How to Save Money

• Turn the thermostat down three more degrees in the winter, up three more degrees in the summer.
• Tighten up your building envelope:
  • Seal carefully around windows and doors so they close tightly.
• Use less hot water.
  • Wash only full loads.
  • Wash more loads with cold water
  • Shorter showers
  • Low flow shower heads
  • Low flow or aerating faucets.
• Insulate your hot water tank. Add an insulation blanket around it.

• Energy efficient windows.
• Better insulation in your attic.
  Less importantly, in the exterior walls.
• Call in consultants:
  • An Infrared camera will show your heat losses
  • A cost/savings analysis of various options based on latitude & weather, site & roof orientation, foliage cover, your energy bills, etc.
• Photovoltaics, Ground Source Heat Pumps, etc., etc. (Poor economic returns)
• Solar heat every swimming pool. An S-connected rack of black ABS pipes on the roof connecting from the pre-existing pump output and back to the pool. Simple, inexpensive, effective. Extends the swimming pool season into fall and spring. This is the strongest solar heating application of all.
• Solar Water Heating In Seattle:
  • use Evacuated Tube (heat pipe) systems.
  • Washington State has a sales tax exemption for CRCC rated solar water heaters, purchase, installation, and service. So that's around 9% cost reduction, valid between 7/1/2006 to 7/1/2009.
  • US Federal Income Tax provides for a tax credit (much better than a deduction!) to individuals adding solar water heating systems to their principal residence, amounting to 30% of the first $6667 of cost (i.e., a maximum credit of $2000), valid from 2005 to 2008 (recently extended to 2016), IRS Form 5695.