ENERGY – 5 things you can do now to save energy on your bills.
Assuming we all like to save a buck when we can, here are some easy things to do that can add up over the course of a year.
- Light Bulbs. Yup, easy peasey. Replace the incandescent bulbs in your home with any one of these three options. Halogen, LED, or compact fluorescents. Those three choices can save up to 25% to 80% of your lighting costs. These three bulbs can be found where any light bulb is sold. Even your grocery store.
- Your Thermostat! Having a programmable thermostat allows you to decide when to heat and cool your home. These little gems are pretty simple to program. I can even do it without the aid of a teenager. Reducing heat and cooling needs saves real dollars. This could save between $150 to $200 per year. That’s a nice dinner!
- Smart Power Strips. I heard about these but never used one, until now. These devices will turn off the electricity that typically continues to run to electronic devices even when they are turned off. We don’t think much about it but this can save up to $200 per year. I will let you know how it works with my DVR.
- Hot Water. The water heater is an easily fixable source of wasted energy. Most hardware stores sell insulating blankets for the water heater. That is a good start. Also I suggest you insulate any exposed hot water piping you can get to.
- Lastly is Lifestyle. Yes, HOW we choose to live in our homes makes a big difference. Simple things such as closing shades during the cooling months to keep out the sun. And opening them to let in sun during heating season. In our area, turning off the cooling at night and opening the window can save a ton (pun intended) of electrical cost for cooling. Hanging clothes out to dry is another.
I am sure you all have ideas that you employ as well. Share them with me and I will post them in our next Tips and on Facebook.
