Room by Room Tips for Increasing Energy Efficiency at Home

Slash Your Energy Bills One Room at a Time!

A home that’s energy efficient is easier on the environment and your budget. While energy efficient "green" home design is all the rage for new construction, it’s definitely not too late for existing structures to get an eco-friendly overhaul. And it’s not as hard as you may think to make the kinds of changes that can significantly reduce your family’s energy consumption, lower your utility bills and minimize your impact on the environment.

To get the most out of your next energy efficient home remodeling project, it’s important to focus on three key goals: reduce your total energy consumption, use energy to its fullest potential, and cut down on the waste your energy produces. Progress in any of these areas is fantastic, but talk to your contractor about ways to combine all three for the most energy efficient impact.

In the meantime, these simple energy efficiency tips can help you make a difference immediately if a big construction project isn’t in your near future.


Energy Efficient Kitchens:
As one of the most heavily used areas in your home, the kitchen is often the place where you consume the most energy. If the ice in your freezer is more than a 1/2 centimeter thick, defrost it. Vacuum your refrigerator condenser coil frequently; this can dramatically improve your appliance’s performance and energy efficiency. Be sure all the seals on your fridge, freezer, and oven doors are tight. Only run the dishwasher when you have a full load.

Energy Efficient Bathrooms and Laundry Rooms:
Any room in your home that uses hot water is a good place to start to improve energy efficiency. Leaky taps can waste much more water than you think over time, so tighten loose connections and fix leaks as soon as possible. Take it easy on your dryer; load it only as full as its maximum capacity will allow and try to run it only when you need to. Be sure to clean the lint trap after every use, too.

Energy Efficient Basements:
Make sure your hot water pipes are well insulated to ensure the fuel that heats your water isn’t wasted. Set your hot water heater no higher than 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Consider upgrading your basement insulation, too, which can help keep more heat inside your home during cold months and improve energy efficiency.

Energy Efficient Bedrooms and Living Rooms:
The best way to improve energy efficiency in these areas is to replace your windows and add insulation. But if these upgrades just aren’t in your budget, you may want to do some research on zoned heating and cooling to see if it’s a good fit for your home. Zoned systems let you set temperatures to match use, turning on the furnace or air conditioner in common living spaces when everyone is home and off in bedrooms when your house is empty during the day. Solar screens, thermal curtains, and tinting film are just a few of the window treatment options that can help reduce stress on your home’s heating and cooling system.


More Energy Efficiency Information from Horizon Services...

• The System Analysis
• 101 Ways to Save Energy and Money in Your Home
• Green Your Home...Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
• Cutting Edge Solutions For Energy Efficiency
• Frugal Fridge Maintenance Can Save You Energy...and Cold Hard Cash!
• 14 Web Sites That Can Save You Energy, Money and Time
• Seasonal Energy Saving Tips

Dry Mango Pickle

Mango!! ..name itself makes my mouth water. I like raw mangoes and used to eat a lot when I was young. Now that I am in US, don't get much to eat them. So when I went to India this time...mom made this dry mango...by cutting raw mango pieces mixed them with rock salt and dried them for days in sun and packed this for me. I found this very hard to eat so thought of making this pickle recipe, which turned out to be good tasting one.

Ingredients:

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2 cups Dried mango pieces ( can substitute with dry mango powder too)

1 Whole Garlic Pod

1 Sprig Curry leaves

1 tbsp Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp Asafoetida powder

3 tbsp Oil

1/2 cup Tomato Puree/Sauce

2 tbsp Red Chili powder

1/2 tsp Paprika Powder

1/4 tsp Fenugreek powder

1/2 Turmeric powder

Salt to taste (if needed. as the dry mango has salt to it)

Method:

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1. Take the dried mango pieces and roughly run it for a minute in a chopper so that the big pieces break to a crumbly like texture. keep it aside.

2. Peel the garlic and cut into slices.

3. In a non-stick kadai/pan add oil, when the oil is medium hot add mustard seeds, when the splutter add asafoetida, curry leaves and garlic. fry them for a minute.

4. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, fenugreek powder, chili powder and paprika powder mix well. Cover and cook until the oil is seen.

5. Now add the mango pieces and mix well and cook for another 5 minutes.

6. You can eat this as a pickle served with curd rice. I did serve this with chicken biriyani and raita. 

COCONUT MASALA CHUTNEY

There are so many varieties in coconut chutneys. This one is very different chutney using onion and tomato for the tempering.

தேங்காய் மசாலா சட்னி

Ingredients:

Shredded Cococnut-1
Tamarind- a small gooseberry size
Green chillies-6
Gram dal- 3 tbsp
Salt to taste
Finely chopped small onions- half cup
Finely chopped tomato- one cup
Finely chopped coriander leaves- 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds- half sp
Gingelly oil- 3 tbsp

Procedure:

Grind the coconut with the green chillies, tamarind and gram dal with enough salt to a coarse paste.
Heat a pan and pour the oil.
Add the fennel seeds and when they splutter add the onion and fry well.
Add the tomatoes with the coriander leaves.
Fry them until the tomatoes become soft ands the oil floats on top.
Pour this on the coconut chutney and mix well.
Tasty coconut chutney is ready for the break fast now!