About Hohm
What is Hohm?
Microsoft Hohm is a free online application that helps you save energy and money. With Hohm you can better understand your home energy usage,
get recommendations to help conserve energy and start saving. As with any recommendation product, Microsoft Hohm will provide increasingly more accurate and
relevant suggestions for energy conservation as our users contribute home energy input and feedback. One of the objectives during our beta period
is to refine our tool and further increase the value our product can offer to you.
Hohm uses advanced analytics licensed from Lawrence Berkeley Labs and the Department of Energy, to give you personalized energy saving recommendations. These recommendations are tailored based on your specific household circumstances including home attributes and use of appliances and systems. You will also be able to compare your energy usage with that of others in your area.
In this beta version, the Microsoft Hohm team will learn from its users and communities and will make improvements to the site and analytics.
When will Hohm be available outside the United States?
Thank you for your interest in Microsoft Hohm. Hohm is not currently available outside the U.S. Currently, the energy model and recommendations are tuned specifically for U.S. residences. We understand that saving energy and saving money are worldwide concerns and we plan to make Hohm available to other countries in the future. Additionally, Hohm leverages data such as weather, building techniques, common appliances, and energy commodity pricing, based on the location of the home. We appreciate your interest and hope that you will use Hohm once it is released in your country. Please check back to the site for announcements when additional markets are available. You can also follow us on
Twitter or become a fan on
Facebook.
How do you know a house in a certain city (like Austin, TX or Boston, MA) can save X dollars?
Based on the location of a home, we can determine numerous averages including when the year a house was built, the type of heating system, and general appliance data. The default values for a house in that area are used to calculate how much money someone living in
that ZIP code could save by following energy savings tips with a return on investment within 18 months. Actual homes in any ZIP code may vary
significantly from the average. To get more accurate cost savings estimates, sign up for an account and enter more details about your home
and your energy use, which will be used to generate energy-saving recommendations tailored for you.
What is a Hohm Score?
A Hohm Score is a number from 0 to 100 (higher is better) measuring
your home's energy efficiency based on home structure and your estimated energy use.
It can change
over time based on your improvements to your home. Until you join Hohm, it's an estimate;
it will become more accurate after you sign up and enter details about your home.
Use your Hohm Score to compare your home's efficiency to other homes
in your neighborhood, or see how you compare to family and friends who are using
Hohm.
How does Hohm work? How accurate are the recommendations it gives me?
After signing up for Hohm with your Windows Live ID and postal code, you simply enter
some information about your home (for example,
occupants, appliances and systems) and you will receive your energy report with
personalized recommendations. The more information you provide,
the more accurate and relevant the recommendations will be. The recommendations will
also be refined as the beta application
evolves with feedback from users, their communities and the energy industry.
However, please be aware that these are just recommendations. Actual energy savings
may vary, and will depend on a variety of factors, including local weather data,
personal habits, and home age, size, and structure.
How do I sign up for Hohm?
Hohm is available to anyone with a modern Internet browser and Internet access in the United States at no cost, and can be accessed
directly by visiting our
website. Creating your Hohm account is easy - you just need a Windows Live ID and your U.S. postal code. To get
the most out of Hohm, you may want to have your recent energy statements handy, as well as some basic information about your home's
structure, heating and cooling systems, and appliances.
On average, how much money will Hohm save users on their electric or gas bills?
The financial savings varies widely based on the information you provide, the characteristics of your household and the
changes you implement. We recommend that you run the Hohm application to determine the potential savings for your household. Note that this beta version of
Microsoft Hohm will be evolving over time, so initial recommendations
may not reflect the full amount of potential savings over time.
What research have you done to validate the need for Hohm?
Scientific studies have confirmed the effectiveness of energy management tools in helping consumers reduce their energy consumption. Furthermore, numerous market studies have verified consumers have a strong interest in reducing the energy consumption for economic or environmental reasons. In short, the value and need exists. Microsoft saw a need for a solution that was widely accessible and scalable tools that are user-friendly and tailored to the user's actual energy usage. Hohm attempts to meet those needs.
How is Hohm going to work with Ford?
