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Empathy for Enthalpy

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We are all looking for ways to save money. Challenging our energy consumption thinking can really pay off.

Enthalpy, or the energy measured in thermodynamics, may seem a strange visitor to a discussion of your home’s energy consumption. But a brief breakdown of heating and cooling gains and losses will leave you well equipped to be a more energy-savvy consumer, and have a cleaner home, too.

Energy Consumption

It’s challenging to think of reducing energy consumption in the middle of summer’s heatwave. But there are small, individual choices we can make with great impact on our personal energy demand and the environment.

Problem: Rising population, rising cost of living, rising energy costs and consumption…Affects the environment.

“In the next 20 years…global energy consumption is expected to rise 40%”, according to The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine.

According to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (anspblog.org), how we use energy affects our environment. Toxic fumes and harmful byproducts are the unseen evils of energy production and consumption. As is stated in their article, “Reduce Your Household Energy Use”: “When we consume less power, we reduce the amount of toxic fumes released by power plants, conserve the earth’s natural resources, and help protect ecosystems from destruction… Cutting back on energy consumption reduces the amount of electricity that power plants have to make.”

Solution: Changes in how we think and use energy.

As individuals, we can be more aware of how we use the energy we consume by making optimal use of appliances:

Keep refrigerator at 36-38 degrees Fahrenheit, limiting frequency and duration of door opening.

When using oven and stovetop, make larger meals to afford leftovers for another day, requiring less energy to reheat.

Unplug technology including TV’s, chargers, small appliances when not in use.

Wash a full load of laundry in cold water, whenever possible.

Air dry laundry as much as possible, reducing the need for the dryer, the 5th most energy-consuming appliance.

Heaters, the most energy-consuming appliance, are responsible for over 30% of home energy use. Addressing poor insulation and gaps contributing to energy loss are the main ways to reclaim, lowering heating costs.

Cooling appliances account for about 10% of home energy consumption, also being affected by poor insulation and gaps, leading to loss of cooled air.

The state of your windows accounts for nearly 30% of potential heating and cooling losses. Dirty panes, debris, cracks and gaps, and broken weather stripping all contribute to higher energy consumption, as your heating and cooling must work harder to maintain a temperate environment.

Overall, a cleaner home, inside and out, increases the quality of air you breathe inside and outside your home. It also has a direct bearing on the efficiency of your home’s heating and cooling systems. Clean homes using clean, energy efficient appliances will work easier, saving you money as well as reducing energy consumption.

Professional House Washing protects your home from deterioration from elements, buildup of grime, bacteria, and fungus, which can work their way beneath your home’s exterior, ‘infecting’ and deteriorating the efficiency of your home’s energy.

Professional Window Cleaning likewise promotes better use of your home’s energy consumption. Clean windows allow more natural heat and light to enter your home, reducing incessant reliance on appliances and electric lighting.

There are many other appliances, electronics, and habits that affect your home’s energy consumption. While most of these depend on YOUR use and habits as a homeowner, why not depend on US to make the most of your heating and cooling energy expenditure, by scheduling a Professional House Wash and Window Cleaning Service.

With all of the “smart” technology available, let’s be smarter consumers, making better use of our energy consumption.

Harmful Habits and Savvy Spending

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7 Tips To Keeping Your Head In A Spend-Frenzied Society.

“It costs money. It costs money because it saves money.” ~Cosmo Castorini, Moonstruck

Albeit comical, I honestly can’t count the number of times I have repeated this sage advice. Because the truth is, when you invest in quality, it generally outlasts the competition. But doesn’t spending money contradict the saving of it? Not necessarily.

Over the years we can find ourselves shackled to our debts, struggling to keep our heads above water in a ‘must have’ mentality society. Inflation has insulted the “quart of milk, loaf of bread, stick of butter” necessities of the Sesame Street generation. When confusion arises between our needs and our wants, we easily find ourselves in a compromising position. A rush of adrenaline and dopamine drugs us into the point-of-sale-panacea from the shuddering reality of practicality.

