Enhancing Understanding
This page is updated with new questions as they roll in. Visit page frequently asked questions for additional energy education.
Do device chargers and other things that plug in cause my bills to be higher and more expensive?
Cell phone and other device charger's are often not SMART and use energy as if they were charging.
What relative humidity should I set my dehumidifier for and what about the fan speed?
First off make sure all windows are closed in this area. Set the Rh to 40 to 50% always make sure the fan is on high!
How often should I change my forced air filter and why?
You should purchase affordable filters and replace them as often as once monthly. If you didn't it's like your car's radiator is dirty… The engine will overheat but in this case your homes engine will work harder
My daughters bedroom over the garage is extremely cold. Why could that be?
As warm air rises fresh cold air is sucked in to the home in the garage having such large exterior openings is a great place for infiltration to start
I have a two-story house but I never have to turn the thermostats for the baseboard heating on upstairs however the first floor is very cold! What's up with that?
Warm air rises and sucks in cold air from the bottom levels of your home. It's the funny thing about very drafty second-floor rooms sometimes they can be the warmest
I have a drafty door and also a couple windows and I wondered if there's anything I can buy from the big box store that could help and how should I install it? What will hold up?
With any window or door gaps it's best to install a small narrow weatherstripping use rolls of 3/8 wide. Or even use half inch wide/thick foam weatherstripping. You'll need to clean each service for everything to stick and seal well.
I've noticed my windows are drafty and I can't use any sort of big box weatherstripping foam tape. It looks like the top pain has dropped down how should I keep it up?
You'll need to make sure the sash locks are not in the locked position and then push the top sash up carefully into the window opening – you may need to rock it to the left and right. After that once it's all the way up use shipping tape or a self tapping screw to keep the top sash in place – then engage your window locking mechanism
My kitchen refrigerator runs quite a bit and I've noticed some of my produce is either frozen or hardly cold. What could cause this and what should I do?
Each refrigerator has coils. I think the coils as your car's radiator. If the radiator or in this case the coils are not clean and free of debris the refrigerator cannot breathe out the hot or cold air. The solution is simple but requires locating and cleaning the coils – 30 minute job tops!
I have uncontrolled moisture in my basement but my gutters and downspouts have all been cleaned and maintained. What are some other things I should consider doing around the exterior of my property
Be sure to check the grading soil and mulch around your property and make sure it's patched away. You could also plant shrubbery to absorb and utilize some of this moisture if you're sure that the uncontrolled moisture is not coming from roof, gutters or down spouting defects
I have an old home and it seems like every time that I use the vacuum or the microwave a breaker trips! Why is that?
Homes built before 1930 likely have knob and tube wiring. This wiring it's not designed for modern day high wattage appliances. Besides lacking a ground wire, being old and brittle the thickness and insulation surrounding this type of wiring was never meant for modern appliances that use hi wattage on one circuit breaker.
Do device chargers and other things that plug in cause my bills to be higher and more expensive?
Cell phone and other device charger's are often not SMART and use energy as if they were charging.
What relative humidity should I set my dehumidifier for and what about the fan speed?
First off make sure all windows are closed in this area. Set the Rh to 40 to 50% always make sure the fan is on high!
How often should I change my forced air filter and why?
You should purchase affordable filters and replace them as often as once monthly. If you didn't it's like your car's radiator is dirty… The engine will overheat but in this case your homes engine will work harder
My daughters bedroom over the garage is extremely cold. Why could that be?
As warm air rises fresh cold air is sucked in to the home in the garage having such large exterior openings is a great place for infiltration to start
I have a two-story house but I never have to turn the thermostats for the baseboard heating on upstairs however the first floor is very cold! What's up with that?
Warm air rises and sucks in cold air from the bottom levels of your home. It's the funny thing about very drafty second-floor rooms sometimes they can be the warmest
I have a drafty door and also a couple windows and I wondered if there's anything I can buy from the big box store that could help and how should I install it? What will hold up?
With any window or door gaps it's best to install a small narrow weatherstripping use rolls of 3/8 wide. Or even use half inch wide/thick foam weatherstripping. You'll need to clean each service for everything to stick and seal well.
I've noticed my windows are drafty and I can't use any sort of big box weatherstripping foam tape. It looks like the top pain has dropped down how should I keep it up?