Hohm and Ford are partnering to make it easier to manage the energy use of electric vehicles, which are expected to rapidly increase in numbers. When electric car owners return home from work to charge their vehicles, the demand on the electric grid will dramatically increase. Hohm will make it easier for owners determine the most cost-effective time to charge electric vehicles such as the Ford Focus Electric. Using Hohm will help car owners efficiently recharge their electric vehicles, while giving utilities better tools to manage the expected changes in energy demand.
Using Hohm
How does Microsoft Hohm know where I am located? The site seemed to know my city.
The network through which you access Hohm, and likely the computer you use to do so,
has an IP address, four sets of numbers separated by periods. Usually these numbers are assigned to internet
service providers in region-based blocks, which means your IP address might identify the country, region, or city from which your computer accesses the Internet.
How can I save the amount listed on the home page?
The amount listed on the home page includes the potential savings from implementing a set of recommendations for an average home in the area you specified.
If you entered in an approximate size and year built, these values are considered as well in the estimated savings. These recommendations are ones that can
give you a return on your investment within 18 months. However, there are tons of recommendations for you to consider ranging in cost and payback period. Once you get your Hohm account, you can view a list of energy-savings suggestions to improve your home’s energy efficiency and help reduce your annual energy spend.
As you implement more and more of the recommendations, you will see your savings add up.
My energy costs are different than listed for my ZIP code. Why?
The energy costs listed for your ZIP code are estimates. Hohm displays energy costs based on the average home in an area, incorporating
information such as the most common type of heating system and average home size. Your home’s energy costs may differ based on
the actual characteristics of your home and how you and your family use energy.
How much does it cost to implement the Energy Savings Tips?
Prices for goods, materials, and labor for potential installations that might be in recommendations are included in the
estimations. All of these values vary significantly—and some don’t cost anything at all! Some recommendations suggest that when you
are upgrading your equipment, choose a high efficiency model. The cost for this upgrade assumes that you are replacing
this item already, and only includes the costs of difference between a standard model and an efficient model. Therefore, your
total costs may be higher than the estimated costs. In addition, the cost will vary based on whether you do it yourself or hire a
professional. The costs are general estimates and will vary.
Can I compare energy usage for two locations at once?
Yes! When viewing the page for your home address, you can enter an additional address for comparison, or double-click on the map display. You will be able to compare the Hohm Score and estimated energy savings for both homes.
What does pounds (lbs) of CO2 saved mean?
When an energy-saving tip says you can save a certain number of pounds of CO2 or
CO2 equivalent a
year, it means your actions may prevent that amount of greenhouse gases from entering the earth’s atmosphere
through decreased reliance on fossil fuels (and you may contribute less to global warming). Potential pounds of
CO2 equivalent saved are directly tied to the amount of money you can potentially save annually on your energy bills
by following that tip. That’s because potential CO2 equivalent savings vary by area and are based on the postal code you
enter. Your home’s energy consumption is priced by the rates charged by your energy provider or averages from
your area. A dollar saved on energy in your specific area translates into a certain amount
of CO2 equivalent prevented from entering the atmosphere. This will vary from area to area.
Which of the energy saving tips should I start with?
Small changes at home can mean big changes in your energy bill, but it all depends on your home's characteristics and how you and your family use energy. Starting
with the no-cost tips is a good way to begin. If you aren't a Hohm user today, we recommend you sign up to get more personalized recommendations and energy-savings tips.
Once you have your list, you can add items to your "to do" list, mark items as completed, or take an item off the list if it is not applicable to your home. You can
also jot notes next to the recommendation, including what the actual cost turned out to be. You can sort the list of tips by how much they cost or how much they will save you, and start learning how to save energy.
Have questions or want to brag? Share your experiences on the
Facebook fan page
or on
Twitter.
Why should I sign up for Hohm if I already get great tips?
We know the Internet is overflowing with advice on being more eco-friendly and energy-efficient. If you’ve already been focused on saving energy at home,
some of Hohm’s topics may be familiar. However, Hohm specifically addresses consumers interested in reducing their energy consumption,
and our advice is personalized based on your home’s characteristics. In this way, Hohm is highly interactive and provides a
growing community of users with whom you can compare your home energy use and swap advice. You can connect to your energy providers
and track your energy usage over time.
