If You would like to have an energy expert consult you in the right device to purchase for your home or commercial business you may speak to an energy consultant at Electricity Bid who can help point you in the right direction. Depending on the preferences you might want and the amount of money you would like to save over the year some thermostats are more effective then others. Please feel free to fill out the form below to learn more.

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Heating and cooling costs account for about 50-70% of the energy used in the average Texas home, the Energy Efficient Saver program from Electricity Bid and Pierce Energy is the easiest, most effective way to:

1. Save money (up to 30% or more) on your Texas electric bill
2. Improve the general well being and comfort level of your Texas home
3. Raise the value of your house, and
4. Gives you the opportunity to reduce the demand load in your city which can lower the rate for everyone.

Designed in accordance with U.S. Department of Energy recommendations, the Energy Efficient Saver program combines 10 proven energy saving solutions into a single program that can pay for itself through Texas power savings of up to 30% and sometimes more in annual heating and cooling costs. With the help of the federal and state government many of the costs in this program are paid for by the government.

10 Steps Performed with the Energy Efficiency Saver Program

• Apples to Apples Electric Rate Comparison at Electricity Bid.com
• Blower Door Setup and Calculations Performed on Air Leakage From Home
• Assesment of Insulation Damage in Attic and Walls
• Mastic Paint Used to Seal Leaks Coming From Air Conditioning Ducts Located in Attic.
• Doors and Windows Retrofitted with Devices to Stop Air and Energy Leaks
• Blow in Insulation and Radiant Barrier Installed in Attic
• See Through Energy Efficient Storm Windows Installed on Existing Windows.
• Feasability Study for the Installation of Solar Panels
• Power Saver Device Installed at Meter to reduce the loss of Electricity Through Energy Surges
• Advice on How to Maintain Continued Energy Efficiency Best Practices for Your Home

If you would like to receive solar technology and renewable energy updates in Texas then we would like to recommend ESS Solar. This is a local solar panel and renewable energy company in Texas that works with several solar panel companies and solutions. They keep us updated with solar technology as it changes and would be happy to keep you updated as well. They of course hope you will eventually become a customer but they also work very well as an information resource by giving the occasional update on solar as changes take place in the market place.

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Have you heard that the state will reimburse you in whole or atleast in part for doing things to your home to make it more energy efficient like buying those LED or halogen lightbulbs and replacing old air conditioners? Your right, the government will provide assistance and to find out how you only have to check the Governments Database on Energy Efficient Credits.

Texas Energy Efficient Credits Database

Now you are rewarded for using less energy. What could be a better way to encourage the state to go green then by giving you cold hard cash? This database should make it easy to find the program and steps to take to increase your homes energy efficiency. Businesses can take advantage of these programs too and just add that money to the bottom line. The initial investment is usually under $10,000 on the high end and as low as $1,000 for homes. You will usually make this money back in one year and the government will give you money for doing it. Think about it, the utilities do not have to build out additonal power infrastructure which saves them money, and helps the environment. If we can have one less coal fired power plant burning then just think of the benefits you provide your state by getting started with this program. It’s worth it to take a look.

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Many people do not realize that they could easily be piddling away their retirement money by letting energy escape through the cracks in their house. Not only that but old outdated lights, insulation, air conditioners, water heaters, and air conditioning ducts also can work towards sucking away your retirement savings.

 Instead of letting this happen why don’t you take your money out of the stock market and invest in your home. You will receive a higher return on your investment with little to no risk while improving the environment and reducing the number of power plants.

Start now to find the resources to make your home more energy efficient.

Home Energy Saver

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You can find out just how much energy you use at your house by searching around for some recent electric bills and spending a few minutes to see just how your energy consumption compares to the rest of the nation.

You can begin by filling out the below form with the needed information. We will not sell or give this information to anyone. We hate spam too. You need to have your zipcode, square footage, energy bill totals, occupants, and age for a 12 consecutive month period.

If you need your electric usage history you can contact your utility which could be Oncor Electric Delivery (TXU Energy)(1.888.313.6862) in the Dallas area or Centerpoint Energy (1.800.332.7143) in the Houston area.  

MEASURING TAPE FORM

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How We Use Energy in Our Homes

Heating and Air Conditioning Typically Accounts for the biggest portion of electricity consumption for a homes utility bill.

To begin you want to locate the areas in the house that use the most electricity. This type of approach is known as the wholehouse energy efficiency approach. You can bring in a home energy audit specialist who can determine where the energy is escaping from holes and cracks in the homes ducts and exterior entrance and exit ways. Cracks and openings in windows and door seals are a few easy locations to look at. Single pane windows and attics and walls not properly insulated or updated with Radiant Barrier can also cause substantial energy loss. Many regional utilities in Texas such as Oncor Delivery and Centerpoint Energy provide free home energy efficiency programs to assist in making your home a more efficient and bring needed money savings to the bottom line for your families needs. Everybody could use a little extra money and these tips could give you more then just a little extra. Of course, many of these suggestions you could perform yourself but some of them require a utility or energy expert to take a look at. You can learn more about energy tools and audit’s that can help you in your search for energy savings by checking out the Electricity Guide or the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) member page.

