Save Cash and the Environment: Steps to Cut Your Energy Consumption
Who doesn’t want to save a little cash? Check out these handy tips from EnergyIdeas.org for reducing your monthly energy bill.
No-Cost to Low-Cost Energy Reducing Steps
- Lower your thermostat at night and whenever the house is unoccupied. Close off and don’t heat unoccupied rooms (unless you have a heat pump). If you consistently set your thermostat back at night 10 degrees (F), you may reduce your heating bill by 10-20 percent.
- Lower the thermostat and dress warmer. As little as 1 to 3 degrees (F) makes a noteworthy difference in energy consumption.
- Lower the temperature on your electric water heater to 120 degrees (F). Turn it off when leaving for extended periods of time. Electric water heaters can be set on timers; gas heaters must be set manually.
- Set refrigerator temperatures between 37 and 40 degrees (F).
- Wash full loads of dishes and air dry.
- When washing clothes, use warm or cold water and rinse with cold. Air dry clothes, but not indoors as this creates unwanted mold and moisture problems.
- Shut off lights, computers and other electronic appliances when you’re not using them. Many computer monitors have a sleep mode setting which, when activated, greatly reduces energy consumption.
- Install a low-flow showerhead. Showers use less hot water than baths; also consider taking shorter showers.
- Close your fireplace damper and seal the opening shut when not in use.
- During the colder seasons, open south-facing window coverings (e.g. drapes, blinds, etc.) during the day. Close all window coverings at night to keep the heat in.
- Examine and adjust, if necessary, weather stripping, door sweeps, and thresholds.
Steps That Pay for Themselves in Two Years or Less
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Install an automatic setback thermostat that adjusts room temperature according to your daily schedule.
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Install do-it-yourself weather stripping and caulking to seal air leaks. Seal all perimeter wall penetrations and ceiling and floor penetrations to stop all air movement between heated and unheated spaces.
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Use motion sensors or timers for outdoor lighting. You’ll still have security and save energy.
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Replace incandescent light bulbs in common areas (where lights are on most of the time) with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). They use about a quarter of the energy.
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Replace the halogen torchiere floor lamp with a CFL model. They’re safer, use 70 percent less electricity and produce as much, if not more, light.
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Tune up the furnace annually.
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Replace furnace filters. The dirtier they are, the harder the fan furnace works.
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Add water heater tank and hot water pipe insulation especially if in an unheated space. Don’t cover the thermostat or, for natural gas models, the air inlets.
Steps That Pay for Themselves in Two to Five Years
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Increase attic insulation to R-38 (the current requirement for new homes).
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Insulate floors over unheated spaces to R-19.
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Insulate and seal ducts in attics, crawl spaces, garages and other unheated areas.
Steps That Pay for Themselves in Five Years
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When it is time to replace a home appliance, purchase an energy-efficient model. These appliances cost more initially, but you will save both money and energy over its entire life. An appliance that is cheaper to purchase will have higher operating costs.
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Wall insulation should be added especially when the wall cavity is made accessible during home remodeling.
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Depending on your siding type, consider blown in insulation, applied from the exterior.
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Install a solar water heater.
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