Certainly, the more soundly built your home is, and the better your windows are, the less energy you will lose in unnecessary ways.  If you are in the market for new windows, here are some suggestions that should help you with your purchase.  Whether you get your energy from IDT Energy or from another source, these tips can save you money in the long run.

When you look for new windows, shop for ENERGY STAR qualified models.  Look into purchasing “Low-E” (low emissivity) glass and argon-glass between the panes.  These materials work brilliantly to reflect furnace heat right back into the home and to let sunlight in while filtering out ultraviolet rays.

Look for windows that have an energy rating of -11 or better if you’re looking for windows that open and +2 or better for fixed windows. Similarly, the U-value of the windows tells you a great deal about their insulation.  If you live in a cold climate, find a U-value of .35 or below.

Finally, rather than looking for sliding windows, find casement-style windows since they offer better air filtration and durability.

If you are replacing entirely your old cooling system, or building a house from scratch, it is very important to find a contractor with experience with high-efficiency cooling and heating systems. Make sure the contractor inspects every duct in your house before installing the new system. Ducts should be correctly sealed and insulated and the supply and return systems should balance each other.

If you aren’t already wedded to a contractor you can find an energy-conscious contractor who employs technicians with NATE (North American Technician Excellence) Training or who have ENERGY STAR experience.

The summer reminds us how much we rely on electricity for our well-being. In New York life would be very unpleasant in the summer without our old pal the air conditioner. IDT Energy in New York wants to explore some ways we can continue to stay cool while at the same time maintaining awareness of the amount of electricity our ac’s require and thinking of ways to reduce that energy load.

Believe it or not air conditioning usage throughout the United States accounts for just about 5 per cent of overall energy usage per year. This translates to about 15 billion dollars just to homeowners every year. It is also important to be aware that this also contributes about 140 million tons of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. In the next two weeks IDT Energy and Affordable Clean Energy will explore ways to reduce the expenditure and the carbon footprint our air conditioners are responsible for.

Spring is in the air and it’s time to start thinking about the coming warm weather. New York is an especially warm place in the summer, with high humidity and many days of unrelenting heat. Here are a few ideas from IDT Energy which will help you stay cool without blowing a fuse, or your bank account.

1.    Consider using ceiling fans whenever possible. Keep your home or apartment cool when you are not home by keeping windows and doors closed and shades drawn. A ceiling fan uses less energy than a light bulb.

2.    Keep your thermostat set about 5° higher for up to 20% savings on air conditioner cooling costs.

3.    Install a programmable thermostat which will turn off your cooling system when you are away, and power it up in honor of your imminent return. You can even control what temperature you want it to be at different times during the day.

4.    Be sure to buy an energy efficient air conditioner. Look for the Energy Star label and use up to 40% less energy.

5.    Do you shower more often in the summer? Most people do. Not to worry, just install low-flow shower heads and enjoy your shower just as much using up to 50% less water.

Everyone wants to save money, and when we conserve resources and use them in the most efficient possible way, we not only save money, but we protect our environment. IDT Energy has a few easy, smart suggestions for ways to save on the energy that you use around your house.

1.    Consider linking your electrical outlets to wall switches. Many electronic devices such as cell phone chargers, televisions and computers continue to use electricity even when they are not turned on or in stand-by mode. This is called “phantom power” which uses a small amount of power, but over time can begin to add up. It is estimated that phantom power might actually compose up to 10% of an average electric bill. One way to really turn off these devices so that they are not drawing any power is to link them to the wall switch, and turn them off at the wall. You can achieve the same goal by plugging these devices into power strips with switches that you turn off when not in use.

2.    Install a programmable thermostat. For about $50 you can save upwards of $150 per year by having your heating and cooling systems turn on only when you are at home. The thermostat will also lower the power output when the heating/cooling system is not needed as much, such as when you are asleep, automatically.

3.    Switch to CFLs. Compact fluorescent light bulbs use around 75% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, and can last up to 10 times longer. This converts to an estimated $30 saved in the cost of electricity over the lifetime of the bulb. Go visit the IDT Energy Store for a nice selection of CFLs for your home and office.

We’ve been discussing the first batteries which were developed and in use in the early and middle 19th century. Today, the beginning of the 21st century, we use batteries for an enormous number of products and conveniences, and the vast majority of those batteries are rechargeable.

