Energy saving tips for homeowners

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Energy saving tips for homeowners

 

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21 Feb 2013

South Africans are becoming increasing more aware of their electricity usage. This is motivated by two main factors, namely the rising price of electricity as well and an eagerness to look after our environment.

New homes should be well insulated both in the roof space and the walls.

There are many large and small retrofit initiatives that households can consider when trying to reduce their electricity consumption but the greatest chances can occur when designing a new home.

New homes are the perfect canvas for the implementation of green initiatives. Architects and developers must engage with new technology in order to make sure that, going forward, clients can enjoy the benefits of a greener home.

Craig Isaacson from Unlimited Solar shares a few ideas of what can be done from the ground up…

Let there be light

The use of light is important in new homes. North facing stands with large windows and skylights should mean that consumers switch on lights only at night.

When consumers do need to turn on lights they must be energy efficient lights, which consume far less energy.

LED lights are probably the best option on the market at the moment but consumers must take care in choosing good quality lights that will last longer and give the correct light in terms of beam angle and colour.

Blow hot and cold

When moving into a new home one should consider changing over to energy efficient appliances.

New homes should be well insulated both in the roof space and the walls.

This will ensure that the house stays warm in winter and cool in summer therefore reducing the need to turn air conditioners and heaters on.

There should also be windows on various sides of the house which will help to create a through draft in order to cool the home during the summer. This will considerably reduce your need for an electric heater or cooler. 

Energy efficient appliances

When moving into a new home one should consider changing over to energy efficient appliances.

These days there are cleaning detergents that claim to work just as well in a cold wash as a hot wash, this encourages consumers to try these products as well.

An energy efficient fridge for example will consume far less energy than an ordinary fridge.

Energy efficient products are always advertised on the packing so look out for an energy star or green stamp when shopping; this states that the appliance consumes less electricity because of certain characteristics.

Each appliance is different in the amount of energy it consumes; consumers are not required to research each and every product before they buy it but should generally be aware that there will be an energy efficient option in most products.

One should try to be aware of this and look out for the various energy efficient stamps. Consumer appliances are generally measured in Watts – a lower wattage unit will generally mean a more efficient product but be careful that it doesn’t just mean a smaller size product or a less powerful unit.

Solar geysers vs. heat pumps

Perhaps the most potential to save on electricity will be through water heating costs.

When designing a new home consider good conditions for a solar geyser, for example, a north facing or flat roof.

One also has the opportunity to hide the solar geyser if the home is designed well thus protecting the aesthetics of the home.

A heat pump is also a great alternative that will save consumers money and will be friendlier on the environment.

Water wise

Water saving showerheads and flow restrictors should be installed on all water outlets. This will help to save water.

Hot water saving will lead to even greater savings in electricity as well. 

The best way to save on hot water is through a solar geyser. That way the sun is responsible for heating your geyser and electricity is only used as a backup source of heating.

A geyser will generally make up about 40 percent of one’s total electricity usage so if consumers can use the sun for about 70 percent of their water heating needs then they can save substantially on their energy costs. Heat pumps are also great options to heat one’s geyser and a similar saving will be achieved.

These days there are cleaning detergents that claim to work just as well in a cold wash as a hot wash, this encourages consumers to try these products as well.  

Saving energy is about looking out for the simple changes that one can make. When you boil the kettle for one or two cups of coffee make sure you are only boiling water that you need , this will make it quicker to boil and consume less power.

Energy efficient shower heads will reduce the amount of hot water we use and therefore save on water heating costs.

These can be purchased from Sanitaryware Centre which has a wide range of energy efficient showerheads. When it comes to energy saving, nothing is too small to overlook, all the small things add up and if everybody participates it will make a massive difference.

Gassy solutions

Gas may be used effectively in certain places around the home and is commonly used in stoves and fireplaces and braais. You can also get gas geysers.

It will be most efficient in places that have natural gas.

Where, what and how?