Tips On Auditing Home Energy

• See if the attic insulation is at the proper level, as well as exterior and basement walls, floors, ceilings, and crawl spaces. Go to the Electricity Guide to learn how to properly check your insulation levels.
• Locate holes and cracks around ceilings, walls, doors, windows, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can cause are to come in and out of a home.
• Close any open fireplace dampers.
• Receive yearly air conditioning maintenance and take advantage of HVAC promotional maintenance programs in your area as they come available. You can find the recommended maintenance time frame in the owner’s manual of the air conditioner you bought.
• Install energystar lighting and switches and monitor how your family uses lighting especially in high traffic areas. You can use lighting controls like dimmers, occupancy sensors, and timers to help reduce lighting usage levels. Replace outdated lightbulbs with compact or standard fluorescent lamps.

Creating a Reliable Plan

At this point you have located everywhere energy is being lost in the house. Ask yourself these questions:

• How much do you spend on electricity?
• Where do you loose the most energy?
• How long will your energy efficiency investment take to recoup?
• Are there any additional perks for you that will come from the energy standards you put into place (a more comfortable living space could be one possible example)?
• How long do you plan to live in your current house you will be updating?
• Are you able to do these energy saving ideas without needing to hire additional help?
• How much money can you spend and have you checked what type of maintenance and repairs might be needed?

After you have put your plans in the proper order and know where your top priorities are you can start the energy efficiency project. Hopefully your plan will create an order so that you can buy affordable products that will pay off the most to make your home more efficient for the money. A few phone calls to some experts in town like, Home Depot or Lowes could answer some difficult questions in a few minutes. MaCenterpoint Energy and Oncor Electric Delivery both conduct free energy audits because by helping you they are able to reduce energy demand and not build as many power plants as they would need to otherwise. An energy expert can compare a homes energy bill to the energy system’s in place to see how much each costs a year to run the home. This however is quite easy by just reading the energy label on each appliance and doing a couple simple calculations. You can also hire an energy expert who specializes in performing various energy tests using blower doors, infrared cameras, and surface thermometers to find leaks and drafts. There are many different theories and devices recommended on how to properly test a house and you can research this by googling terms like “blower door”. The energy expert can give you a list of affordable solutions to make the home more energy efficient although most of the things they will recommend are common sense like, cracks around windows being filled, door seals, duct leaks, and updating or maintaining A/C Units. The  expert will also calculate the return on investment when compared to older systems being used.

Heat Finding Its Way Out Of Your House
When you heat your house you want to make sure it all stays inside because most spend a majority of their energy dollars on heating their home. This image shows what happens and where it happens in this type of scenario. The  colors show white, yellow, and red which is in order of the least amount of heat loss to the greatest in thermal energy. The red color represents the most in heat loss from the house.

Tips to Find the Best Contractor For The Job

• Word of mouth is best from family and friends
• People pay a lot to be in the yellow pages so check it out
• Find a local company as they are cheap and just as good as going out of town to find someone.
• Find a licensed and bonded contractor.
• When receiving bids be sure to get the details in writing and have atleast 3 company bids.
• Get referrals and ask about experience
• Call the companies references
• See if they have any complaints with the Better Business Bureau

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An Efficient Apartment

Many people have noticed that there are all kinds of great ideas on how to have an energy efficient home but there is not a lot of information on how to do the same for an apartment. The truth is, you do not own your apartment and so there are several things you just aren’t allowed to do as far as retrofitting and refurbishing goes.

Steps To Become Energy Efficient

One of the number one things to do if you own an apartment is to install a portable ceiling fan to circulate the air in the important. By doing this you can have the air conditioner set at a warmer setting while still feeling cool. This will save a tremednous amount of electricity and money. The next step is to install radiant barrier over windows you do not use or look out in the apartment. You can place a nice window curtain in front of it so that people from the street do not see a big foil covering on your window. This will knock out 98% of the radiant heat that comes through your window and will save you even more in energy bill money.

Learn more about Texas electric power

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Centerpoint Energy and Energystar Homes

The federal government in cooperation with the Texas government’s Energystar program has worked with Centerpoint Energy and the Houston electricity coverage area to encourage builder’s and home buyer’s to build and purchase energystar certified homes. Houston is the largest electricity congestion bottleneck in Texas. By creating more energy efficient homes and businesses this can be alleviated and less power plants and infrastructure would need to be built.

Live The Lifestyle

Home owner’s can also benefit by living the lifestyle they would like for less money. If you turn your air-conditioner on high all day but have an energystar home you will likely still be able to afford it. There are a lot of benefits to buy and build an energy star home in Houston Texas.

The below home builder’s are certified Energystar home builders.