How do I get started with Hohm once I've signed up?
Once you've signed in, enter your ZIP code, and complete your home profile to access the recommendations
for your home. Then, connect to your energy providers on the energy providers page, and once connected, you will have
access to your historic and current energy usage data. Or, you can enter energy data manually.
Why should I tell Hohm my street address when signing up?
Entering your street address when you join Hohm gives you a jump start on completing the profile for your house. When you sign up and enter your street address, part of your profile is already completed with publicly available data to expedite the profile completion process. You must confirm that the address you enter is your residence by checking the box that says "Yes, I live here."
Is Hohm relevant for apartment and condo residents as well as single-family homeowners?
Single-family homes typically consume the most energy. While single-family homeowners may get the most value from the current
version of Hohm, apartment and condo residents can also use to Hohm to learn how to save energy. If you live in a multi-family home, apartment,
condominium or townhouse, there may be questions in the Home Profile that will not be relevant for your home. You can simply skip these questions and answer whatever makes sense for your home.
We have already made some changes to the home profile for customers living in apartments or condos. Specifically we no longer ask about the
structure of your home nor the door and window materials and counts. In future releases, we plan to improve the experience for all types of homes.
Why don't you have any detail pages for apartments or condos?
Apartments and condos by nature contain many units in the same building, and
at this time, Hohm only supports single-family residences. Detail pages are based on
publicly available information, so apartments and condos may be supported in the future
if data becomes available.
Can I get recommendations for more than one home?
The current release supports one home per Windows Live ID. To get recommendations for
a second home, you can sign in using a different Windows Live ID. In future releases we expect that multiple homes will be supported via the same Windows Live ID.
I can't get my home profile to be 100% complete. What's wrong?
To achieve a 100% complete profile you will need to explicitly enter and select answers to all questions presented. Answers that are left in the default
state will not be counted towards your % complete, so if you want to drive up your percentage, select or enter the answer explicitly.
Home Profile
Where did these defaulted values come from? Do these prevent me from achieving a profile that is 100% complete?
Based on your location as well as certain questions you may answer, Hohm will use a set of pre-defined default values
based on the average home in your area, such as the year your home was built and the type of heating system most common in your area. You may
choose to keep the default values, select or enter more accurate answers or explicitly select or enter the default value. Answers that are left in the
default state will not be counted towards your percent complete, so if you want to drive up your percentage, select or enter the answer explicitly.
Why might Hohm be rejecting my postal code I tried entering?
Postal codes need to be entered as valid 5-digit U.S. ZIP codes, such as 12065. If you are living within the U.S. and your postal code does not appear to be supported, you may try a nearby postal code. If you are outside the U.S., unfortunately we are unable to support you at this time but are exploring offering Hohm in other countries in future releases. Please continue to check back on the Microsoft Hohm site for updates as other countries are added.
Why doesn't Hohm allow me to enter the number of months I heat my home?
Today, Hohm uses the average number of heating days for your location to determine heating costs. Currently Hohm doesn't ask how often a heating system is used which would be helpful in cases where a home is not in use 12 months a year (as is that case with summer/vacation homes). We are looking at that for future releases.
I have multiple thermostats. What do I do?
Microsoft Hohm does not currently support multiple thermostats. If you have multiple thermostats, please specify the thermostat that controls the largest area, or select an average across your thermostats.
My house type isn't listed. How do I enter a house type?
If you are in an apartment, enter it as a townhouse. If you have a "raised ranch" house, enter it as a two-story house with a rectangular shape. Note: If your lower level is partially below-ground, as with many raised ranch houses, then there may be some small difference in the energy efficiency compared to a fully above-ground two-story.
The location of my water heater isn't listed. What do I choose?
If the location for your water heater is not listed, use the following as a guideline to estimating the best choice:
- Select "garage" or "outdoors" if it is in an unheated, outdoor space
- Select "basement" if it is in an unconditioned space that is warmer than outdoors
- Select "indoors" if it is in a conditioned space that's the same temperature as the rest of your home
For example, if your water heater is in your attic and the attic is unconditioned, use "basement". If the attic is conditioned, use "indoors".
How do I account for a glass panel exterior door?