There are many more ways to save electricity when building a new home but perhaps the most important is orientation and design.

A new home should be north facing, make good use of light and allow for a constant flow of air throughout the home. 

For more information, visit www.unlimitedsolar.co.za

Green building from the roots up

South Africans are becoming increasing more aware of their electricity usage. This is motivated by two main factors, namely the rising price of electricity as well and an eagerness to look after our environment. There are many large and small retrofit initiatives that households can consider when trying to reduce their electricity consumption but the greatest chances can occur when designing a new home. New homes are the perfect canvass for the implementation of green initiatives. Architects and developers must engage with new technology in order to make sure that going forward clients can enjoy the many benefits of a greener home. Below are a few ideas of what can be done from the ground up.

 

Let there be Light

The use of light is very important in new homes, north facing stands with large windows and skylights should mean that consumers switch on lights only at night. When consumers do need to turn on lights they must be energy efficient lights which consume far less energy. LED lights are probably the best option on the market at the moment but consumers must take care in choosing good quality lights that will last longer and give the correct light in terms of beam angle and colour.

Blow Hot and cold

New homes should be well insulated both in the roof space and the walls. This will ensure that the house stays warmer in winter and cooler in summer therefore reducing the need to turn air conditioners and heaters on. There should also be windows on various sides of the house which will help to create a through draft in order to cool the home in summer. This will considerably reduce your need for an electric heater or cooler.

Energy efficient appliances – its 2013 stop using your grandmothers microwave

When moving into a new home one should consider changing over to energy efficient appliances. An energy efficient fridge for example will consume far less energy than an ordinary fridge.

Solar geysers/Heat pumps – use the sun we have been blessed with in SA!

Perhaps the most potential to save on electricity will be through ones water heating costs. When designing a new home one must consider good conditions for solar geyser ie: north facing or flat roof. One also has the opportunity to hide the solar geyser if the home is designed well thus protecting the aesthetics of the home. A heat pump is also a great alternative that will save consumers money and will be friendlier on the environment.

Water wise

Water saving showerheads and flow restrictors should be installed on all water outlets. This will help to save water. Hot water saving will lead to even greater savings in electricity as well.

Gassy solutions

Gas may be used effectively in certain places around the home. Commonly used in stoves and fireplaces. It will be most efficient in places that have natural gas.

Where, What, how?

There are many more ways to save electricity when building a new home but perhaps the most important is orientation and design. A new home should be North facing, make good use of light and allow for a constant flow of air throughout the home. 

Feel free to comment on what else can be done to save electricity and build greener homes.

News 24 – Solar geysers vs Heat Pumps

Solar Geysers vs Heat Pumps

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Solar Geysers vs Heat Pumps

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12 Nov 2012

There is general consensus that all South Africans need to switch over to an alternative energy source to heat their geysers.

Eskom says the installation of a solar geyser depends on the system, its size, the type of plumbing you have in your home and the kind of geyser you buy. A solar geyser could cost homeowners anything from R6 000 to R36 000.

This is according to Craig Isaacson, Managing Director of Unlimited Solar, who says in the typical home, the geyser makes up 40 percent of the total electricity bill.

He says with solar or heat pumps aiming to save homeowners 70 percent of their geyser spend, this will translate into about a 30 percent saving on their total electricity bill every month.

The problem facing most South Africans is which technology to go with. There are so many options when it comes to solar geysers and heat pumps, every company canvassing for their share of the market and explaining why their product is best for you.

Isaacson shares a few points that homeowners need to consider before making the choice between solar geysers and heat pumps…

Heat pumps are efficient in how they use electricity and a 1kw input of electricity generally translates to a 4kw output of electricity. This means that the savings on your geyser spend will be similar to that of a solar geyser.

Solar geysers

Isaacson says a solar geyser uses the sun’s energy to heat the geyser.

He says any solar water heating system is made up of two main components, the geyser and the solar collector.