Houston Texas Energy Star Home Builders

Ashton Woods Homes
www.ashtonwoodshomes.com

Beazer Homes
www.beazer.com

Carlisle Homes
www.carlislehomes.com

Castlerock Communities
www.castlerockcommunities.com

Centex Homes
www.centexhomes.com

Chesmar Homes LTD
www.chesmar.com

Coventary Homes
www.coventryhomes.com

David Powers Homes
www.davidpowershomes.com

David Weekley Homes
www.davidweekleyhomes.com

Highland Homes Houston LTD.
www.highlandhomes.com

Imperial Homes
www.imperialhomestexas.com

KB Home
www.kbhomes.com

Kimball Hill Homes
www.kimballhillhomes.com

Lennar Homes
www.lennar.com

Lindenwood Homes
www.lindenwoodhomes.com

Maplewood Homes
www.maplewood-homes.com

Meritage Homes
www.meritagehomeshouston.com

Morrison Homes
www.morrisonhomes.com

Partners in Building, L.P.
www.partnersinbuilding.com

Perry Homes
www.perryhomes.com

Pioneer Homes
www.pioneerhomes.com

Plantation Homes
www.plantationhomes.com

Pulte Homes
www.pultehomes.com

Royce Builders
www.roycebuilders.com

Ryland Homes
www.ryland.com/find-your-new-home/11-houston.html

Trendmaker Homes
www.trendmakerhomes.com

Village Builders
www.lennar.com

Wilshire Homes
www.wilshire-homes.com�

More About Energy Efficiency

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Improve Home Energy Efficiency With Trees

A program known as Trees for Houston has partnered with CenterPoint Energy of Houston. The purpose of this program is to develop energy efficient landscaping in residential neighborhoods and new home construction projects. By using the right trees and planting them in strategic areas you can lower home cooling costs within a few years. Shade trees can produce years of savings on energy bills. Trees are beautiful and increase the value of the home and land which makes this program a very useful and marketable idea. Shade trees also improve air quality and absorb storm runoff.

Eligible customers in the Houston Texas area if approved can receive up to 2 trees per household from http://www.treesforhouston.org. You can contact Gary Woods at 281-474-4507 for more information.

Rules For Trees For Houston Program

Trees may only be planted on the west, east, or south side of the residence. You can pick among several species such as Live Oak, Red Maple, and Magnolia. Trees For Houston will deliver, plant, and offer advice for $25. The advice will give the most energy efficient location to place the tree. The program is done on a first come first served basis so the quicker you jump at the opportunity the more likely they can help you.

Be sure to call the electric, gas and water company to verify the place you would like the tree does not have underground pipes and wires underneath the area. Here is where you call to find this information out for Houston Texas: “Call Before You Dig” line at 1-800-669-8344.

Learn more about Houston Texas Energy Efficiency

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Texas Utilities Offer Energy Efficiency Programs

CenterPoint Energy offers a program they call the Commercial and Industrial Retro-Commissioning Program. This program would benefit Houston Texas area commercial and industrial businesses who want to save more money on their electric bill by taking steps to update some of their old boilers, light ballasts, and other energy hogs. CenterPoint will come into the facility and locate low cost ways to retrofit the facility to save on peak demand costs. A licensed agent from CenterPoint will come in for free to do a detailed study and suggest the needed changes as well as assist with the changes in exchange that the facility will invest at least $10,000 in some of the recommended ideas.

Facility Services Managers Can Reduce Electricity

The new energy efficiency program CenterPoint offers is similar to an engine tune-up for your car. It doesn’t cost a lot but will save your company money in short order. The Retro-Commissioning Program is set up to achieve both energy and peak demand savings in the Houston area. A systematic evaluation of the electric energy-using systems and machines combined with an immediate implementation of low-cost retro-fitting measures will dramtically reduce electricity costs. This is a win win as CenterPoint does not have to build additional infrastructure if customers will become more energy efficient. This free service will give a facility a competitive edge and can easily justify a facility services manager’s job and salary.

Why is CenterPoint Doing This For Free?

According to Senate Bill 7 passed by the Texas Legislature in 1999 they have too. The Houston Utility must meet a 10% reduction in its annual utility area demand growth.

The Process

To Retro-fit the facility there are two simple steps:

Evaluation

The CenterPoint Energy Consultant will evaluate the energy-using systems in the facility and their condition. They will look for low cost opportunities to improve the energy performance of these systems. A detailed written report shows all the ways to improve the facilities efficiency.

Implementation

To implement the recommendations you can either select a contractor of your choice or have your own staff implement the agreed upon changes to the facility. The recommendations provided have a 1 year back or less making the financial aspect of it a no brainer. All facility managers in Texas should be jumping on board to do this program and if they are not then why not? The only requirement is that you do have to make a minimum investment of $10,000 and have the project completed in 1 year.

Retro-Commissioning Changes

Non-optional control strategies are made more flexible, faulty equipment is replaced; nothing is left deferred but is handled in one quick stroke across the board. Facility Owner’s generally are not aware just how much they could save by changing some things in their facility. CenterPoint brings the brains to you so there is no need to stress as they will study the facility and provide a written report detailing what needs to be done.

Extra Benefits To The Facility

The changes can result in:

Reduced Maintenance And Repair Costs

Extend The Life Of The Facilities Equipment

More Comfortable Work Environment

Ability To Work With Expert Engineers

Learn About Effective Building Operation

Identify Capital Projects Funded By CenterPoint Energy

Sign up now to improve your facilities operations

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