Saving More Than Money

We hear mostly bad news about the energy production side of things – nuclear radiation, oil spills, fracking, gas explosions, grid crashes, and respiratory diseases. Well, if we could reduce demand, the frequency of these bad events would also be reduced.

If we could also increase efficiency, we could reduce the negative impact of energy production even more. In many cases, all we have to do is what others are already doing.

Lester Brown writes in his book, World on the Edge, “If the 40 least-efficient U.S. states copied the 10 most-efficient ones, U.S. electricity use would be cut by one third. That would close the equivalent of 62 per cent of all U.S. coal-fired power plants.”

The Ontario Power Authority cites two mistaken ideas about energy use and how to correct them:

Mistaken Idea #1: It takes less energy to keep my thermostat at a comfortable temperature while I’m away than it does to turn the heat back up when I get home.

If you are away from home for more than a few hours, it is more cost-effective to turn down your heat.  They recommend that you set your thermostat to 20°C while at home and 18°C while sleeping. A properly set programmable thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10%.

Mistaken Idea #2: Electronics such as my TV, game console, computer, and cell phone charger stop drawing power when they are turned off.

Even when turned off, most modern electronics use electricity when plugged in. This is known as phantom power and is used to run clocks, timers, displays, and give you that “instant on.” Electronics and appliances purchased 10 or more years ago will likely consume even more phantom power than a newer product. Phantom power is good at spiriting money out of your wallet, too.

Use power strips to switch off televisions, chargers, home theater equipment and stereos when you're not using them. Even when you think these products are off, their "standby" consumption adds up to a 75 or 100 watt light bulb running continuously.

By unplugging appliances or using a power bar with a timer or auto-shut off, you can reduce phantom power and help save up to 15% of your electricity.  Set your computer to hibernate or sleep while not in use throughout the day, but be sure to check operating instructions before unplugging items such as satellite receivers and set-top boxes.

While you are at it, reconsider buying that plasma TV. A 42-inch plasma TV can use as much energy as a refrigerator and cost you $200 extra per year.

Here’s my contribution to this list of common mistaken ideas.

Mistaken Idea #3: I really need that beer fridge in the basement, and it keeps us from opening the kitchen fridge so often.

Well, that basement beer fridge could be your home’s biggest energy pig. It is likely old and inefficient, the coils are dirty, and it is straining to chill that brew. That is why Hydro One will pick it up and dispose of it for free. Just contact Fridge and Freezer Pickup.

Here are some other ideas that can really pay off.

Control the Temperature

Your kitchen refrigerator probably accounts for about 20% of your total electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your fridge temperature as close to 3°C and your freezer as close to -16°C as you can. Make sure that energy saver switches are turned on. Does your fridge seem to be running most of the time? Maybe it is. Check the gaskets around your refrigerator/freezer doors to make sure they are clean and sealed tightly. Vacuum the condenser coils at the back or underneath your fridge and freezer because accumulated dust reduces their efficiency by up to 25% and adds that cost to your electricity bill.

Avoid putting uncovered liquids or hot cooked food into the fridge. Their evaporation and heat will make your fridge work harder. Defrost frozen food in the fridge since this helps to cool the fridge. Keeping a fridge or freezer only half full is inefficient, so be sure they are sized to your daily needs.

Turn down your water heater. Thermostats are often set to 60°C when 48°C is usually fine. Check to see if you have a cold-water mixing valve on top of your water heater. If you do, why are you heating water so hot that it has to be mixed with cold so it doesn’t scald you? Shut off the mixing valve and adjust your water heater to suit your preferred shower temperature. Also, consider taking fewer showers; daily showers dry your skin and waste water.

Set your clothes washer to the cold water setting, and use warm only when needed.

Control Your Appliances

Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket, and use less hot water by installing low-flow shower heads.

Make sure your dishwasher is full when you run it and use the shortest cycle possible. Set an egg timer so you can open the door when it is done to let the dishes air dry. This is especially good for your house in the dry winters. Not using heat in the drying cycle can save 20% of your dishwasher's total electricity use.

Rather than turn the oven on for a few potatoes, use the stovetop, microwave, or toaster oven. The mega-users of power are appliances that create heat, especially a large oven.

Only use your clothes dryer in emergencies. A clothesline outside in the summer and inside in the winter is much more sensible. Here is a photo of our living room on a winter laundry day. We find this great for balancing our household moisture while feeling like pioneers.

Clean or replace air filters as recommended. It costs about 5% more energy when air conditioners and hot-air furnaces have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters.

Only buy energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances. They are way cheaper in the long run.

Control Your Lighting

The only reason to leave your outdoor lights on all night is to help the raccoons see what they are eating out of your garbage.

Replace all your incandescents with energy-efficient compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. Only 10% of the energy consumed by a normal light bulb generates light. The rest just makes the bulb hot. Good if you are keeping the chickens warm, not so good if all you need is light.

