Right now, there are probably numerous things around your home that are costing you money. Some of the more common money pit areas in the home are lights, appliances and faucets. By switching these items and others to more economical, energy efficient alternatives, you could easily save between $250 and $500 a year on your home bills.
Here’s a quick calculation to determine if you need more energy efficient measures to reduce your utility bills: Total up the amount of your fuel and electric bills for the past 12 months. Divide the total by the square footage of your home, excluding your garage and any unheated basements. The answer should be between 60 cents and 90 cents per square foot. If it’s higher, you need to take energy-efficient steps to lower your bills.
To get you started on the road to ample savings, here are 10 of the most costly home practices, which, if corrected, could significantly lop your home utility bills. But with a keen eye, you’re sure to find other areas around the home that can be turned into money saving measures. As an added bonus, you can also find a one-time income tax credit of up to $500 for installing energy efficient new windows, doors, insulation, roofs and heating and cooling equipment in your home.
1. LIGHTBULBS. Incandescent lightbulbs not only consume a lot of energy, they’re costly. If you have at least four, 100-watt incandescent bulbs that burn four or more hours a day in your home, the Alliance To Save Energy recommends replacing them with 23-watt fluorescent bulbs. Compact fluorescent bulbs use only a quarter of the energy of typical lightbulbs, last 10 times longer and lower utility bills. Replacing just four incandescent bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs will save about 454 kilowatt hours of electricity, a savings of $82 over three years.
2. APPLIANCES. Did you know that some appliances, even when turned off, use energy 24 hours a day? Your refrigerator, for instance, which is on 24 hours a day, accounts for about 15 percent of your total home electricity bill. In this technological age, most homes have more than one television and at least one VCR, DVD, CD player and computer. All of these items increase the power in a home, especially VCRs, cordless phones, microwaves, faxes and other items that may be switched off but tranquil require power around the clock. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Energy reveal that the average household spends close to $1,500 each year on home energy. Research has found that appliances and items that expend electricity continuously account for 5 percent of total domestic energy consumption. In fact, televisions and VCRs alone cost about $30 per household a year in utility costs. One way to dramatically reduce this type of cost is by purchasing appliances displaying an Energy Star effect, a symbol that the item has been designated energy efficient. Energy efficient items can reduce wasted energy by at least 75 percent.
There are other ways you can save money with appliances. For example, in the kitchen, you can save money by using a microwave, convection oven, or toaster oven to cook small portions or dinners, reserving the conventional oven or stove-top for larger items, like a turkey, or family dinners only. Another cost-saving tip: When boiling a pot of water, cover it with a lid to reduce cooking time and be sure to match the pot size to the burner to prevent energy waste.
3. WINDOWS. You could actually be throwing heating and cooling dollars out the window if your windows and doors aren’t properly insulated. Assume that the average home has enough leaks around its windows and doors to equal one originate 3′ by 3′ window. Here’s a speedy check to do: Run your hand around each window frame and door in your home. If you feel a draft, these areas should be better insulated to get the maximum savings from your heating and cooling systems. To better seal your window, use caulking between the window frame and wall. For the door, use weather stripping between the door and its frame. If you need to replace your windows or glass doors, purchase ones with an Energy Star label. Although you’ll be spending a bulk of money up front to replace old windows, your investment will bring you substantial savings over the years. For example, today’s windows are typically three to four times more energy efficient than windows made 10 years ago. If you’re unable to afford to replace your windows, take temporary measures, such as inexpensive plastic film kits.
4. THE THERMOSTAT. The largest part of your heating and cooling budget is controlled by your home’s thermostat. The most costly practice by homeowners is forgetting to lower the thermostat when no one is home. Set on your home’s heating and cooling costs by keeping the thermostat at a constant temperature, such as 68 degrees, when you’re home, and lowering it to 60 or 65 degrees when you leave. The Alliance To Save Energy reports that for each degree you lower your thermostat in winter, you can save about 3 percent on your heating bill. Remember to clean or replace furnace and air conditioner filters once a month during their usage seasons to further cut costs.
5. WATER. Just think of the numerous ways you use water around the house: laundry, making coffee, doing dishes, showering, and gardening, just to name a few. About 14 percent of your home heating budget goes to making hot water. Here are some ways to cut down on your hot water usage around the home:
* Dwelling the hot water heater thermostat to low or 120 degrees. It will meet all your hot water needs while lowering the energy needed to maintain water hot in the tank.