If these are sliding glass doors or French doors, you can enter the number you have per side of your home. Do not count these towards the number of doors. Hohm will automatically handle these types of doors and add their approximate square footage to the window square footage on that side of your home.
Recommendations
How are the costs, savings and benefits calculated? The site notes that "The amounts referenced are estimates and can vary significantly. Read the FAQ for more information." Tell me more.
Microsoft Hohm utilizes the advanced analytics licensed from Lawrence Berkeley Labs as well as the home energy simulation calculator
devised by the Department of Energy, and incorporates over 200 variables in its estimations. The costs, savings, and benefits are calculated using
specifics from your home profile, weather tendencies from your climatic region, and energy types and costs prevalent in your area. Additionally,
prices for goods, materials, and labor for potential installations that might be in recommendations are included in the estimations. All of these values
vary significantly, thus the potential costs, savings, and benefits may also vary significantly. Microsoft Hohm is a beta application and
as with any recommendation product, it will become smarter as more people use the service and provide feedback and inputs.
The costs for upgrading equipment/appliances included in my energy recommendations seem low. Can this be true?
Some recommendations suggest that when you are upgrading your equipment, choose a high efficiency model. The cost for this
upgrade can seem low. However, the calculation assumes that you are replacing this item already, and only includes the costs of difference
between a standard model and an efficient model. For example, when looking at air conditioning costs, the estimate includes only the additional
costs of purchasing an efficient unit, not the total purchase costs. In other words, 'when you are replacing', replace it with a high efficiency model vs. a standard model.
How are potential annual savings on the home page calculated?
Microsoft Hohm utilizes advanced analytics licensed from Lawrence Berkeley Labs as well as the home energy simulation calculator devised by the Department of Energy, and incorporates over 200 variables in its estimations. Potential savings in particular are calculated using estimates for homes in your area (provided, again, by Lawrence Berkeley Labs), weather tendencies from your climatic region, and energy types and costs prevalent in your area.
Only recommendations that provide a reasonable return on investment (within 18 months) are included from this calculation; that is, if the change would not pay for itself within 18 months, its potential savings are not included in the total. Potential savings may vary significantly. See the FAQ "
How are the costs, savings and benefits calculated?" for more information.
How are potential CO2 savings calculated?
Hohm utilizes an extensive database of information as the basis for our calculations: the advanced Lawrence
Berkeley Labs and Department of Energy residential building modeling and analytics software. Potential CO2
savings vary by area and are based on the postal code you enter. Your postal code lets us infer weather
tendencies from your climatic region and energy types and costs prevalent in your area. Each type of energy used
in your specific area translates into an estimate of a certain amount of CO2 equivalent released
into the atmosphere.
Energy Provider Connection
How can I connect to my utility provider for automated data feeds?
You connect to providers from the
Energy Providers page on the Energy Data tab. If your energy provider
is partnered with Microsoft Hohm, you will see your energy provider listed. You will be asked a few questions to validate your account, such as your account number,
amount of your last bill, and your service address. Your answers will be sent via a security-enhanced protocol to your utility provider. The availability of
the data feeds will depend on your utility.
Can I pay my energy bills on the Hohm site?
No, your energy payments can only be made directly through your energy provider. However, you can view your energy statements if you have
connected to your provider with automated feeds.
My energy provider already has a tool to help reduce my energy consumption, why would I use Hohm?
You may decide to use both services. We developed Hohm to coexist with other energy provider solutions, and
there may be some overlap in features. Hohm was created to help fill a growing need to help consumers reduce their energy consumption. It is
designed to be user-friendly, personalized, and accessible. The energy providers we work with want you to have options that best meet your needs and
believe Hohm is a valid option for their customers.
Energy Breakdown
How is the estimated energy usage breakdown calculated?
Energy usage and costs breakdown is determined by many aspects of your home. A Department of Energy building simulator is run
using the home profile information you provide. The simulator considers your home's construction, heating, cooling, lighting, appliance characteristics,
and the weather in your area to predict how much energy your home uses. The energy consumption is priced by the rates charged by your energy provider or averages from your area.
The accuracy of the simulation is tied to the accuracy of the information you provide. As you fill out more of your home profile the accuracy will improve.