So, are you complaining about power plants, wind and solar farms, or the cost of electricity? Then use less.

Low VOC Finishes

Last time I wrote about the dangers of furniture, floor, and wall finishes containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can produce a number of physical problems, including eye and skin irritation, lung and breathing problems, headaches, nausea, muscle weakness, and liver and kidney damage. VOC levels can be 10 times higher indoors than outdoors, with numbers rising up to 1,000 times higher immediately following application of a new coat of finish.

So what can we use without killing ourselves? Let’s look at the commonly available products.

Varnish

In today’s common usage, “varnish” means a mix of drying oil and a natural or artificial resin that is cooked (often with an inert metal catalyst) to make a clear finish that is typically used indoors. Varnish cures by chemical reaction and is known for good resistance to heat, solvents, and water. Alkyd and polyurethane varnishes, however, may contain high VOCs. Water-based varnishes using polyurethane or acrylic polymers have been developed that emit lower VOCs, so water-based polyurethane is probably your best bet here.

Water-based finishes offer minimal solvent fumes, easy cleanup, and good scuff resistance, but they may raise raw wood grain. I’ve used water-based urethane on our dining room table and it seems impervious to most spills. The first time I used it, I thought something was wrong with it because it looks milky on application, but it dries clear.

Shellac

In its pure form, shellac is a natural resin secreted by the lac insect, found mostly in India and Thailand. Shellac cures as its solvent – alcohol - evaporates. Although it creates a brilliant shine, shellac’s uses are limited because of its susceptibility to damage from liquids and heat. However, shellac is useful for any surfaces that won’t need to be washed and for touch-ups because it bonds well to most other finishes. Because it is a mostly natural product, shellac is also a good choice.

Shellac is one of the few historically appropriate finishes (including casein paint, spar varnishes, boiled linseed oil and lacquer) for early 20th-century hardwood floors, and wooden wall and ceiling paneling. Shellac is non-toxic when it is dry according to the A.F. Suter Co. (one of the world leaders in shellac production) and is used in candy and fruit coatings and by pharmaceutical companies as a pill coating.

Lacquer

Lacquer is a clear finish best suited for accenting wood grain. Lacquer thinner is a blend of solvents, which may include ketones and esters, alcohols, and fast-evaporating toxic hydrocarbons such as toluene or xylene. Like shellac, lacquer cures by evaporation. Without a clear protective coating, it is easily scratched and susceptible to water damage. Lacquer gives that super glossy coating but, because it makes wood look like it is encased in plastic, is best applied with a spray, and is toxic, I don’t use it.




Natural Oils

Tung and linseed oils are penetrating finishes that cure by absorbing oxygen from the air, a process that strengthens the finish. Tung oil is derived from the nuts of trees that are native to Asia, and it is believed to have originated in ancient China and appears in the writings of Confucius from about 400 B.C. When applied in many fine coats over wood, tung oil slowly cures to a satin "wetted wood" look with a slight golden tint. It resists water better than any other pure oil finish, though it still provides little protection against scratches.

Tung oil has become popular as an environmentally friendly wood finish, but it should be noted that many products labeled as "tung oil finishes" are deceptively labeled: polymerized oils, wiping varnishes, and oil/varnish blends have all been known to be sold as tung oil finishes (sometimes containing no tung oil at all), and all the above contain solvents and/or chemical driers. Product packaging will usually clearly state if it is pure tung oil, so there is a good chance you will be buying something else if the sales literature is vague.

Linseed oil, extracted from flax seeds, is a common carrier used in oil paint, but can be used as finish on its own. When used as a wood finish, linseed oil dries slowly. It does not cover the surface as varnish does, but soaks into the pores, leaving a low-gloss finish that shows off the grain of the wood. A linseed oil finish is easily repaired, but it provides no significant barrier against scratching. Water will penetrate a linseed oil finish in minutes, so it should not be used outdoors. Garden furniture treated with linseed oil may develop mildew.

Today, most products labeled as "boiled linseed oil" are a combination of raw linseed oil, petroleum-based solvent, and metallic dryers (catalysts to accelerate drying). The use of these metallic dryers makes boiled linseed oil inedible.

A pile of rags soaked with linseed oil is a severe fire hazard because they may oxidize and eventually become hot enough to spontaneously burst into flame. This is not something you want in your basement or storage room.

Wood Stains

More and more homeowners, builders, and architects are turning to penetrating stains instead of paints, especially for exterior use. Unlike paints that form a film on the surface, these stains soak into the wood, accenting the wood grain rather than hiding it. Stains become part of the wood, which helps to prevent the cracking, peeling, chipping, or blistering that commonly occurs with paints.

