Saving money on your energy bill has always seemed appealing, but recently electricity costs have risen substantially and what was once appealing is now something of a necessity. Strategies for saving on electricity range from the simple to the difficult. Turning off lights when you leave the room will save you a few dollars here and there, but what else can you do?
What are Your Options?
Everyone has a different situation when it comes to saving on electricity. As a general rule, when renting property, you cannot paint walls, insulate the roof or install a new thermostat in the kitchen. You can, however, look at your energy bill and make judgment calls.
More frequently now, energy providers are sending not only bills, but pamphlets containing advice and statistics alongside them. Look at how your home is performing compared to the average home. Look at the discrepancies. If you are paying twice as much for heating than the average house-hold, then there is most likely work to be done on the insulation.
Heating and Insulation
Setting your water to one hundred and twenty degrees can save you over four hundred dollars a year, as most water heaters are installed to heat the water to one hundred and forty degrees. Water at this temperature requires further cost to stay at that temperature, alongside the initial cost of heating. If you are on vacation, you should turn off your water heater altogether.
Small air leaks will also cost money. Special foam tape is available for sealing cracks around windows and door frames, and expanding foam can be used to block up gaps where your pipes pass through the masonry.
One often overlooked strategy for heat conservation is to paint your house white. Due to the reflective properties of non chromatic surfaces, such as white or reflective materials, heat is less likely to be absorbed or released. Much in the same way that a dark rock will become warm in the sun and cold in the snow, whereas a white piece of paper will stay at an almost constant temperature. This can save up to one-hundred and twenty dollars a year in energy costs.
Devices and Appliances
Do a nightly sweep of your property and turn off all your devices and lights. Just one small fluorescent light bulb will cost an additional nine dollars a year if left on all night. Ceiling fans, computers and porch lights will cost significantly more.
Upgrade your inefficient appliances. The government offers recompense of up to one-hundred and five dollars for those who replace outdated refrigerators, freezers and clothes washers, provided that you recycle the old model.
When looking for efficient new products, look for those with the “Energy Star” label. These have been determined by the government to be more energy efficient than its competitors. Don’t worry about there being an extra cost added, as the label is only given to those products which meet an average price range.
Finally, buy a programmable thermostat. A basic thermostat should cost no more than twenty-five dollars and when properly programmed can save up to one-hundred and eighty dollars a year in heating costs as you can program it to turn off the heating when no one is in the house.
Keep these strategies in mind and good luck in saving both money and energy.
This article was contributed by Billy Dunham, a home improvement expert who hopes to help you have an even better home. He writes this on behalf of Tara Energy, a leading provider of electricity in Texas. Check out their website today and see how they can help you!