Some of the information used by the Hohm service fluctuates making it impossible to be precisely accurate. However, as the number of users of Hohm
increases, the accuracy of your home's estimates will improve.
The total energy cost for my home as shown in the energy usage breakdown is not the same as the my actual energy costs. Why is that?
Hohm estimates how much energy your home most likely uses across heating, cooling, water heating, major appliances, lighting and other miscellaneous areas based on the home profile information you have provided.
It is possible that your actual costs are higher or lower than the estimates based on additional information about your home not captured in the home profile, fluctuating energy costs due to seasonality factors, additional electric or
gas usage not entered or gathered from your utility provider or additional energy costs from other sources such as propane or oil.
The energy breakdown reflects energy costs for an appliance I don't have, or an appliance I didn't answer questions about. Why?
Hohm uses statistical data based on averages for your ZIP code and for the number of occupants in each age range that you provided in the "Location, Occupancy and Upgrades" section. Statistics show that people in different age ranges have different water usage, for example; or statistical data might indicate that the average household in your ZIP code owns at least one TV. Although Hohm does not yet have questions about home entertainment devices and small kitchen devices, they are factored into your energy breakdown to give you a more complete picture of where you are spending money and where you can save.
Additionally, if you have left default values in your profile, the simulation will be less accurate than if you provided the information. The accuracy will improve as you fill out more of your home profile. Some of the information used by the Hohm service fluctuates, making it impossible to be precisely accurate. However, as the number of users of Hohm increases, the accuracy of your home's estimates will improve.
What does "Other Appliances" include? I see a cost associated with them that is separate from "Major Appliances."
"Other Appliances" includes items in your entertainment center, home office, and kitchen such as a DVD player, TV, video game console, computer, monitor, printer, toaster, coffee maker, or microwave. Miscellaneous appliances are included as a sub-category and could include items such as cell phone chargers or MP3 player chargers, for example.
Hohm Score
What is a Hohm Score?
A Hohm Score is a number from 0 to 100 (higher is better) measuring
your home's energy efficiency based on home structure and your estimated energy use.
It can change
over time based on your improvements to your home. Until you join Hohm, it's an estimate;
it will become more accurate after you sign up and enter details about your home.
Use your Hohm Score to compare your home's efficiency to other homes
in your neighborhood, or see how you compare to family and friends who are using
Hohm.
How is a Hohm Score calculated?
Essentially, a Hohm Score is calculated by comparing your home's
estimated and potential energy efficiency. We estimate your energy use based on data
you have given us about your home or by using publicly available information about your
home's age, square footage, and other publicly available characteristics. Hohm compares
that to your home's potential for energy efficiency, which is calculated based on
statistical data from the Department of Energy indicating the maximum
efficiency your home could achieve.
How can I improve my Hohm Score?
First, join Hohm! Until you do, your Hohm Score is an estimate. Signing up and
answering some questions about your home's structure will improve
your Hohm Score and make it more accurate.
After you've joined Hohm, you can improve your Hohm Score by implementing the
energy-saving recommendations in your Home Profile. The recommendations with the highest
estimated savings will improve your Hohm Score the most.
How did you calculate my potential savings?
Potential savings reflect the amount you could potentially save by
implementing all of the energy-saving recommendations for your home. As it is an estimate,
your actual savings may vary.
Why don't you have a detail page for my home?
Hohm provides detail pages for most single-family residences. However, there
may not be a detail page for your home if public information is not available. The
residence may be too new or may never have been sold. Or it could be a townhome, condo,
part of an apartment complex, or a house that is divided into different rented sections.
Claiming
What does "Claim this home" mean? Why should I claim my home?
After providing your home address, you may claim your home, which means you will be able to update your home's property characteristics that are visible on the page, such as year built and number of bedrooms. You may have only one home claimed in system at a time. Once you have claimed your home, you have the option to share that information with others. Claim your home to compare your energy use with neighbors, and to share your energy savings to family and friends.
Someone else has claimed my home. What do I do?
In the event that someone has claimed your home, you can go through the claiming dispute process to challenge their ownership. On the page to claim a home, you may reclaim your home by indicating you're the owner of it and answering questions to validate your ownership.
Technical Information
What are Hohm's system requirements?
