Want to cut your heating bill? Want to be more comfortable? Shrink-wrap your...
I spent the afternoon putting plastic film on my windows. It was supposed to be a short project, and I do get better at it every year, but it still ended up taking about an hour per window. I think...
View ArticleHow I survived a weekend in July in the midwest without air conditioning
The air conditioner went out this week. Based on the local shop's estimate, we're probably looking at $3400 to fix it, which is more than the cost of a newer, better unit. On Friday they bubble-gummed...
View ArticleI found a blog
I found a blog: Fivepercent.us is all about saving energy. Over the course of the last 4-5 years, Tom Harrison and his family cut their electric bill in half. I'm impressed. The post I found a blog...
View ArticleUsing child safety outlets to save energy
I got a new book recently about saving energy. I’ve read several of those, but this one had two tips I’ve never seen anywhere else: caulking baseboards and putting child safety covers on electrical...
View ArticleDo insulated vinyl blinds work?
Back in November, I bought a bunch of insulated vinyl blinds on sale. Installing them took about a week–I had to replace all the hardware, which involves drilling, so I had to be careful what I did and...
View ArticleThe power company’s aid in saving energy
My local electric company is going to start including a power usage comparison on the monthly bill. For the last several years, they’ve been sending one annually, but it’s not all that hard to miss it....
View ArticleWire a bathroom fan and light on one switch
Sometimes you need to wire a bathroom fan and light on one switch. Code often requires a fan in bathrooms these days, but you may only have one switch. Or maybe you have two switches but just want one...
View ArticleVacancy switch vs occupancy switch
If you’re wondering about a vacancy switch vs occupancy switch, both types of switches have their uses. The basic difference comes down to whether you want the light to turn on when it senses motion...
View ArticleWhat is the purpose of a screen saver?
What is the purpose of a screen saver? Screen savers served both a technical and a marketing purpose. From a technical perspective, the purpose of a screen saver was to keep an image from permanently...
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