Test Your Energy IQ

With all the conversation today about high energy costs…everything from gasoline to electricity…we suddenly realized that it’s been nearly 2 years to the day (6/22/04) since we gave our subscribers the opportunity to test their knowledge about the most expensive appliance in their house (HVAC system). You can still take the test to see how much (or how little) you know by clicking here.      And even though the HVAC system in your house accounts for 45-55% of the total electricity consumed in the average household, we thought you might be interested in this follow up quiz from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Public and Consumer Affairs, Consumer and Public Liaison, Energy Information Administration (10/95), about other appliances in your house.   1. For which jobs are microwave ovens used most?   Defrosting frozen foods     Cooking meals     Reheating foods     d. Preparing snacks     2. Microwave ovens are currently found in what percentage of all U.S. Homes?       23%     54%     84%     3. Almost all of us use ovens for cooking. What percentage are electric?       17%     63% 81%     4. How many gallons of hot water does the typical dishwasher use during a normal cycle?       7     14 25     5. Ceiling fans are currently found in what percentage of U.S. homes?       10 to 15%     25 to 30% 50 to 55%     6. Switching to fluorescent lighting can save consumers a lot of money. How much money could Americans save collectively each year if we all made the switch to efficient lighting?   $500,000     $1 millon     $750 millon     7. Energy-efficient lighting can reduce home electricity demand up to what percent?       15% 50% 75%     8. In a family of four, if each member takes one 10-minute show a day using a standard showerhead, how many gallons of water will the family use a year?       13,000 gallons     73,000 gallons 150,000 gallons     9. How much does the typical family spend in a year to run its electric home appliances?       $100 to $300 $400 to $1000     $1,100 to $1,500     10. How many gallons of gasoline does a typical driver use each year?       1,070 gallons 3,500 gallons 5,100 gallons     11. What percent of home heat is lost up an open chimney flue after a fire has died in the fireplace?       1% 5% 10%     12. Industry consumes what percent of the total energy used in the United States?       10%     36%     57%     13. Which renewable energy source generates the most electricity?       Wind power     Hydropower     Solar power     14. What energy source provides more than half of the electricity in the U.S.?       Nuclear     Coal Natural gas     15. What is the nation's most plentiful energy source?        Oil     Coal Nuclear        Click here for answers to see how much you know about energy consumption. While you are at the website you may want to look at this new feature we started several months ago:   Look Who’s Reading What!       About 250 visitors, look in on the Climatemakers website every day. Click here to see the “Top 50” pages viewed last month and if you see a title you like, click on it!            And finally, please remember, if you have any questions about the HVAC system in your house; how we can be of better service to you, or about our web site, please email them to me. I'd like to hear from you. Climatically Merry Sherman 2nd Generation President Phone #: 757-468-5800 Fax #: 757-468-5805 email: comfort@climatemakers.com Web site: http://www.climatemakers.com "Your family's indoor comfort is our family's business"

     P.S. This newsletter is not an orphan. In our newsletter archives, there are over 125 letters with similar tips and helpful hints to make your life in your house, more comfortable. You can see the list by clicking here.

     P.P.S. To keep our website as current as possible, we have just added 3 new pages to the ever growing total (now in excess of 250+ pages). We think you will find the new page depicting “Climatemakers Cartoon Family” especially interesting. You can see it by clicking here.

     This constantly updating of our website is not only to add content but to make it easier for you to navigate…so that you can find answers to your questions about HVAC, quicker than ever before. If you haven’t visited the website recently, and especially if you have any qualms about the performance or the cost of cooling this summer, you will find many items of interest.

     For example, on one of our newest web pages entitled 101 ways to save energy, you can see a detailed list of the many ways you can use to reduce energy costs (just click here). Or you might want to see one of our newer pages, "The Amazing Scroll Compressor" where you can see an animated explanation of what many people claim to be the greatest technological improvement in heating and air conditioning history by clicking here.

     P.P.P.S. You can also see for yourself, the professional response your call for services generates (and the response you can expect), by clicking here to see our recently updated overview of operations.

      To see all the page titles of our 250+ page web site at a glance, click here.

     Or you can select from some of the most popular accessories like a programmable thermostat that automatically regulates the heating/cooling in your house to suit your lifestyle (click here) or an electronic air cleaner that removes dirt, dust and pollen to improve your health (click here) or an automatic humidifier to add moisture to the air in the winter (click here) or how to add a zoning system that will  saves you money as it increases or decreases the heating/cooling in those rooms where and when it is not needed (click here).