Myths and Facts About Energy Efficiency

Myths and
Facts About
Energy
Efficiency
Service Concepts | 7172 Lakeview Parkway West Drive | Indianpolis, IN 46268 | Phone: 1.877.738.6824

As the human population grows, so too does their energy usage.
We’re using fossil fuels such as oil and coal — nonrenewable resources
with high pollution factors — at unsustainable rates. Energy production
using renewable sources — wind, water, geothermal, and solar —
is increasing, but not as fast as it should be.
In order to avoid largescale energy shortages that could cause
innumerable problems, including infrastructure collapse, blackouts,
and food shortages, among other things, it is important for members’
to put more of their efforts toward increasing their energy efficiency.
There are, however, a number of persisting myths relating to energy
efficiency that prevent many from doing all that they could be.
We’d like to address some of those myths, as well as some commonly
overlooked facts, for you to share with your members’ .
www.serviceconcepts.coop 1.877.738.6824

FACT
— OR—
MYTH
ANSWER: MYTH
Using less energy — shutting off the lights when leaving a room, for example —
is an effective way to save some energy. But energy conservation, simply using less,
is not the same as energy efficiency and, by itself, is not always enough.
Efficiency is the act of doing more with the same amount of energy. Turning off
lights is good; using energy efficient bulbs in addition is better. Lowering the heat
setting is good; upgrading to an ENERGY STAR® system is better.
Using Less =
Being Efficient
FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Energy Audits are Not an
Effective Solution to
Increasing Energy Efficiency
ANSWER: MYTH
Today, energy audits are commonplace both in residential homes and corporate
office buildings. The procedure, which involves an examination of a space by a
third party auditor, is meant to find specific places in a home or office
(or additional space) where energy efficiency can be improved.
Energy audits require clear, thorough pre-planning before execution. It is often the
first step in improving a business or home’s energy efficiency. Identifying potential for
energy efficiency upgrades during an audit can save 5-30% on monthly energy bills.
www.serviceconcepts.coop 1.877.738.6824

FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Energy Efficient
Products Aren’t Actually
More Efficient
FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Appliances still use
energy after they have
been turned off.
ANSWER: MYTH
Many people believe that energy efficient products aren’t actually more efficient than
other products, that the claims are nothing but branding tactics. While there may be
less scrupulous manufacturers and distributors out there, there is a simple way to
know if a product is truly energy efficient — if it has the ENERGY STAR® label.
ENERGY STAR®, created by the US Environmental Protection Agency, is a set of
internationally followed guidelines for energy efficiency in members’ products.
All products certified by ENERGY STAR® have met strict performance benchmarks.
CFL and LED light bulbs, for instance, must be proven to operate between 70% and
90% more efficiently than traditional incandescent bulbs. Using ENERGY STAR®
bulbs and appliances can lead to considerable energy savings.
ANSWER: FACT
It’s true: the computer, television, and radio continue to use energy
even after they’ve been switched off.
Because of standby power settings employed in almost all plug-in applications
today, the pulse of electronic devices continue to beat once their screens have
gone dark. This is because manufacturers want to equip members’ with products
that will conveniently and quickly reboot the moment they’re ready to use
that appliance once more.
Certain appliances and devices actually use just as much energy when
they’re turned off as they do when they’re running. If they’re not unplugged
or used with a smart power strip that can be switched off, these items hold
the potential to waste a great deal of energy.
www.serviceconcepts.coop 1.877.738.6824

FACT
— OR—
MYTH
ANSWER: MYTH
In certain cases, such as light bulbs or microwaves, simply purchasing and
using ENERGY STAR® products can yield great increases in energy efficiency.
For other appliances, though, this is not always the case.
Some studies have suggested that most heating and air conditioning systems
in the United States are not installed properly. This leads to considerable waste
of heated or cooled air and, consequently, energy. Buying efficient appliances is
the first step — ensuring that they’re installed and used properly is the second.
All You Have to Do is
Buy Certified Appliances
FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Closing Vents in Unoccupied
Rooms Does Not Add to
Energy Efficiency
ANSWER: FACT
While it may sound like a logical concept, it’s important to recognize that shutting
vents before leaving a room does not actually conserve any energy.
Heaters and furnaces create an apt amount of heat to fill their ductwork structures,
and they’ll continue to produce that amount of heat regardless of whether or not
one vent of many is closed. In fact, closing vents in one room will actually result
in draining even more energy from your members’ system.
Closing one vent will lead the system to redirect more air into other rooms.
But because the heating system is still attempting to heat the entire space, it
will be forced to work harder and subsequently wear out in a faster manner.
It’s best to leave vents out of the energy efficiency equation.
.
www.serviceconcepts.coop 1.877.738.6824

FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Windows Do Not Have
To Be Replaced To Improve
Their Efficiency
FACT
— OR—
MYTH
Do Not Insulate Your
Home Too Well Because
it Needs to Breathe
ANSWER: FACT
Replacing windows is expensive and it may take quite some time to see an
actual return on investment. There are simple ways to save energy by insulating
existing windows in your members’ homes. Your members’ may already be doing
some things to help with preventing drafty windows, like putting up blinds and
heavier curtains. They probably are not aware that windows can
be insulated from the inside with window insulation kits.
These kits create an airtight seal that eliminates condensation,
cold drafts, and heat loss. They are also very cost-effective.
ANSWER: MYTH
Of all the energy efficiency myths, this one might be the most inaccurate. Though they may come
to feel like part of the family, homes are not living beings — they do not need to breathe.
Small gaps in insulation lead to large wastes of heated or cooled air. Even places where there are no
gaps but the insulation wasn’t installed correctly leak air out of a home. Every part of your members’
home, including attics, basements, and crawl spaces, should be insulated properly and thoroughly.
Your members’ shouldn’t stop their insulation efforts at the walls. HVAC ducts, hot water heaters,
and hot water pipes should all be insulated — if uninsulated, these ducts and pipes loose heat
(or gain it in the case of air conditioning ducts). These losses force the furnace, water heater,
or air conditioner to work overtime, wasting huge amounts of energy.
Nobody wants to waste energy, but plenty of members do, simply because they don’t have all the
facts. From the broad strokes, such as what energy efficiency is as opposed to energy conservation,
to the minutia, there are some considerable gaps in the public’s energy efficiency knowledge.
With a bit of knowledge, the road to better energy efficiency practices is a lot clearer.
www.serviceconcepts.coop 1.877.738.6824