IDT Energy Savings

What is a cool roof? It’s a roof which can make your entire house more energy efficient by reflecting back the heat of the sun rather than absorbing the heat and transferring it into your home. As a result your roof stays cooler and you need less energy from your air conditioning system to keep cool.

Consider installing a cool roof and:

•    Reduce air pollution and smog in your city. Using less electricity creates less of a burden on power plants.
•    Preserve your roof so it lasts longer.
•    Save money on your electricity bill.
•    Minimize the effects of “heat islands” in suburbs, towns and cities.

An initial registration statement has been filed by Genie Energy, which is a completely owned subsidiary of IDT Energy. The  filing of the statement, which includes a document of description,  is in preparation for the awaited spin-off of Genie and the announcement to the stockholders of IDT Corporation.

It is possible to view the filed statements through the website of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Howard Jonas, CEO and Chairman of IDT Energy explained the decision of his company to create Genie:

“The spin-off of Genie is one of the key strategic moves we announced last year to enable stockholders to realize the inherent value in IDT’s businesses.”

In the heat of the summer, it’s hard to believe the weather is ever going to cool down. But, indeed, it will, and it will be time to start to budget for those colder months. There are many ways to save costs on the fall energy bills, whether you use IDT Energy or another energy supplier. Here are some tips that should help you to think about those colder months.

1. Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or lower when you are home, and put it even lower when you’re out or in bed.  Believe it or not, for every degree that you lower your thermostat, you’ll be saving 2% off of your heating bill.
2. Weatherize your home before the cold weather hits. Caulk and weather-strip all the doors and windows. Make sure your windows have locks on them as well, to make them tighter and more draft resistant.
3. Insulate your attic, or increase the insulation you already have.  Do this for the basement and outside walls as well.

The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house, with lots of energy saving devices, meaning that they save humans energy. But in order to save you energy the appliances take the energy from the environment.

IDT Energy presents some ways to reduce to a minimum the amount of energy needed to run your kitchen:

1. Fill your dishwasher to capacity before running. Research has shown that a dishwasher used this way can save 37% of the water needed if the dishes were washed by hand. So you can use the dishwasher guilt-free.
2. There is a way to wash dishes using even less water than the dishwasher; fill one sink with soapy water and the adjacent sink with rinse water, and do not let the water run out of the faucet. Then you will use a whopping 50% of the water used by the dishwasher.
3. Use your microwave to defrost or warm up small amounts of food instead of the stove. This can save up to 50% of the energy that the stove would use. The microwave also heats up the kitchen less, a plus in the summer.
4. Close the fridge door right away. Decide what you want from the fridge before you open the door, take it out, and close the door. Test the tightness of the door by closing it on a one dollar bill. If the dollar pulls out easily, then the door is probably not tight enough, and cold air may be leaking out. Get it checked.
5. Old refrigerators are big energy wasters. Consider replacing your old fridge with a new energy efficient model. Look for the Energy Star.

Watch this informative and clear video for some simple ideas on what you can do now to begin saving energy at home and at the office.

Saving energy is a hot topic today, and while many people are aware of the importance, they find it hard or inconvenient to really take the time to change their energy-using habits. Many energy companies, such as IDT Energy, would be glad to help you reduce energy use and costs in your home.

One great way to minimize energy use in your home is to just make sure that everyone is aware of the issue. There are many simple things that you and your children can do to save energy and lower your electric bill at the same time.

loseyourexcuse.gov is a great website that helps you do just that. Their site lists 10 easy, simple rules that you can print out and tape on the fridge. You can also just discuss the ‘energy action plan‘ with the members of your household one night at dinner.

The list includes simple reminders like:

“1. Turn off the lights,

2. Use energy saving light bulbs,

3. Shut off computers, and

4. Use “smart” power strips.”

ESCOs Help Consumers Save

ESCO stands for “Energy Service Company.” When the power supply utility companies in New York were deregulated, ESCOs, including IDT Energy, came into being. Competition was introduced into an area which was essentially populated with monopolies which had government protection as well as regulation.

With deregulation came the competition which allowed prices, and services to bring in customers, hopefully encouraging the quality of services provided as well as helping to keep costs competitive.

Under this system energy service is divided into two parts, the supply of energy and its delivery. IDT Energy offers a “Switch and Save” program which allows consumers to choose IDT Energy as their supplier, while their local utility, such as Con Edison, remains in charge of power delivery.

Consumers are not compelled to switch to an ESCO, but in many cases, as when switching to IDT Energy, it is possible to save money on the monthly bill for electricity and natural gas.

IDT Energy believes that it is possible for families to enjoy substantial savings on their
energy bill by incorporating just a few simple ideas into their household energy use.

Take a look at this video to learn about some of these easy to implement energy
saving ideas from IDT Energy.

If anybody tells you that using a dishwasher wastes water and energy, you can assure them that, depending on how you use your dishwasher that is simply not true. There are several things that you actually save by using the dishwasher rather than washing your dishes by hand.

Water

Are you surprised? Don’t be. If you only use your dishwasher when it is completely loaded up, the amount of water used will actually be less than if you washed each of those dishes by hand. One researcher found that the difference comes to 37% less water.

Time

For many people, time is money. Certainly in today’s world of two parents away from home all day at work, the time spendt washing dishes by hand could better be used enjoying the company of family and friends, plus numerous other chores which must be done.  As a time-saving device, the dishwasher rocks.

Electricity

Yes, a dishwasher does use more electricity than washing by hand, but as appliances become more efficient, you might be surprised at how little electricity the dishwasher really needs. After all, most of the electricity, about 80% used by the dishwasher is for heating the water. Whether you hand wash or machine wash, hot water still needs to be made. Also be sure to look for the Energy Star label to ensure you are purchasing the most energy efficient appliance around.

IDT Energy urges consumers to carefully pick appliances best suited to their family’s needs and lifestyles, and be energy smart.

Certainly, every little bit counts when you’re trying to save money.  One easy way to cut corners is to take a look at your energy bill and to try to make some changes. Whether you use IDT Energy or another provider, there is always a way to reduce your bill a bit more and to cut down on your energy costs.

Take lighting for instance.  A typical household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting.  You can reduce these costs by 50-75% with a few key adjustments.

Here are a few ways to make your indoor lighting choices more cost effective:

1. Use fluorescent lamps rather than incandescent bulbs.  They last 6-12 times longer and they are of high quality.
2. Buy ENERGY STAR products whenever you can.  You’ll save as much as $30 in electricity costs over the lifetime of each and every bulb.
3. Install dimmers and timers that help you to save on electric costs by turning lights off when they aren’t in use.  Simmers allow you to lower your light levels, thus saving money.
4. If you plan to remodel, look for recessed downlights, called “cans” that are rated for contact with insulation. They are IC rated.
5. Make sure your home optimizes for natural light. Purchase light curtains, paint rooms with light hues and keep blinds open to let in natural light.