Cell phones, laptops, MP3 players, digital cameras, portable power tool all require batteries, and rechargeable ones are the most convenient and cost effective.

The concept of a rechargeable battery was invented by the French physicist Gaston Plante in 1859, and was called the lead acid cell. This later became the world’s first rechargeable battery and is still in use today in the form of modern car batteries.

The concept behind rechargeable batteries is quite basic and simple. Electrical energy is applied to the battery causing the flow of electrons in the opposite direction from the way they flowed when the battery discharged, restoring the power to the battery. Electrical products and devices with built-in batteries need an adapter to re-charge them. The most common type of rechargeable batteries are nickel-cadmium  and nickel-metal hydride, used for many types of devices such as remote control devices, flashlights, digital cameras and a lot more.

IDT Energy has a large selection of rechargeable batteries for you to choose from. Head to the IDT Energy store and look around.

Electricity is such an indespensable part of our lives, IDT Energy believes people should know a little history and information about this ever-present force in our lives.

Alessandro Volta created the first battery in the year 1800. His design was as simple as it was brilliant. Known as a “voltaic pile,” Volta built a stack using alternating layers of zinc, blotting paper soaked in salt water, and silver. Care must be taken so that the top and bottom of the piles are different metals. A voltage can be measured from the pile, as well as a current, by attaching a wire to the top and bottom of the pile. The higher the pile created will produce a larger voltage, increasing by a fixed amount with each additional layer.

From the time of the voltaic pile’s invention until the development of electrical generators in the 1870s, a cousin of the voltaic pile, known as the Daniel cell, Crowfoot cell, Gravity cell and Wet cell, was used for operating telegraph machines and doorbells, and it was very common. The Daniel cell consists of two plates, one of them zinc and the other copper, inside a glass jar which has a solution of zinc sulfate on top and copper sulfate on the bottom.  This is a good experiment for a school project, and for stationary uses of electricity a Daniel cell is a good solution.

IDT Energy is a supplier of electricity and natural gas to customers in New York. But electricity does not only effect our lives through the outlets in our homes. Today we have become more and more dependent on our ability to take electricity with us everywhere.

Batteries are an amazing invention. They allow us to use electric devices while on the go, giving incredible freedom and power to the user. But have you ever thought about how batteries work? Or when they were first used? Interestingly, the first battery dates to the beginning of the 19th century, and was created by Alessandro Volta. Volta was an Italian physicist, born in 1745 in Como, and taught in public schools there. In 1774 Volta became a professor of physics at the Royal School in Como, and a professor of experimental physics at the the University of Pavia in 1779. Volta held this position for 25 years. Because of Volta’s experiments with electrical capacitance the unit of electrical potential has been named in his honor, which of course is known as the volt. Alessandro Volta is credited with creating the very first electrochemical cell, or battery. It was made from two electrodes; one made from the metal zinc, and the second from copper. Sulphuric acid was used as the electrolyte, or salt and water can also be substituted for the acid. This early, primitive battery is still used today as a way to demonstrate to students the principles of electricity. It is referred to as a Lemon Battery.

By making just a few alterations to your home, you can significantly change your energy expenses.  A programmable thermostat is one such alteration that can help with your bottom line. IDT Energy wants you to save on your energy bill.  A programmable thermostat can make a difference.

A programmable thermostat offers a number of pre-programmed settings that regulate the home temperature both during the heat I the summer and the cold in the winter.  You set the thermostat to create the optimal amount of savings without sacrificing your comfort.  Today’s average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills.  Half of this, approximately, is due to heating and cooling costs. With a pre-programmed thermostat, homeowners can save each month without even noticing the difference in their own comfort.

This is one of the many energy tips that IDT Energy and others offer to help you to reduce your energy bills this winter!

While we all want to be safe in the house, we don’t always know how to be.  This is particularly true when dealing with electricity and energy.  IDT Energy wants to make sure that you, and all children in the house, know how to keep yourselves safe.  Use this checklist to learn about energy safety and to check on your safety in the home.

First of all, there should always be a multipurpose fire extinguisher in the house.  Electric appliances that can get hot should always be kept away from things that might burn.  When leaving the home, small appliances should always be turned off, and unplugged when possible.

If small children live in the home, safety caps should be used and inserted into the outlets so that children can’t stick their fingers or objects into these outlets.  Finally, all extension cords, lights and appliances that are used outdoors should have labels on them that indicate that they are for outdoor use.