Energy-Saving Tips for Your Home
AC/Heating – Your HVAC system works hard to keep your home at the perfect temperature. Maintenance and some common sense will save you hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars a year in heating and AC costs.
Install a programmable thermostat – Why cool your home when no one’s home? Program your thermostat to turn on the AC an hour before you come home from work. You’ll not only come home to a cool house, but you will have saved all of that money and energy.
Experiment with your thermostat – Some people set their thermostats out of habit – dad always set his heater at 72, so why shouldn’t I? Play with the internal temperature, turning it down a bit during the winter and a bit warmer during the summer. See if this small change makes any difference in your comfort.
Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance – to keep your HVAC system running at peak performance, regular maintenance must be done on the unit. Review your owner’s manual for guidelines.
Replace the filter often – Just like your car, your heater and AC units must have a steady flow of clean air. Disposable filters can be bought at any home improvement store and are usually simple to replace. See your owner’s manual for more information.
Sweaters are cheaper – set your thermostat lower during the winter and wear a sweater in the house. Just like in the workplace, every degree makes a difference!
Seal up leaks – Homes, especially older ones, can leave like a sieve. Apply caulking around your windows and doors so you don’t inadvertently heat the outdoors.
Use Fans to Circulate Air – Fans aren’t just for the summer. Use these to circulate the warm air around your home, making sure that the heat reaches those “hard to reach” areas. Ceiling fans are effective in pushing the warmer air near the ceiling down, to your level.
Energy-efficient Windows and Doors – The ads are not joking – the energy efficient windows and doors that are available nowadays are state-of-the-art and can save you hundreds of dollars in heating and cooling costs. Many people report not having to turn on their air conditioner, even on the hottest days of the year, thanks to the space-age material used in their new windows and doors.
Lighting – After heating and air-conditioning, lighting is one of the biggest energy expenditures in any home. Here are a few tips on saving money while still lighting your way:
Turn off lights when you leave a room – Having lights on in empty rooms is a wasteful habit. You might as well hand your next paycheck over to the power company.
Upgrade to the new energy-efficient light bulbs – Experts say that the new compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than the regular incandescent bulb you probably have in your living room lamp today. These bulbs can be found inexpensively at your local department or discount store and will pay for themselves in no time.
Use Task Lighting – Why light up your whole bedroom when you’re lying in bed, reading? Use individual lamps (with an energy-efficient bulb, of course!) to light up certain areas of a room where you do certain tasks.
Use natural light, whenever you can – Why spend money lighting up a room when Mother Nature is providing it for free? Open the blinds or use light-colored curtains that allow sunlight to filter in from the outside.
Electronics – Electronics have improved our lives in everyway. The problem is, they suck away a lot of our money. Here are a few things to do to stop the effect the vacuum has on your wallet:
Turn off and unplug appliances between uses – Turning off appliances is pretty self-explanatory, but why unplug then? Many of today’s appliances have “sleep modes”, where they’re “conscious” even when turned off. This mode allows then to be ready the moment you turn them on. So, when you turn off your DVD player, it’s really still on and eating electricity. To safeguard against this waste, unplug electronics and appliances or invest in the power strips that allow you to turn everything off with a flip of a switch.
Use the power management features on your computer – most computers and operating systems have power management features that will power down the hard drive and turn off the monitor when not in use. Use these! Computer monitors are the most power-hungry components on your computer.
Don’t leave your TV or radio on for “background noise” – If you’re not consciously watching or listening, turn it off!
Run full loads – Wait until you have a full load before running the dishwasher or clothes washer. No matter the size, these appliances use the same amount of electricity to run. Why waste it?
Service and repair – Just like your car, major appliances need maintenance to keep them in tip-top performance. Check your owner’s manual for maintenance requirements.
Replace old appliances with energy-efficient ones – When your old appliances bite the dust, buy the most energy efficient model you can afford. These will pay for themselves over their lifetime.
Water Heater – Who doesn’t love a really hot shower after a long day? If not kept in good working order and insulated well, a water heater can drain you dry. Here are a few tips to prevent that:
Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit – Not only is this tip money-smart, but safety-smart too.
Insulate your water heater – if your water heater is more than 10 years old, you may want to look into a insulation kit, available at any hardware or home improvement store. Also, don’t forget about the pipe that carries hot water from the heater. You can lose a lot of heat through that pipe, especially in garages and basements.