Interior stains, used for furniture and woodwork, come in either pigmented or dye categories. Both can have an oil, synthetic, or water base. Pigmented stains are designed to change the color of a surface without concealing the grain pattern or surface texture, and they can range in color from almost clear to semi-transparent. They are easily applied with a brush or a rag, and are then wiped off to control the depth of the stain. An oil or polyurethane finish is often mixed with the stain, so the do-it-yourselfer can complete the staining and finishing job in one step.

Remember, though, that the more the product is touted as “fast drying” or “one-step application,” the more likely it is to contain chemicals.

Our house contains fir beams and a pine ceiling. We tried many different products, but ended up with boiled linseed oil. It is easy to apply, you can start and stop anywhere at any time, it is less toxic, provides a warm tone, and beautifully highlights grain. However, it is not a protective coating.

If you want to maintain a perfectly pristine interior, you have no choice but to hold your breath and encase everything in plastic and chemicals.

Volatile Finishes

Whether you are working on siding, furniture, or interior trim, a nice finish coat can make a lot of difference. And what you use as a finish coat makes a difference, too. For exterior finishes, the primary characteristics we usually look for are durability and ease of application. For interior finishes, though, we have to be a lot more careful because we will be breathing in chemicals from some of those products as long as we live in our home.

According to The Whole Building Design Guide (www.wbdg.org), a program of the U.S. National Institute of Building Sciences, there are two kinds of finishes, surface and penetrating.

Surface finishes cure hard, can be built up in layers, and include shellac, alkyd and polyurethane varnishes, lacquer, water-based and latex-based semitransparent stains, and solid-colour stains. Penetrating finishes are oil-based and don’t cure to a hard film. These include oil finishes, such as tung and linseed oil, and oil-based stains.

Generally speaking, the surface finishes contain more chemicals. For centuries, varnish (a catch-all term for clear wood finishes) was made from resins collected from natural products such as tree saps or insect secretions and mixed with linseed or other natural oils. To create the final product, the mixture was thinned with turpentine. More recently, synthetic resins derived from coal tar and petroleum began to replace the natural resins, and petroleum distillates became the most commonly used solvents. The petroleum-based products in the synthetic resins helped increase durability.

But, beginning in the 1970s, there were increased concerns over the impact of surface finish chemicals on human health and the environment.

Resins and Solvents and Driers: Oh My!

Pigments or dyes add colour and hide flaws. Resins, or binders, are the natural or synthetic film-forming component, and can include acrylics, vinyls, alkyds, cellulosics, epoxies, polyurethanes, and oils. The particular type of resin determines the finish’s hardness, flexibility, and resistance to stains, solvents, and water. But, resins are hard and dry, and you need them to be liquid to apply them.

This is why solvents and/or thinners are added to liquefy the resins so you can brush them on. Solvent-based coatings typically use organic solvents such as alcohols, ketones, glycol ethers, petroleum distillates (mineral spirits, kerosene, toluene, xylene, benzene and naphtha), and turpentine. These products, particularly benzene, toluene, and xylene have toxic effects, primarily on the respiratory system.

You also need a chemical to kick the solvent out of the liquid quickly so your finish isn’t sticky for days. So, cue the driers. A drier is a substance that accelerates the drying of oil-based paints, varnishes and inks. Metallic salts of manganese, cerium, lead, chromium, iron, and zinc, are common and effective driers. These heavy metal compounds are toxic when ingested or inhaled. There are clear health risks for those who manufacture them; in use they are considered a health risk only in long-term exposure, but the studies that accurately test long-term exposure in homes are few and far between.

What are Volatile Organic Compounds?

O.K. When I lose my temper, my wife claims I am a volatile organic compound but, according to Health Canada, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) have boiling points roughly in the range of 50 to 250 °C. This includes the solvents and driers in some finishes and, as they evaporate during the drying/curing process, VOCs are released into the air, affecting indoor and outdoor air quality.

The American Lung Association reports that VOCs and their byproducts can produce a number of physical problems, including eye and skin irritation, lung and breathing problems, headaches, nausea, muscle weakness, and liver and kidney damage. VOC levels can be 10 times higher indoors than outdoors, with numbers rising up to 1,000 times higher immediately following application of a new coat of finish.

Outside, VOCs released into the atmosphere can combine with each other, or with other substances in the air, to create new chemical compounds, such as ground-level ozone. Ozone is a major component of smog, which causes negative health and environmental impacts when present in high concentrations at ground level. VOCs are considered air pollutants, and the amount that can be released for a given amount of solids is now regulated in many areas.

It may not be a good idea to automatically reach for products containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs). There are so many products that use glues and finishes containing VOCs now that you really have to read the label.

A second test for VOCs is “if it smells strong or smells like a chemical, it probably is.” A third test is whether the label suggests a respirator, long-handled tongs, and a hazmat suit during application.

So what can you use?

There are many alternatives: low VOC finishes, milk and whey-based finishes, natural finishes like shellac and spar varnish, and penetrating oils like linseed oil, which we used on all the B.C. fir beams in our underground home.

I will finish with a discussion of these finishes next time.