It’s fairly well known that the more energy you use, the more money will show up on your monthly utility bills. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), the average family spends approximately $1,600 per year on utility bills alone. Any thing you can do to save energy will put some of that money back into your pocket. Here are some very simple ways to reduce your consumption and cut your expenses, without having to break a sweat (no pun intended).
1. Use Your Thermostat.
Set the AC at 74 degrees in the summer, and the furnace at 68 degrees in the winter. This will keep your house comfortable, keep costs down, and decrease the demand on the energy grid. If you can, use a programmable thermostat, so you can make the house warmer or cooler while you’re away from home.
2. Use Ceiling Fans Properly.
According to Energy Star, ceiling fans will work best in the summer if they are set to spin counter-clockwise, which pulls hot air up to the ceiling and away from the living space. In the winter, reverse the setting to the fans blow the hot air down.
3. When Shopping for New Appliances, Look for the Energy Star Label.
Energy Star is a voluntary labeling program sponsored by the DOE and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to identify and promote energy-efficient products to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program identifies energy-efficient appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, AC units, computers, etc. But keep in mind, just because you have purchased an Energy Star labeled appliance, doesn’t mean you can now use as much energy as you want- consuming more “efficient energy” defeats the purpose!
4. Use a Surge Protector.
Advanced power strips not only safeguard your equipment from damaging power transients, but they also help lower your electric bill.
Even if they’re not in use, cell phone chargers, computer monitors, coffee makers, printers, digital cameras, power tools, DVD players and other appliances and gadgets still draw energy if they’re plugged into an outlet. All together, “phantom energy” use accounts for about 5% of an individual homes’ electricity use. You can take steps to reduce the financial and environmental impacts of these “vampire” appliances by simply unplugging devices, or by plugging them into a surge protector that can be clicked on and off. An even better option: buy an Advanced Power Strip. Most models have 6 outlets, with 2 always-on outlets for devices that you do not want turning off automatically, 1 master outlet, and 3 controlled outlets (that are controlled by the master outlet). The master outlet senses when the control device (typically a computer) is on or off, and it then switches the controlled outlets on or off accordingly to prevent unnecessary power use from devices plugged into those outlets, eliminating vampire loads.
5. Switch all Your Incandescent Light Bulbs to CFLs or LEDs.
A 60 watt incandescent light bulb with the brightness of 800 lumens will last 1,000 hours, and will cost you around $9/year. To achieve the same brightness, a CFL bulb only uses 20 watts and lasts 10,000 hours, costing you $2.30/year. An LED bulb of the equivalent brightness only uses 16.5 watts and lasts 25,000 hours, costing you $1.95/year. The savings are that simple! Regardless of the bulbs you use, turn them off when you leave the room. For the rooms in your home that you don’t often frequent, like the basement, laundry room or garage, consider installing occupancy sensors that automatically shut off when you leave the room, in case you forget!
6. Conserve Water.
I’m sure you have heard all about the advantages of maintaining your drippy faucets, fixing toilets that leak, and turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth or washing dishes. But did you know you can go the extra mile and replace standard fixtures with low-flow fixtures for your faucet, shower head and toilet? These water saving devices not only protect a very valuable natural resource, but saves you money on your water bill.
7. Seal and Insulate.
Be sure to seal any any holes in your exteriors walls, like where pipes come into the home or around windows and doors. Wrap your hot water heater and exposed pipes with insulation to help them maintain the proper temperature and avoid heat loss. Also, it’s a good idea to check your attic. If you have an unfinished attic, you shouldn’t be able to see the floor joists. If you can, add more insulation!
8. Change/Empty Your Filters.
Don’t let this happen to you!
In order to keep your furnace operating at peak efficiency, change the filter quarterly or even monthly. Also, clean the lint from your dryer. Even a small amount of lint can reduce it’s energy efficiency. Not to mention, clean air filters will ensure a higher indoor air quality, keeping you and your family safe from harmful outside air pollutants.
9. Close the Doors and Curtains.
There is no benefit of using energy that you don’t need. Close the doors on your refrigerator and house as quickly as possible. Keep the fireplace damper shut when not in use. Close to curtains to cover your windows at night. These little efforts will prevent heating and cooling losses.
10. Take Advantage of Passive Heating and Cooling Systems.
Passive heating/cooling refers to the use of the basic principles of heat transfer to control the addition and removal of unwanted heat or cold from a building. For example, strategically placed trees cam help reduce your energy costs. During the summer, they can provide shade, and during the winter, they can provide a windbreak. Especially large, deciduous trees can save you up to 25% of your cooling costs, according to the DOE. They should be planted on the south and west sides of your home, positioned to shade hard surfaces like driveways and patios to maximize their impact. Deciduous trees loose their leaves in the winter, allowing the sun to warm your house. If your plant evergreen trees on the north side of your house, it will shield the house from cold winds in every season.
Efficiency is the bottom line. 