Any Internet-enabled phone or computer with a modern Internet browser (e.g. Internet Explorer 7 or later, Firefox, Safari, etc.) and
Internet access is able to use Hohm.
Do I have to have a computer at home for Hohm to work?
You can create a Hohm account from any Internet-enabled phone or computer with a modern Internet browser and Internet access.
If you connect to Hohm from a shared, public computer, such as those provided at libraries, be sure to log out of the site once you are finished to protect your data.
What are the data sources used to support Hohm's service?
There are many groups and organizations that have supplied data and information to make this Hohm service available to you, which include: Lawrence Berkeley Labs, Energy Information Association (EIA), Washington State University Energy Extension Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and MSN.
What is estimated cost?
Estimated costs are determined based on your average cost per unit for kWh or therms. This average is then multiplied by your total usage for that period resulting in an estimated cost. Thus, the estimated costs should provide a reasonable approximation of your cost of energy for that period.
Changing My Account
What should I do if I entered a new email address, but have not received a confirmation email?
Make sure that you have typed in the correct email address. The email address may be seen on the My Account page. You may correct any mistakes by editing your email address on the My Account page. Next, make sure that the Verification email did not get filtered into the junk mail folder of your email application. In some cases emails may be accidentally blocked by anti-spam technology used by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Contact your ISP and ask them if they are blocking email sent by 'Microsoft'. Finally, if you are still unable to receive the Verification email after three attempts, contact us.
What happens if I clicked on the confirm email link when I meant to click on the report misdirected email link?
The confirmation process is not complete until you login to a Hohm account. You may still report a misdirected email if you did not complete the confirmation process. If you still have the original confirmation email, open it up and follow the instructions for reporting a misdirected email. The instructions are located in the bottom half of the confirmation email. If you do not have the original confirmation email, follow these steps to stop messages from Microsoft Hohm. First, open an email message from Microsoft Hohm, scroll to the bottom of the email, and click on the unsubscribe link to remove your email address from the mailing list.
What happens if I clicked on the resend button too many times?
Only three email validation requests may be attempted in a 24 hour period. This limit is provided to prevent too many emails being sent in error to incorrect addresses. You should check the email address you are trying to validate and confirm that it is correct.
What should I do if I move?
Information for your previous residence will remain accessible, so you can keep your previous usage data. In the near future, you will be able to
add multiple residences to your
single Hohm account. Until then, simply create a new residence in a second Hohm account using a new Windows Live ID account. To get a new Windows Live ID account,
go to the
Windows Live ID sign-in website, click
sign up, and base your new Windows Live ID on an email account that is different from the one associated with your current Windows Live ID.
How do I delete my account?
Visit the
My Account page on the Home tab, and click the "Delete my Hohm account" link. You will be asked
to confirm this since deleting your account removes access to your home profile, account details, energy usage, and personalized energy report.
Glossary
ACCA
Air Conditioning Contractors of America
AFUE
(Annual fuel utilization efficiency) The most widely used measure of a furnace's heating efficiency which measures the amount of heat actually delivered to your house compared to the amount of fuel you supply the furnace. For example, a furnace with an 80% AFUE converts 80% of the fuel to heat, while the other 20% is lost.
Asbestos
A naturally occurring yet toxic silicate mineral with long, thin fibrous crystals used through the 1970s to fireproof roofing and flooring, for heat insulation, and for a variety of other purposes.
Baseboard heater
A system in which either electric resistance coils or finned tubes carrying steam or hot water are mounted behind shallow panels along baseboards. These rely on passive convection to distribute heated air in the space.
BTU
(British thermal unit) A measure of the heat required to raise or lower the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit. This unit of
measure is used to represent furnace and air conditioner capacity.
Capacity
The amount of heat or cooling your heating system or air conditioner is capable of generating per hour, expressed in BTUs.
Carbon dioxide (lbs of CO2)
An amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that enters the earth's atmosphere due to the burning of fossil
fuels such as gas, oil, or coal. The build-up of carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, known together
as
CO2 equivalent,
contributes to global warming. (Carbon dioxide can also enter the atmosphere naturally,
through the carbon cycle.)
