While some will say our economy is improving it is still a long way from “fixed” and for most of the way “cheaper” way of life has been ingrained in us already. Below are 19 ways that you can lower your energy use which in turn will lower your bills.
1. Use task lighting fixtures for smaller use areas and reduce the need for lighting large spaces.
2. On the ceiling Reverse the direction of your ceiling fan to push warm air downward.
3. Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water setting, not hot. You will save energy and money by not heating the water.
4. Place a rolled bath towel under a drafty door. Why? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, decreasing drafts can reduce your energy use by 5 to 30 percent.
5. Insulate your walls and ceilings. This can save 20 to 30 percent of home heating bills.
6. Rearrange furniture to make sure heating vents aren’t blocked. If you have furniture sitting in the way of your fixtures your room may have “cool” spots.
7. Use a power strip for those items that you don’t need at all times. At the end of the night you don’t have to try shutting everything off or unplug everything at once. A quick flip of the strip will shut it all off at once. All those red lights showing you that something has power is using electricity and raising your bill. Although minimal but 15 of those running at all times can add up.
8. Lower the temps in your house. Each extra degree adds about 4% to 5% to your heating bill. When you leave for the day turn your house down 5 degrees and you could see big monthly savings. If your leaving on a longer vacation turning the temp down to 55 degrees will be a big help. Just be careful of turning your heat down to low with these cold temps you don’t want to come home to frozen pipes.
9. If your home has a boiler system, avoid covering radiators with screens or blocking them with furniture.
10. Fix leaky faucets, especially if it’s a hot water faucet. One drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month – that’s more than one person uses in two weeks.
11. Vacuum your refrigerator coils at least twice a year to keep your refrigerator running top notch.
12. Open blinds on sunny days to allow sunlight to help heat your home. Close them at night to help keep out the cold.
13. Check the seal on your refrigerator door by closing it on a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, it’s time to replace the gaskets.
14. Turn down or shut off your water heater when you will be away for extended periods.
15. We installed nightlights like these that run off the power in our house and are on a light sensor. They run in the boys bedrooms at night but we don’t have to remember to shut them off during the day.
16. Water boils faster when it is covered.
17. Always clean your lint trap before each load to improve dryer efficiency.
18. Keep outdoor hot tubs covered when not in use.
19. Use longer lasting products rather than disposables. A metal pan will save money in the end over a disposable pan. Think razors as well. The up front cost seems more but I can purchase my Pyrex pan for only $20 and use well over 100 times. That would be at least $100 in disposable pans.