Savvy is defined as: shrewdness and practical knowledge; the ability to make good judgments. In a nutshell, that is what wise spending and saving money is all about: making good judgments. However, that can be a challenge, especially in an economic society obsessed with more. Finding balance means changing one’s viewpoint about spending…Changing from a ‘missing–out‘ mentality to being in control. The following 7 TIPS highlight the balance between avoiding harmful habits while becoming a savvy spender.

  1. PAY OFF DEBTS. All of that accruing interest is stealing away your hard earned paycheck. Most financial/budgeting sites recommend paying off your debts from the least to the greatest. This enables you to apply your monthly payments toward larger debts.
  2. SPEND TO SAVE: Whether its utilities, trendy shoes, or car repairs, spending wisely can save hundreds or thousands. Winter demands a lot of energy expense. But to ignore winterizing your home to ‘save money’ could actually cost you more. Cost effective maintenance means you will get more from the energy you pay for. So don’t neglect cleaning your roof, windows, or siding. They all have an impact on energy efficiency. Seal cracks in doors and windows, insulate drafts, and use as much energy efficient lighting and appliances as possible.
  3. GET YOUR MONEY TO WORK FOR YOU. Reinvest your debt payments into savings or interest accruing options. Audit your current expenses and edit unnecessary recurring debits or subscriptions. Audit your home. Sell what you no longer use, love, or need. Employ one of the multitude of selling apps, most with features to sell locally for items too pricey to ship.
  4. AVOID FRIVOLOUS SPENDING. We all need R&R, but spending hundreds or thousands on vacation when you are trying to realize debt goals is not going to be the escape for which you are longing. Consider a budget-friendly STAYCATION focused on creating moments. The internet is full of suggestions for free or inexpensive activities, places, parks, and events.
  5. AVOID “POINT-OF-SALE”…or as I prefer to think of them…”PERVERSIONS-OF-SAVINGS.” You know, that impenetrable wall of things-you-didn’t-know-you-needed, but now, have to have, lining the checkout like a tunnel, pressing you into a do or die, NOW OR NEVER decision…AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE.
  6. ALWAYS PACK FOOD. Whether you are headed to work, running errands, or taking a daytrip, packing food and beverage will save hundreds over the course of the year. For example, a weekly latte at approximately $5 per person costs roughly $260/year. Whereas a $10 weekly vending machine habit or fast food habit =$520/year. If you’re one of those people whose blood sugar plummets after an errand or two, and needs to be rescued by, say a sandwich, a soda, and a candy bar…that sugar crash could be crushing your budget by $1,000/year or more. Shrewd grocery shopping prepares and prevents such losses of judgment and income. For example, a sliced apple and a cheese stick are totally portable and costs less than $2. Prepping snacks and lunches the night before makes for a smooth transition out the door.
  7. EVALUATE NEEDS VS. WANTS. Or, as stated on ramseysolutions.com, “Let your future needs be more important than your current wants.” Marketing is tricky. It employs our senses into tricking our subconscious out of reasonableness and into rationalization. Here’s a trick I use to combat losing my head over clever marketing: Make and carry a list of intentional purchases. Upon entering a store, take a moment of awareness: What do you see (bling), smell (perfume/scents), hear (music), feel (touch)? Your senses are being barraged in an effort to entice you to abandon your good judgment and impulse buy. NOW…STOP. THINK. REASON. And WAIT. Ask yourself, ‘If it isn’t on my list, do I really need it?’ Is there any harm in waiting 24 hours, 1 week, or longer? Most “needs” are fleeting and forgotten within 24 hours of leaving a store. But in the moment, our overstimulated brain responds to our sensory overload by looking to bond with a moment. Just be observant of your actual feelings, and the ones being subtly suggested to you.

Summing it up…

Grime Fighters knows you work hard for your money. Our marketing and pricing structure supports your needs, not our wants. That is why we DO NOT employ a ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL pricing convention. Our pricing structure is according to your individual home needs. We offer frequent promotions and discounts to coincide with the needs of the season. Each home is priced by size, amount, and type of work to be done. Our goal is to provide the best value of service, providing a long-term customer relationship, helping you get the most bang for your buck.

Happy Saving!