* If the outside of your hot water heater is warm when you touch it, wrap it in an insulated covering.
* Switch to a low-flow showerhead. It’s a worthwhile investment, considering you can reduce your shower water use in half.
* When using the dishwasher, turn if off before it reaches the drying cycle, or if you have the option, select frosty dry instead of hot dry.
* When washing clothes, expend warm or cold water whenever possible and rinse in cold water.
6. LANDSCAPING. Many homeowners don’t realize that there are more benefits to a lawn than it’s attractive look. Planting certain trees and shrubs in specific places in your yard could sever both your summer and winter energy bills. For instance, evergreen trees on the north side and leafy trees on the south side can block winter winds and summer sun. Often times, outdoor lighting is incorporated into the landscaping. As with indoor lights, you can save money by replacing bright lights with compact fluorescent lighting. If your outdoor lighting is left on more than a couple of hours a night, use a timer or motion sensor to save on your utility bill.
7. AUTO. If you think your car is a gas cow, there are steps you can take to reduce your fuel bills. First, have your car tuned regularly and be certain your tires are properly inflated. When driving, keep in mind that for each mile you depart below 65 mph saves about two percent of gas. Efficiently running cars help reduce America’s carbon monoxide emissions by 14 million tons and saves 1.47 billion gallons of gasoline each year.
8. OUTDOOR MAINTENANCE. A common, yet costly practice of most homeowners is overlooking their home’s roof. Unfortunately, the oversight could lead to expensive repairs caused by water leaks or other structural damage. One form of prevention is conducting quarterly roof washings. Hosing down your roof will remove twigs, leaves and other debris from between shingles and gutters. It’s this type of debris that could effect the performance of your home’s shingles and cause damage to your roof during a storm. At the same time, trim any tree limbs that may be hanging near or brushing against the roof. Not only will this prevent afflict during a storm, it will also improve your home’s energy efficiency by allowing the sun to shine through. If you have other outdoor structures, such as a garage, shed, or canopy, be sure to wash their roofs as well.
9. INSULATE. According to home maintenance professionals, more money goes out of your home when not properly insulated. In addition to your home’s windows and doors, there are other outdoor areas that need proper insulation. For instance, the areas where electrical, telephone and cable wires enter your home should be caulked. Not to be overlooked are openings for dryer and gas vents. In older homes, the foundation of your home may need reinforcements in its insulating. Your local hardware store can offer assistance with the best material options for insulating a foundation. Before insulating, caulk the inside rim frame and continue down the foundation wall to below the frostline.
10. HOME BUYING. If you’re in the market for a new home, you should look for one that can nick your operating costs. The best way to carry out this is by selecting a home with high energy-efficient standards. These include high-performance windows, advanced insulation and sealing, high-efficiency appliances and energy-efficient heating/cooling systems. Keep an eye out for homes with an Energy Star label that are certified to use at least 30 percent less energy than required by the national Model Energy Code. Another way to choose a home’s energy efficiency is to obtain a home energy rating. Financing for the cost of the upgrades may qualify for an energy-efficient mortgage.
HOME SAVINGS CHECKLIST
If you acknowledge ‘No’ to any of these questions, there are costly practices taking place at your home. Take action as soon as possible to start saving!
Do you replace or acquire new products that are labeled energy efficient?
Do you have double-pane windows throughout your entire home?
If you have single-pane windows, do you have storm windows or plastic film kits on them?
Does your home have a programmable thermostat?
Is your home equipped with a high-efficiency furnace, air conditioner or heat pump?
Do you light your home with compact and other fluorescent light bulbs?
Is your refrigerator certified energy-efficient?
Is there a low-flow showerhead installed in all showers in your home?
Does you dishwasher have an energy-efficiency setting?
Are your home office equipment and electronics certified energy-efficient?
Is your home’s attic, exterior walls and crawl spaces insulated?
Is the area between window/door frames and walls properly caulked?
Are all your home’s windows and doors properly weather-stripped?
Is the outside of your hot water heater insulated?
Do you regularly well-organized your home’s furnace and air conditioner filters?
Do you turn off lights when you leave a room?
Is your hot water heater set no higher than 120 degrees F.?
source: motion-sensor-outdoor-lighting.com