IDT Energy World

Where would New Yorkers be without air conditioners to make summer a bit more bearable? IDT Energy in New York wants to take a look at our good friend the air conditioner, its history, how it works, and what we can expect from these marvels in the future.

The first air conditioners began way back in the middle of the 18th century when Benjamin Franklin and a chemistry professor of chemistry at Cambridge University did some experiments examining how evaporation can be used in order to rapidly cool an object.  They discovered that liquids that evaporate quickly such as ether and alcohol could be used to reduce the temperature of something lower than the freezing point of water.

The earliest uses of air conditioning were industrial and not for the personal comfort of individuals.  In 1902 Willis Carrier invented the first electric air conditioner in Syracuse, New York. It was made for a printing plant to control the temperature and humidity which could adversely affect paper dimensions and alignment of ink.  Soon the technology was used to improve working conditioners in the plant, and this developed into the Carrier Air Conditioning Company of America. As time passed air conditioning was used more often to increase the comfort level of homes, cars and workplaces. By the 1950s air conditioning quickly gained popularity, and now today it is hard to imagine living in a place like New York City without it.

As the weather begins to get warmer, there are a number of key ways that you can reduce your electricity costs while still keeping the house comfortable and cool. Use these tips to save money this summer – while still enjoying your time indoors.

One great idea is to have an exhaust fan in the kitchen that will blow hot air out of the space while you are cooking. This will add a lot of savings to your cooling costs. Try to take lukewarm showers and baths as well to avoid creating humid air, which holds in more heat.

Look into purchasing a dehumidifier for the home. This can decrease your electricity bill significantly whether you’re with IDT Energy or another company. Make sure, however, that the humidifier that you buy is the right size for your home.

Avoid creating more heat in the kitchen in a number of ways. Use your microwave or countertop appliances for cooking instead of the oven; enjoy grilling outdoors to keep the hot air away from the house as well.

IDT Energy has found that in the United States the average household used about 920 kWh each month in the year 2006. In 2003 the entire U.S. used 3,883 billion kWh, which translates as 13,868 kWh per person based on the total population of the United States being 280 million people that year.

On one day in California there was peak use of 50,743 megawatt-hours of electricity. That translates to a number that might be hard to say out loud: 50,743,000,000 watt-hours, on just one day!

A watt is the rate of electricity an appliance uses at any particular moment.  A watt-hour is the total amount of energy that has been used over an amount of time, such as an hour. Let’s say you have a laptop computer which uses 50 watts. At the end of one hour the laptop will have used 50 Watt-hours. Which is the same as 0.050 kilowatt-hours (kWh.)
It is similar to saying that a car, at this moment, is going 50 mph. If it continues to travel at that speed for one hour, then it will have gone 50 miles by the end of the hour. In this example we are using distance to compare to amount of energy used.

Let’s get down to basics. What is meant by a kilowatt hour, anyway? This is the way electricity is measured; the amount we use is called a kilowatt-hour, or kWh. When you use a 1,000 watt appliance for one hour, you have used 1 kWh.

Here are some real examples:

1.    A medium window-unit air conditioner which uses 1,000 watts and is used for one hour has used 1 kWh.

2.    A large window -unit air conditioner which uses 1,500 watts and is used for one hour has used 1.5 kWh.

3.    A small window-unit air conditioner which uses 500 watts and is used for one hour has used 0.5 kWh.

4.    A ceiling fan on low speed which uses 24 watts and is used for one hour has used 0.024 kWh. If it is used for ten hours then it used 0.24 kWh.

5.    A 100 watt light bulb used for one hour uses 0.1 kWh. If it is used all month and is on 730 hours, then it uses 73 kWh.

6.    A 25 watt CFL light bulb used for the same 730 hours (all month) will use only 18 kWh.

IDT Energy believes that by following a few simple rules, a potential hazard for fire and shock can be made perfectly safe.

•    Replacement of damaged outlets should be done promptly by a qualified electrician. Any outlet that feels hot, is emitting sparks, has loose fitting plugs, or in which the plugged in lamp or other appliance turns off and on or fails to light can be considered damaged and should be replaced.

•    Never pull out an electrical cord at an angle. This could cause the plastic face of the outlet to crack, break away, and leave live parts of the outlet dangerously exposed.

•    Plastic, child-proof safety caps should be inserted into unused outlets so children cannot insert anything into the receptacle.

•    Plugs should always be completely inserted into the outlet. Never let any part of the metal prongs be exposed.

IDT Energy wishes you a safe year of electricity use.

IDT Energy hopes consumers begin the new school year with increased awareness of electric safety precautions that are simple to follow and could really prevent dangerous accidents.

Damaged or problematic electrical receptacles should be replaced by a qualified person. It is also a good idea to upgrade home electrical systems to the most modern safety standards.

Preventing electrocution is a simple matter of installing ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs.) This is the most effective way to prevent electric shock. A second method is to install three pronged outlets. Before switching to this type of outlet you need to check that there is a grounding conductor in the outlet box.

Outlets can become overheated, even with nothing in them, if they have poor internal contacts or loose wire terminals. In such a case the outlet can even emit sparks. One way to preserve your outlets is to be sure the appliance is turned off before you unplug it from the outlet.

In our continuing discussion of electrical outlet safety awareness IDT Energy is taking this opportunity to point out potential hazards at electrical outlets so that consumers can take the actions necessary to prevent accidents.

Intense and dangerous electrical arcing can result from broken faceplates on the outlet. In one case a woman received severe burns when she plugged in a floor lamp into and outlet whose plastic faceplate was broken, allowing the prongs of the plug to bridge from the contacts to the grounded strap.

When an outlet is used with appliances that are frequently plugged and unplugged repeatedly, such as kitchen appliances that are stored away when not in use, like mixers, beaters, juicers, and food processors, the outlet can deteriorate and become hazardous. The plug may begin to fit loosely into the outlet causing the plug to slip out of the outlet either partially or completely with just slight movement of the cord.  This situation is a fire hazard, and if there is a curtain or other fabric close by, the danger is even greater.

Now that summer is over and the kids are back to school, IDT Energy wants parents to be aware of the basic safety rules when using electricity, electrical appliances and electric outlets.

A particular point of interest as far as safety is concerned is electrical outlets. These amazing household objects bring essential electricity into our homes, and make modern life possible.

We should never take for granted the potential for harm these simple receptacles present. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, about 3,900 injuries a year which required hospital emergency room visits are connected to the use of electrical outlets.

The most common accident is caused when a child puts a small metal object, such as a pin, key, or something else, into the outlet. As a result the child receives a burn or electric shock to his hand or finger. These types of accidents account for about one third of mishaps with outlets.
Fires can also begin at the electric receptacle. The CPSC says that there are about 5,300 fires in which electrical outlets play a role. As a result of these fires each year about 40 people die and about 110 people are injured.

As concerned citizens you want to do what is best for the environment so that the world will be a great place to live not just for your but for your children and their children. And as a consumer, you want to know that the products and services you are purchasing are not sacrificing quality or dependability for a promise of a better environment that perhaps they cant deliver.

That is where Green-e comes in. As the country’s leading independent certification program as well as verification for greenhouse gas emissions reductions and renewable energy Green-e makes sure you get what you are promised.

There are two types of certification programs. Green-e Climate was begun in 2007 as a voluntary certification program setting standards for consumer protection and environmental integrity for the reduction of GHG emissions reductions which are sold in the voluntary market.

Green-e Energy is an independent certification program and verification program for renewable energy, leading the nation in this endeavor.

Green-e Marketplace allows companies that have purchased renewable energy in qualifying amounts and have also passed verification standard to display the logo of Green-e.