He explains that the solar collector is responsible for generating heat and the geyser’s function is to store that heat so that it can be used at the consumer’s convenience.

The most efficient configuration for a solar geyser is called a thermo siphon configuration – this setup means the geyser sits above the collector, usually on the roof, and the heat will rise naturally into the geyser.

If, for some reason, you can’t have the geyser on top of your roof then you can have the geyser sitting inside your ceiling and the panel on top of your roof. In this circumstance, homeowners can then make use of a pump to circulate the water between the geyser and collector.

Eskom says the installation of a solar geyser depends on the system, its size, the type of plumbing you have in your home and the kind of geyser you buy. A solar geyser could cost homeowners anything from R6 000 to R36 000.

Depending on the homeowners’ usage habits, how big the family is and what hot water is used for, the estimated savings for households can add up to a potential of 22 percent on their total electricity bill, says Eskom.

Isaacson says the main questions to ask when installing a solar geyser are whether or not the system is frost resistant and if the guarantee on the system is at least five years.

Eskom also offers homeowners who install solar geysers a rebate on all approved systems, offered by approved suppliers and installed by approved installers.

All these details are on the Eskom IDM website, a list of systems, their supplier details, their prices, installation costs, rebates and system details. The rebate is paid directly into a claimant’s bank account, eight weeks after the application is received.

Solar systems on the Eskom programme have to have a minimum five year guarantee and a quality solar geyser is estimated to last for 15 to 20 years.

Try to find a supplier who is registered on the Eskom solar water heating rebate programme to make sure that they comply with these and many other requirements.

According to Isaacson, the biggest resistance to solar geysers in South Africa is due to aesthetic reasons; people don’t want to see these monstrosities on their beautiful roofs. He says this is something homeowners need to move past or design around.

Architects are experimenting with new ways to hide solar geysers all the time and this will bode well for new builds.

Should property owners invest in a solar geyser, Eskom says, it would take an estimated 4.5 years for them to recoup on their investment, depending on their hot water usage, the cost of the system, their savings and the tarrifs at the time.

Heat pumps

A heat pump works like an inverse air conditioner. It takes heat particles from the atmosphere, compresses them, pumps them into your geyser and circulates the water round.

Heat pumps are efficient in how they use electricity and a 1kw input of electricity generally translates to a 4 kw output of electricity. This means that the savings on your geyser spend will be similar to that of a solar geyser.

Aesthetically speaking, heat pumps look like air conditioners, so there is little resistance from consumers to placing a heat pump on the wall.

Isaacson says a heat pump is a better option for a family that is consuming hot water throughout the day or an office environment where the draw off is constant.

According to Eskom, the installation costs of a heat pump vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, and depend on the customers’ specific needs. On a typical domestic unit of approximately 250 litres water capacity, the cost of the unit itself would be between 3 and 7 times the cost of an equivalent domestic resistant element geyser – the actual installation cost should be about the same or, in some cases marginally higher.

“The figure for commercial units is probably within the same spectrum, but with a shorter payback period. The costs of domestic units are more in line with a solar water heating system.”

Eskom says customers can buy a heat pump at rebated cost from the accredited, published registered suppliers on the programme, and the supplier must perform a full installation.

“Heat pumps sold by registered suppliers are already rebated by Eskom, so you don’t have to apply for a rebate personally. You get the rebate upfront, without any delay.”

Isaacson says Solar Water heaters take longer to heat up and heat up best between 10am and 2pm when the sun is strongest, while heat pumps perform relatively the same throughout the day. However, solar geysers are able to draw on power twice a day should the sun’s heat not be sufficient.

He believes if homeowners have good conditions for a solar geyser i.e. North facing or a flat roof and they don’t mind having the geyser sitting on top of it then solar is the best option.

With the rate that the electricity price is rising, he thinks that solar geysers will provide a better saving over the longer term.

Isaacson says the energy is clean and there will be days that you don’t use any electricity at all.

