Improve-Efficiency

Are electric fireplaces energy efficient? The first statement I see when I google for electric fireplace efficiency is that electric fireplaces have 100% efficiency. Sounds quite good, right? Not quite… These statements about efficiencies are always misleading unless you know the physics of electric fireplaces precisely. In this article, I am going to show you why the 100% efficiency of electric fireplaces is meaningless. And after tearing these marketing statements down, we’ll find out how truly efficient they are: ...

Increasing the efficiency of an infrared heater is easy, and you don’t have to be a technician to do so. In this article, I will give you some tips for increasing infrared heater efficiency and reducing energy costs. Quick Answer: You can increase your infrared heater’s perceived efficiency by adequately insulating your room (windows, cracks, and gaps below the door). Also, place your infrared heater facing into the room, or facing directly toward people. The technical efficiency of infrared heaters is always 100% since all electric energy ends as heat. ...

How can you insulate a window air conditioner? Usually, the window kit that comes with a window AC does not fit perfectly and leaves room for heat to enter your room. So, let’s have a look at some improvements you can make to improve your window AC’s insulation (and, therefore, its cost-efficiency)! Quick answer: You can add insulation around a window AC by gluing styrofoam panels around the sides. To close all air gaps, use spray foam or foam tape. If available, close your outdoor shutters to reduce the amount of heat entering your room. ...

Window ACs are power-hungry! Even though they are one of the most-efficient AC types, their running cost adds up over time. In this article, I’m going to explain 3 essential things you should do to make your window AC more efficient. Quick Answer: You can make your window AC more efficient by insulating windows and gaps below your door. Also, clean the evaporator coil and air filter. To avoid efficiency-decreasing dirt accumulation, clean your window AC’s internals yearly. Additionally, use high-quality extension cords (instead of cheap ones) and run your AC on a moderate cooling setting. ...

How can you improve the heating and cost-efficiency of an oil-filled radiator? There are three different efficiencies that we want to optimize for: Technical efficiency - How much electricity is converted to heat? Perceived efficiency - How much heat does actually reach you? Cost efficiency - How much heat do you get for your money’s worth? In this article, we are going to cover all three different kinds of efficiencies. For each efficiency type, I am going to give you straight-to-the-point advice on how to optimize your oil-filled radiator! ...

Is your wood-burning stove not producing enough heat? Or does it consume too much firewood? Quick answer: To improve your wood stove’s efficiency, use a firewood holder, use properly dried wood, and keep the chimney and the airways clean. Additionally, you can install a wood stove insert or a reflective wall heat shield. How to improve wood stove efficiency (13 Methods) Here’s a full list of all the ways to improve your wood stove’s efficiency. ...

Do space heaters save you money? And if yes, how? Space heaters use a lot of electricity. Nevertheless, you can use them to increase your home’s heating efficiency. In this article, we are going to cover how you can cut your heating bill using space heaters! Quick answer: Space heaters save you at least $162 yearly if you reduce your central heater’s temperature by more than 8°F (4.4°C) and supply heat using two space heaters. If you use just one space heater to supply heat, your heating bill is reduced by at least $324 a year. ...

How to make a portable air conditioner more efficient? Portable air conditioners can turn into a money drain if you don’t use them properly. This article is all about helping you to make sure that you are running your portable air conditioner at the highest efficiency. After reading this, you’ll know exactly what to do in order to increase the cooling power of your portable AC while maintaining low electricity usage and therefore lower cost. ...