simple but practical and effective ideas to save money and energy while staying toasty warm all winter.

1. If you have a forced-air HVAC heating system then it most likely has a simple filter in the ducts near the furnace. It is important to change this filter every few months to maintain efficient and clean operation. When your furnace is working overtime during the winter this bit of maintenance can become an extremely important to lower your energy bill. The filters are inexpensive and pay for themselves in energy savings in no time.

2. Does your home leak some of the warm air that you spent so much money to heat? Seal up those leaks in your walls and windows, even small ones, with weather-stripping, caulk and other insulating materials, and you will find not only is your house warmer, but your energy bill is also lower.

3. Maybe it’s time for a new furnace? If it’s as old as or older than your teenage children it might save you lots of money to replace it with a new “Energy Star” furnace. The sooner you begin saving on your energy bill, the sooner your new furnace will pay for itself and start saving you lots of money.

4. Ready to change your light bulbs? We use more artificial light in the winter. The more efficient the bulbs you use, the less energy you use and the more money you save. Consider switching to compact fluorescent bulbs for the most efficient artificial lighting solution.

IDT Energy Presents: Stay Warm in Winter Without Busting the Bank

Everyone loves winter in New York, but it can be a challenge to your budget to keep warm all winter. IDT Energy has some easy to implement energy saving ideas to get you and your bank account comfortable through the winter.

1. Because most homes are heated with appliances that are fuel-fired, the greatest cost comes at start-up and shut-down. A programmable thermostat helps you maintain constant temperatures or gradual increase and decrease of temperatures. Set to cooler temperatures at night, and begin heating even before you wake up. You will be warmer during the day and save money too. For the most efficient heating, get a programmable thermostat.

2. Set your thermostat to a lower temperature. You won’t feel the difference of just a few degrees, but you will notice it in your monthly fuel bill, which will be substantially lower. Each degree Fahrenheit that you lower the thermostat you can expect a 3% savings on your energy bill. A comfortable daytime temperature for your thermostat is 68 degrees, and about 5-8 degrees less at night during sleep. When spring comes around again you’ll be glad for the money you saved.

3. Did you know that warm air rises and cold air sinks? You can use this principle to circulate the warm air that is stuck to your ceiling down to ground level, by reversing the direction on your ceiling fans. Most fans have a switch to reverse the direction it spins. In the summer make sure the lower part of the paddle goes first around the fan to draw the air up. In the winter flip the switch to push the warm air down.

Timely Tips from IDT to Help You Save (the Planet)

Just a few small changes in our everyday activities can enormously help our environment. In our never ending campaign to help bring a better world to our customers and others IDT Energy in New York has collected a few easy to do suggestions for making our world a better place to live.

1. Adjust your thermostat. Just a slight increase in temperature in the summer and decrease in the winter, let’s say about two degrees Fahrenheit, can make a big difference. Not only do you save on the cost of electricity but over a year you will have saved lots of energy, too.

2. Adjust the temperature in your fridge. The recommended temperature to store food is 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 5 degrees in the freezer. Keeping the refrigerator’s thermostat set to maintain these temperatures will help lengthen the life of your fridge as well as saving you money and energy.

3. In nice weather let the sun shine in. Turn off lights during the day and use natural light and save. When it’s hot outside you can use curtains and blinds to block out the hot sun and keep your cooling bill down. Switching to CFL bulbs (compact fluorescent light) saves electricity and reduces the amount of heat produced by ordinary incandescent bulbs.

4. Clean more efficiently. Shorter shower can save lots of water. A ten minute shower uses about 50 gallons of water. By just taking five minutes less you can save about 25 gallons of water. Be careful to only use your dishwasher and clothes washer when full to get maximum efficiency of water use. And cold water washes using cold water detergents also saves energy, as does air drying your clothes and dishes whenever possible.

5. Rechargeable batteries can also save you lots of money and they are much more energy efficient.

IDT Energy believes that people helping people help the environment is a worthy goal and we are glad to be here to help you.