Fiberglass has long been one of the most common types of insulation. It comes in many different forms, but the basic concept is that glass is heated and spun to form tiny fibers that stick together haphazardly. The structure traps air well, making it a good insulator.

Cellulose loose-fill is best compared to fiberglass loose-fill because both offer the benefit of more effectively sealing the building envelope from heat transfer. Cellulose tends to offer a better R-value per inch (see chart below), and it is not a possible carcinogen. It also boasts some environmental credentials above those fiberglass can claim: it has a greater percentage of recycled content, its manufacture is about 8 times less energy-intensive and, when it is removed from a house frame, it can theoretically be composted. However, cellulose tends to be more expensive, and its installation can be more labor-intensive than that of fiberglass blankets. It’s especially important to ensure proper installation of sprayed-in cellulose because if it is left too wet, mold, mildew and even rot can form in the house frame.

Pennsylvania energy-buffs may have noticed the term ‘net - metering’ being tossed around local news recently. In June 2006 the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, the board that governs the creation and distribution of energy in the state, decided to allow net metering in an effort to join the other 39 states nationwide that already have such regulations.

An essential component of conserving energy is keeping conditioned air in your house and keeping unconditioned air out, meaning that in the winter hot air doesn’t escape and in the summer cool air doesn’t escape. Insulation plays a role in keeping your house warm too, but regular fiberglass insulation does not stop the flow of air. Typically insulation is effective at preventing heat transfer through materials (limiting your home’s ability to conduct heat), it cannot prevent air from actually sneaking in and out through holes and cracks. (The exception to this is sprayed-in Cellulose and some foam insulations that can both air seal and insulate)

Are you interested in installing an alternative energy system in your home, but can’t swallow the price of solar panels or wind turbines? Let the federal and state government help pay the bill! New tax credit laws have recently been passed by Congress and state legislatures, including Pennsylvania’s, which help corporate, business, private, non-profit and agriculture sectors, as well as homeowners, to pay for alternative energy systems. This is the government’s way of encouraging individuals and groups to save energy and money by utilizing the growing capabilities of energy systems that don’t depend on an outside power company. By creating your own power and either using it right away, storing it in a battery system, or selling it back to your electric company (see the article on Net Metering) you can keep tons-literally tons-of harmful pollutants from being released into the air, water and soil.

Electric customers might be surprised to learn how much their bills could be reduced by switching to energy efficient lighting.  Much of the focus of home energy conservation is spent on the large electric-hogging appliances like air conditioners and clothes dryers, but lighting should not be overlooked.  The fact that lights are often left on for long amounts of time and are frequently forgotten (that rogue light down in the basement that never gets turned off), coupled with inefficient design in overhead lights and lamps create quite an impact on your bill.So what can be done to reduce this impact? The solution to this problem can be broken down in two categories: energy efficient products and energy efficient personal habits.

Geothermal exchange is a method of heating or cooling a building that uses the thermal energy constantly given off by the Earth. At depths greater than six feet, ground temperature is relatively constant, ranging between 45 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit, depending on your latitude. These systems are more efficient because, whether it’s winter or summer, the ground temperature is usually more moderate than the outdoor temperature, so less heating or cooling is required. That means the system doesn’t have to work as hard to make your home comfortable. The EPA estimates that geothermal transfer uses 30-70% less energy for heating and 20%-50% less energy for cooling.

Water bills have several components different than other utilities that are mostly unknown to customers. Listed on your bill is the meter size, which for a residential home is usually 5/8” or 3/4”. Based on this size there is a minimum charge for using water (between $10-15/month). Then any usage above this minimum, which can vary widely, is charged per 100 gallons. If your water utility also provides wastewater treatment, then based on your usage the utility makes a standardized determination of what water goes from your house and down the drain into the sewer system.

Electric bills are perhaps the most confusing because usage is measured in units of kilowatt-hours or kWh, which is something that you can’t actually see or measure in the usual way like gas and water. Simply put, kWh are the amount of electricity used by 1,000 watts in one hour. Electric meters don’t specifically record kWh, the difference read between one month and the next must be multiplied by the ‘meter multiplier.’ This number, which is usually 12, converts the number that the meter reads into kWh, a number that can then be multiplied by the electric rate. This electric rate is actually the sum of several customer charges including generation, transmission and distribution. The current rate of electricity in the Pittsburgh Area (through the Duquesne Light Company) is $0.11/kWh, but this rate is subject to change as the utility company petitions the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) for a rate increase.

In a home that has gas heat, this is almost always the largest bill in the household. Gas usage is measured in Mcf or 1,000s of cubic feet of gas and is charged on a slightly more changeable rate than other commodities. This is because gas supply is provided by sources outside of the local area and the gas commodity charge is dependent on market availability (just as gasoline prices vary day by day). As a result of this sometimes gas companies have to include a ‘gas cost adjustment’ on a bill, which can be very confusing as it adds more numbers into an already confusing mix. Since the projected cost of gas is not always what the actual costs ends up being, the gas company makes a ‘cost adjustment,’ either slightly increasing or decreasing the monthly charge.Gas bills usually fluctuate based on the seasons, higher in the colder months and lower in the warmer months, because most heating systems run on gas. When you look at your usage history graph you should see a spike around the winter months and a decrease once spring comes. It helps to be aware of all the gas-consuming appliances in your household, if you don’t already know this, go through room-by-room and check. Gas appliances may include furnace, stove, dryer, in-wall space heaters, hot water tanks and fireplaces. Once you have this information you can address any seasonal spike as well as your yearlong usage with several gas-conserving techniques that include: