E A S Y WAY S TO
CONSERVE ENERGY
AND SAVE
MONEY
THE
YOU CAN CONSERVE ENERGY AND
SAVE MONEY JUST BY MAKING
A NUMBER OF SMALL CHANGES
AROUND YOUR HOME TO USE
ELECTRICITY MORE WISELY.
These changes cost you little or nothing, but
the payback can be significant now and in the
future. By changing a few habits, all of us can
significantly reduce our energy consumption,
which translates to a larger environmental
impact. But that’s the big picture. All these
things also have an immediate result for each
of us individually, by lowering monthly utility
costs.
“THESE
SUGGESTIONS
ARE EASY TO
FOLLOW, AND
WILL MAKE
YOUR HOME
MORE ENERGY
EFFICIENT. ”
Electric Use in the Home
Here’s the typical breakdown of annual
electricity use in an all-electric home:
• Heating 31%
• Cooling 12%
• Water Heating 12%
• Lighting 11%
• Computers and Electronics 9%
• Appliances 9%
• Refrigeration 8%
• Other 8%
Let’s take a look at what you can do to lower
energy consumption in the top four areas:
heating, cooling, water heating and lighting.
Heating/Cooling
Heating and cooling combined make up
almost half of all energy used, which of
ADVISOR
course translates to nearly half your energy
bill. Evaluating these two areas and making a
few simple changes can help you save money.
These suggestions are easy to follow, and will
make your home more energy efficient.
• Seal air leaks. Air leaks commonly occur
around window frames, chimneys, water and
furnace flues, door sill plates, and electrical
outlets and switch plates. Caulking and
weather stripping are easy and economical
measures for windows and doors; for larger
gaps, use foam sealant. Inflatable chimney
balloons can be used when a fireplace is not
in use.
• Install a programmable thermostat. You
can save as much as 10% on heating and
cooling costs by using a programmable
thermostat, simply by dialing back the
thermostat by 10% to 15% for any eight
hours of the day or night.
• Install blinds and shades on windows.
Insulated drapes, shades or blinds can keep
the heat out in the summer. In the winter they
can help reduce the chilling effect of bare
glass.
• Make sure to maintain your heating and
air conditioning unit. Have a heating and
cooling specialist come out and give your
system a tune-up. This will allow it to perform
at an optimal level, delivering the highest
energy efficiency possible.
• Change air filters. Air filters should be
changed at least every three months,
according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
Check the filter on a regular basis and
change it out when it’s dirty; the filter can be
changed every few weeks if needed. Not
only does the clean filter help you save
energy, but as an added bonus it will cut
down on air pollution and particulates in
your home.
Water Heating
Electric hot water systems can often be
the culprit behind excessive household
energy consumption. You can minimize
use in a number of ways.
• Install aerating, low-flow showerheads
and faucets. This can significantly reduce
the amount of water used without cutting
short a refreshing shower.
• Experiment with lowering the
temperature of the water heater. Often
a newly installed water heater will come
preset at a high temperature; for most
household needs, a temperature of
120° F is more than adequate.
Lighting
The simplest tip with lighting is to replace
all your light bulbs with an energy-efficient
equivalent. This easy step can reduce
lighting energy consumption by up to
70%. Which light bulb is the best? Various
bulbs have their own advantages and
disadvantages in terms of cost, efficiency,
light quality and environmental concerns.
As a savvy consumer it’s important to get
the facts, weigh the options and consider
your household’s lighting needs – then
make the choice. Here’s a quick look at
some options:
• Incandescent light bulbs. These are
the most inexpensive lighting option,
starting at approximately 50 cents each,
but they need to be replaced the most
often. They also generate a lot of heat
and consume much more electricity than
any of the following options.
• Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs).
These can cost $3 to $5 each. However,
CFL manufacturers claim these energy-
efficient light bulbs will last 10 times longer
than incandescent bulbs. Keep in mind that
they do contain small amounts of mercury,
so disposal can become an issue. Contact
your municipal waste department for
disposal instructions.
• Halogen light bulbs. Like incandescents,
halogens also generate excess heat, but
are more efficient and burn 45 percent
less energy. According to manufacturers,
these bulbs will last up to 10,000 hours.
They come in a variety of sizes and light
qualities to meet a wide range of consumer
needs, and generally start at about $5
each.
• LED lights. These have been proclaimed
as the most efficient light source,
measuring five times more efficient than
CFLs according to a Holmes magazine
article. A six-watt LED bulb can produce as
much light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.
It also has a projected lifespan of 25,000
hours. However, efficiency does cost more
here, as the LED comes with the most
expensive price tag – about $15 each.
Odds and Ends
There are a variety of other small things you
can do on a daily basis that will result in a
more energy-efficient home overall:
• Turn off the lights! This seems simple, but
many people forget this basic tip.
• Turn off the bathroom and kitchen
exhaust fans as soon as they’re no longer
needed. Exhaust fans suck heated or
cooled air right out of the house.
• Reverse the direction of the ceiling fan as
seasons change. Counter-clockwise forces
warm air down into the room; clockwise
lifts the warm air up.
• Run air conditioning no lower than
75° F. This temperature will keep things
comfortable, and anything lower uses
power excessively.
• Unplug any electronic appliance that
is not being used. Even if the appliance
is turned off, it continues to use electricity
while plugged in. These include items
such as hair-styling tools, toasters, coffee
makers, lamps, etc.
• Don’t overstock the refrigerator. When
a refrigerator is overloaded, air cannot
circulate properly, and the refrigerator’s
compressor has to work harder to keep the
food at the set temperature.
• Leave the dryer off and air-dry your
laundry, if possible. Also, run only full
loads of laundry.
• Use the home’s landscape to lower
energy bills by planting trees and shrubs
that provide wind breaks to the home in
the winter and shade in the summer.
With this information in hand, look
around your home and see how many
things you can do to reduce your energy
consumption – and your utility costs!
Putting this information to use will leave
you feeling better about your contribution
to the environment as well as your electric
bill.
If you have a topic or suggestion for
content you’d like to read about, please
contact me today. If your topic is chosen,
you’ll receive a $25 Starbucks gift card!
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