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South Bay Energy Reviews: Spring Cleaning for Energy Savings

While temperatures are still dipping below zero, weather experts predict spring to come some time in March. If you think about it, that’s not too far away, particularly if you want to prepare your house for the warmer weather. It’s the perfect time to make some quick fixes to your home that will help you save on energy costs. 1) Clean out your fridge. Ch eck your fridge for scraps of food left over from the holidays. This will help air circulate more efficiently. Roll your fridge away from the wall and clean the dust out from the coils with a vacuum cleaner. You might also want to move it to another location, particularly if it’s positioned next to an oven or is exposed directly to sunlight. 2) Check for cracks in the wall. If your wall already had cracks before winter, chances are high that snow or liquid water might have seeped inside them and turned into ice, making the cracks bigger by the time spring comes around. This results in air leaks and issues with structural inte...
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South Bay Energy Reviews: A Guide to Choosing a Space Heater

Whether you plan to go out or stay indoors during winter, you need to keep warm. Winter clothes can only do so much, and let’s be honest – wearing multiple layers of clothing indoors isn’t very comfortable. A space heater is a good investment with cold weather closing in. There are many different types and styles of space heater, and choosing one could be overwhelming. Here are some tips for choosing a space heater for your home. 1) How much energy does it consume? Most space heater manufacturers claim that their products are energy efficient. However, not all space heaters are made equal – their energy consumption could range from 750 to 1000 watts. 2) How large is the space you want to heat? Space heaters come in different shapes and sizes. There are large heaters for the outdoors and large rooms, desk heaters, and heaters just about nine inches tall – ideal for small spaces. To compute for the ideal wattage for your room, multiply your room’s area in square feet by 10. Fo...
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South Bay Energy Reviews: Three Easy Ways to Save Energy at Work

Saving energy is not just good for the business; it’s also the responsible thing to do. Businesses everywhere are starting to realize the value of energy and are becoming conscious of their operations’ impact on the environment. While some businesses choose to go through massive renovations in their workplaces, there are little things your business could do to save energy. 1) Turn off the lights when you leave. If your business doesn’t run 24/7, there is no reason for the lights to stay on through the night. However, studies show that as many as 90% of Americans know someone who doesn’t turn off the light when leaving a room. Place signs around light switches to remind users to turn them off after use. You may also install motion sensors in little-used areas to turn on the light only when someone is passing by. 2) Go paperless . Many businesses now run entirely on email to send documents instead of printing out hard copies. Sending an email uses considerably less electricity ...
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South Bay Energy Reviews: Three Types of Energy Efficient Light Bulbs

Lighting makes up 20% of the energy consumption of an average home. Changing your light bulbs to more energy-efficient types will help you lower your electricity costs substantially. Most experts recommend replacing your old incandescent bulbs with one or more of the following types. 1) Halogen lamps. At first glance, halogen lamps look very much like ordinary incandescent bulbs. That’s where the similarities end. When you switch on a halogen lamp, the tungsten filament lights up and the metal is evaporated into the halogen gas that fills the bulb, generating light (and a lot of heat). The halogen gas then deposits the evaporated tungsten back to the filament. This means that halogen lamps last longer than incandescent bulbs. They also provide more light per watt. 2) Compact fluorescent lights . CFLs are much like linear or tubular fluorescent lights; however, they are shaped in a way that allows you to use them with standard sockets. Despite their size, they produce lighting...
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South Bay Energy Reviews: What to Expect From An Energy Audit

An energy audit looks into a building’s energy use. An audit is an excellent method of improving the comfort level and energy usage ratio of a home. An energy audit can pinpoint specific areas where a home’s energy use is wasted, and which parts should be improved to help reduce waste. What does a home energy audit include? 1) Structural features of the house . A home energy audit typically inspects attics, ceilings, interior and exterior walls, openings (including doors, windows, and skylights), basements, concrete slabs, and crawl spaces. The auditor will check the structural integrity of each structural feature to ensure it is safe to use, and will seek out structural damage through which heat could leak out. 2) Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) . The HVAC system is typically the single largest consumer of energy at home as it is in use almost 24/7. An energy auditor will check for leaks in the ducts by blasting air through them. The exhaust fans w...
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South Bay Energy Reviews: Be An Energy Efficient Pet Owner

Pet owners tend to spoil their pets. Among the more visible expenses associated with having pets are pet food, veterinary care, and treats. However, there are hidden expenses that come with pet ownership, and one of the biggest drains on pet owners is energy costs. How do pet owners waste money on energy? Here are ways you might be wasting energy on your pets, and how to avoid doing them. 1. Too much heating/cooling. Pet owners often leave the air conditioning or heater switched on while they’re away, believing that their pets might feel too warm or too cold. However, unless it’s the middle of winter, there is no need to turn up the thermostat too high. In the same manner, some pet owners don’t turn off the ceiling fan while leaving the house during summer. Cats and dogs do not have sweat glands and leaving the electric fan turned on won’t help pets keep cool. Leave them plenty of cold water to drink instead. 2. Installing a low-quality pet door. Heat could escape through a pet door...
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What To Consider When Choosing a Printer

Nowadays, it’s no longer enough to consider print quality (resolution, color, speed) when choosing a printer for your home or business. The rising cost of operating a printer means that buyers need to look at other factors, such as power-saving features and memory, before making the purchase. The Energy Star program has come up with a checklist of things to think about when looking for a printer. Here are some of the items that you must look out for. 1) Cost saving features. Most printers now come with features that help users save energy, paper, and ink. For example, newer models now have sleep modes and automatic shut off features. These put the printer in a state where it does not use much power after a pre-set period of inactivity. Most printers also allow you to print on both sides of the paper and choose the print quality and can let you see how much ink or toner is left in the cartridge. 2) Your printing needs. If you work in a graphics-intensive environment, you will ...
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