American Forests estimates that the average U.S. single-family home, for example,
emits 17,740 lbs. of CO2 annually due to electricity use. An estimated 27 trees are needed to
absorb that amount of CO2 - the equivalent of taking 2 cars off the road.
CFL
Compact fluorescent light. A type of lightbulb that uses 66% to 75% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and may last up to 10 times longer.
Crawlspace
A shallow, unfinished space beneath the first floor of your house or under the roof especially for access to plumbing and wiring.
Double-hung window
A window consisting of an upper and lower sash that slide vertically in separate grooves in the side jambs or in full-width metal weatherstripping. These are perhaps the most familiar window type.
Duct
A pipe, tube, or channel that adds or removes air from your house. These can be preinsulated, metallic, nonmetallic, flexible, or rigid.
ECM
(Electronically commutated motor) A motor used in furnace blowers that uses less energy than a typical electric blower or condenser fan motor. Rather than starting at 100% immediately, these motors ramp up and ramp down, which reduces humidity. These motors also run at or near ambient temperature rather than outputting extra heat.
EnergyGuide label
A yellow label created by the Department of Energy and placed on some retail appliances and systems that estimates how much energy an appliance uses. This label appears on clothes washers, dishwashers, refrigerators, freezers, water heaters, window air conditioners, central air conditioners, furnaces, boilers, heat pumps and pool heaters.
Energy Star
A voluntary labeling program introduced by the EPA in 1992 to identify and promote energy efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Envelope
The insulated barrier that separates the inside of a home from the outdoors.
Floor joist
A floor support made of wood, steel, or concrete that runs horizontally under a floor between supports, such as walls, beams or girders.
Heat strip
A simple device resembling the heating elements in a toaster that is commonly used in baseboard/wall heating, as a central electric furnace (often in combination with an air conditioner), and as supplemental heat for heat pumps.
Hibernate mode
A power mode for electronic devices such as computers that conserves power by copying system data to the hard drive and then completely turning off the computer. When the computer exits hibernate mode, it returns to the same operating state it was in before entering hibernate mode.
High-efficiency
Describes home appliances and equipment that have an Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 87% or higher.
HSPF
Heating System Performance Factor.
Kilowatt
A standard unit of electrical power equal to one thousand watts.
Low-E
Low-emittance or emissivity. The ability of a material surface to emit radiant energy. Emissivity values closer to 0 emit less heat versus objects with higher values.
(Low-E) coating
A coating of microscopically thin, virtually invisible, metal or metallic oxide layers deposited on a window or skylight glazing surface primarily to reduce the U-factor by suppressing radiative heat flow.
Premium-efficiency
Describes home appliances and equipment that have an Annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating of 92% or higher.
R-value
A measure of thermal resistance. The number in this value relates to the thickness of the insulating layer or insulation. The higher the number, the more effective the insulation.
SEER
Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. A rating system that measures the efficiency of air conditioning systems as measured by output in BTU divided by input in watt-hours. The higher the SEER, the more efficient the unit.
Slab foundation
A building foundation consisting of a flat concrete pad poured directly onto the ground and separated from the soil by a lining and gravel.
Sleep mode
A low power mode for electronic devices such as computers which saves significant electrical consumption compared to leaving a device fully on and idle but allows the user to avoid having to wait for a machine to reboot.
Therm
A quantity of heat energy equal to 100,000 British thermal units (BTUs). It is roughly equivalent to burning 100 cubic feet of natural gas and is roughly equal to 29.3 kilowatt hours of electrical energy.
Vapor retarder
A specially treated paper, plastic sheeting, or low permeance paint that prevents condensation of water vapor inside wall or ceiling materials, preventing trapped moisture that can damage wallboard, paint or a structure.
Weatherstripping
A strip of material that covers the joint of a door or window and the sill, casing, or threshold to exclude drafts. Weatherstripping can be made of vinyl, felt, foam, or metal.
Whole-house fan
A large fan that is installed in the ceiling of your house under the attic to move heat from the living areas of your house into the attic or to the outdoors. These fans create airflow that brings cooler outside air into your house through windows and other ventilated areas. Whole-house fans quickly replace indoor air with air at outdoor temperatures. This can really help cool your house if you live in an area where nighttime temperatures are significantly lower than daytime temperatures.
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