You'll need to make sure the sash locks are not in the locked position and then push the top sash up carefully into the window opening – you may need to rock it to the left and right. After that once it's all the way up use shipping tape or a self tapping screw to keep the top sash in place – then engage your window locking mechanism
My kitchen refrigerator runs quite a bit and I've noticed some of my produce is either frozen or hardly cold. What could cause this and what should I do?
Each refrigerator has coils. I think the coils as your car's radiator. If the radiator or in this case the coils are not clean and free of debris the refrigerator cannot breathe out the hot or cold air. The solution is simple but requires locating and cleaning the coils – 30 minute job tops!
I have uncontrolled moisture in my basement but my gutters and downspouts have all been cleaned and maintained. What are some other things I should consider doing around the exterior of my property
Be sure to check the grading soil and mulch around your property and make sure it's patched away. You could also plant shrubbery to absorb and utilize some of this moisture if you're sure that the uncontrolled moisture is not coming from roof, gutters or down spouting defects
I have an old home and it seems like every time that I use the vacuum or the microwave a breaker trips! Why is that?
Homes built before 1930 likely have knob and tube wiring. This wiring it's not designed for modern day high wattage appliances. Besides lacking a ground wire, being old and brittle the thickness and insulation surrounding this type of wiring was never meant for modern appliances that use hi wattage on one circuit breaker.
Do device chargers and other things that plug in cause my bills to be higher and more expensive?
Cell phone and other device charger's are often not SMART and use energy as if they were charging.
What relative humidity should I set my dehumidifier for and what about the fan speed?
First off make sure all windows are closed in this area. Set the Rh to 40 to 50% always make sure the fan is on high!
How often should I change my forced air filter and why?
You should purchase affordable filters and replace them as often as once monthly. If you didn't it's like your car's radiator is dirty… The engine will overheat but in this case your homes engine will work harder
My daughters bedroom over the garage is extremely cold. Why could that be?
As warm air rises fresh cold air is sucked in to the home in the garage having such large exterior openings is a great place for infiltration to start
I have a two-story house but I never have to turn the thermostats for the baseboard heating on upstairs however the first floor is very cold! What's up with that?
Warm air rises and sucks in cold air from the bottom levels of your home. It's the funny thing about very drafty second-floor rooms sometimes they can be the warmest
I have a drafty door and also a couple windows and I wondered if there's anything I can buy from the big box store that could help and how should I install it? What will hold up?
With any window or door gaps it's best to install a small narrow weatherstripping use rolls of 3/8 wide. Or even use half inch wide/thick foam weatherstripping. You'll need to clean each service for everything to stick and seal well.
I've noticed my windows are drafty and I can't use any sort of big box weatherstripping foam tape. It looks like the top pain has dropped down how should I keep it up?
You'll need to make sure the sash locks are not in the locked position and then push the top sash up carefully into the window opening – you may need to rock it to the left and right. After that once it's all the way up use shipping tape or a self tapping screw to keep the top sash in place – then engage your window locking mechanism
My kitchen refrigerator runs quite a bit and I've noticed some of my produce is either frozen or hardly cold. What could cause this and what should I do?
Each refrigerator has coils. I think the coils as your car's radiator. If the radiator or in this case the coils are not clean and free of debris the refrigerator cannot breathe out the hot or cold air. The solution is simple but requires locating and cleaning the coils – 30 minute job tops!
I have uncontrolled moisture in my basement but my gutters and downspouts have all been cleaned and maintained. What are some other things I should consider doing around the exterior of my property
Be sure to check the grading soil and mulch around your property and make sure it's patched away. You could also plant shrubbery to absorb and utilize some of this moisture if you're sure that the uncontrolled moisture is not coming from roof, gutters or down spouting defects
I have an old home and it seems like every time that I use the vacuum or the microwave a breaker trips! Why is that?
Homes built before 1930 likely have knob and tube wiring. This wiring it's not designed for modern day high wattage appliances. Besides lacking a ground wire, being old and brittle the thickness and insulation surrounding this type of wiring was never meant for modern appliances that use hi wattage on one circuit breaker.
This Months Top Two Questions
Pennsylvania Heating Crisis Program? And how do I find out more?
The Answer Is
Pennsylvania WAP
Pennsylvania’s Weatherization Assistance Program increases energy efficiency in homes by reducing energy costs and increasing comfort while safeguarding health and safety.
Second Up
What maintenance is required on my HPWH, and is it a pain?
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