How efficient are front-load washing machines? When is it time to replace your old refrigerator? These questions and many more are answered in the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, a one-stop resource for consumers who want to improve their home’s energy performance and reduce costs. Zeroing in on the most useful response can be a challenge - this 9th edition guide cuts through the confusion. It makes an excellent companion product to our line of
plug power meters and
power use monitors. In fact, our most popular products are used and referenced by the books authors! These are the
Kill-A-Watt EZ,
Watts Up Pro,
Power Cost Monitor,
The Energy Detective, and
Cent-a-Meter . (
You can view one of these references by clicking the 'More Images' button under the product picture above.)
Well-organized and highly readable, the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings is published by the ACEEE (American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy) and begins with an overview of the inter-relationships between energy use, economics and the environment. Chapters focus on specific areas in the home, such as electronics, lighting, heating, cooling, ventilation, kitchen and laundry, and provide helpful explanations for each, including:
- describing energy use characteristics
- drawing comparisons between the available technologies
- outlining the most cost-effective repair and replacement options
- providing step-by-step guidance for finding the right equipment
- describing how the equipment operates, and
- summarizing how much energy is used or lost.
Included are tips on improving existing equipment and guidance for when and why consumers should purchase new energy-efficient equipment, as well as a reminder to check local government and utilities for purchase or retrofit grants or incentives. This guide will be an invaluable resource to all consumers concerned about reducing both their energy bills and their environmental impact.
About the Authors:
Jennifer Thorne Amann is a Senior Associate in the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy's (ACEEE) Buildings Program. Alex Wilson is President of BuildingGreen, Inc., author of Your Green Home and Executive Editor of Environmental Building News. Katie Ackerly is the ACEEE Research Assistant in the Buildings Program.
This excellent home energy savings guide includes the following chapters:
- Ch.1 Save money, save the earth
- Ch.2 The building envelope
- Ch.3 Ventilation and air distribution
- Ch.4 Heating systems
- Ch.5 Cooling systems
- Ch.6 Water Heating
- Ch.7 Food storage
- Ch.8 Cooking
- Ch.9 Dishwashing
- Ch.10 Laundry
- Ch.11 Lighting
- Ch.12 Home electronics
- Ch.13 Other energy uses in the home
The Good:
easy to read, easy to follow.
The Bad:
none
The Bottom Line:
Decent book, easy to follow.
The Good:
Easy to understand
The Bad:
Basic
The Bottom Line:
Easy reading