He says both solar and heat pumps are a great option and the only certainty is that you should be investigating which one suits your lifestyle best. 

Solar geysers made simple…

 The South African solar geyser market has been flooded with an influx of foreign and local companies trying to gain market share in this ever – growing but still fledgling industry. Some are fly by nights, some are established organizations with plenty of experience. With so many options and such different information, the million dollar question remains. Which system should you purchase and why?

I think that there is a consensus amongst consumers that solar geysers do work and will play a major role in the future of green energy, green building design and the way in which we heat water on a daily basis. The key to deciding on the correct system lies in understanding how it all works.

Any solar water heating system is made up of two main components, the geyser and the solar collector. The solar collector is responsible for generating heat and the geyser’s function is to store that heat so that it can be used at the consumer’s convenience.

What is the difference between a direct geyser and an indirect geyser?

There are two different types of solar geysers, a direct geyser and an indirect geyser. A direct geyser means that the water that is circulating through the solar collector is the same water that will be used by the consumer, we call this the potable water. An indirect geyser means that the liquid that is circulated through the solar collector never comes into contact with the potable water that is used by the consumer, the geyser is heated indirectly through a transfer of heat by means of a heat exchanger inside the geyser. The main reason that we use an indirect geyser is to protect the solar collector from freezing. we are able to put an anti – freeze liquid inside the collector.

 Indirect solar geyser with heat exchanger

What is a thermo-siphon system?

Solar geysers work on the principle that heat rises and cold sinks. This is known as thermo – siphon, natural circulation of heat and cold. Based on this principle it is easy to understand that the most efficient way to plumb a solar geyser is to have the geyser above the collector, that way heat will be transferred naturally from the collector to the geyser.  It is common for the geyser and the collector both to be situated on top of the roof in this configuration.

Should you wish to have the geyser sitting inside your roof, you will usually need a pumped system. The geyser will sit below the collector. Heat will rise up the collector naturally and will have to be circulated down into the geyser by means of a circulation pump. This will be monitored by a solar controller to ensure greater efficiency.

Flat plate collectors vs Vacuum tubes

Flat plate collectors are the more traditional form of solar collectors, they use copper pipes to carry the heated liquid to the geyser, they usually have a backing of insulation to keep inside heat inside the collector and are dark in colour to attract as much of the suns radiation as possible.

Vacuum tubes are round which gives them a bigger surface area, they are able to store heat very efficiently due to the fact that no heat can escape the vacuum between the two layers of glass.

Both technologies have their place in their market. Both have features and benefits that can be argued for. At the end of the day provided that you have a system that is specked and installed correctly, they will work very similar to one another. Their efficiencies should be good and they should be able to withstand the elements over time.

Savings

In a typical hose hold, a geyser will make up 40% of the total electricity bill. With a solar geyser, we aim to save the consumer around 70% of that 40%, basically 30% of your total electricity bill. This translates to a payback period of around 2 – 3 years at the current electricity prices. What a great investment!

At Unlimited Solar we have the full range of solar geysers. We believe that they each have their place in the market. We have done all our research so that you, the consumer, can feel confident in the system we supply to you.

Visit one of our branches where we have the systems on display. This way you will be able to see exactly how the systems work, get to feel the hot water and learn more about the technology.

www.unilimitedsolar.co.za

Solar Geyser Systems

Unlimited Solar is an alternative energy supply company. We are dedicated to bringing you the highest quality products at the right prices whilst always maintaining a high service level.

We have a wide variety of solutions on offer including Solar Geysers, Heat Pumps, Photovoltaic systems and Swimming Pool heating. We encourage you to visit one of our branches and experience our unique service offering which gives customers the opportunity to see our products in action and learn more about this exciting industry.

Due to our wide range of products and our large installer database we are able to tailor make a solution for each individuals needs.

Browse our Website to learn more on www.unlimitedsolar.co.za