Power Savings Tips
There are a number of ways to save money on your power bill. Below are a few suggestions to help you conserve power.
1
Experiment with raising your usual thermostat setting in summer because every degree raised will save you between 5% to 10% of your cooling cost.
2
Dry clothes on a clothesline if you want to save between 2% and 4% on your yearly bill.
3
Replace your central air conditioning unit with high efficiency equipment to save between 14% and 40% on your annual cooling cost.
4
Replace your old electric resistance heat system with a heat pump to cut your annual heating costs by as much as 50%.
5
Add water flow restrictors to shower heads and faucets and reduce annual water heating costs from 5% to 10%.
6
If you're going to be gone two or more days, turn off your hot water heating system and set the thermostat settings higher if its summer and lower if its winter and save 10% to 20% off your annual bill.
7
Use an insulated hot water heater cover to decrease heat loss in the home and increase hot water heater efficiency.
8
Plug leaks in attics, basements, fireplaces and even around electrical outlets to save 1% to 2%.
9
Add vents to gables, ridges, and overhangs to prevent heat buildup in attic areas.
10
On sunny winter days, open your drapes and shades to take advantage of the free heat from the sun
11
Caulk windows, doors, baseboards, exhaust fans, dryer vents, and other places where pipes and wires enter the house to save 1% to 4%.
12
Set your thermostat at 68 degrees in winter - no higher than 70 degrees and save approximately 6.2 percent on your heating cost.
13
Weatherstrip windows and doors and save 1% to 8%.
14
Add a waste heat recovery water heating system to save as much as 35% to 55% on water heating costs with central air conditioning systems and as much as 50% to 70% with a system using a central heat pump.
15
Get a yearly checkup for your home heating system. Duct leaks, incorrect settings, and inefficient systems can easily increase your bill by 15%.
16
Use LED in the place of incandescent lights. Residential LEDs use at least 75% less energy and last 25 times longer than incandescent lightbulbs. They also don't build up as much heat as other lightbulbs, saving on your AC costs.
17
Ensure that your air conditioning unit, and air handler, are clean and free of debris. Bent or damaged cooling fans can seriously decrease performance. Bent fins can be fixed with a special comb available at most hardware stores.
18
Remember, showers use less hot water than a bath - 10 gallons for a 5-minute shower, 25 gallons for a hot bath.
19
Get a yearly checkup for your cooling system because a properly maintained system can save between 1% and 13%.
20
Clean cooling coils on refrigerators and freezers regularly and ensure proper air flow to improve efficiency.
21
Reduce your hot water heater temperature by 20 degrees and save between 5% and 10% on your annual water heating bill.
Water Savings Tips
There are a number of ways to save money on your water bill. Below are a few suggestions to help you conserve water.
1
Aerators, flow regulators, and displacement devices will help you save money.
2
Stop those drips! A faucet that drips water can waste up to 3,280 gallons of water per year!
3
Short showers use less water than baths.
4
Stop running water just for the sake of hearing it run when washing dishes, washing the car or even brushing your teeth!
5
Make sure the dishwasher is full before running it.
6
Thaw food in the refrigerator instead of running water over it.
7
Install low-flow toilets that use much less water than older models.
8
Check your washing machine. Does the water level on the dial match what's in the machine?
9
Properly chlorinate water in swimming pools, even the inexpensive backyard kid's pools, so you don't have to re-fill as often.
10
Use a broom, instead of water to clean the carport floor or driveway.
11
Repair leaks in water hoses.
12
Like to water your yard? Get a separate service for watering that beautiful green and save on your sewer costs, or collect rain water.
13
Soaker hoses or trickle irrigation reduce run-off and are 20% more efficient than sprinklers.
14
Put a bit of food coloring in each toilet tank in your home. Without flushing, watch to see if the color shows up in the bowl. It's not uncommon to lose up to 100 gallons a day from one of these otherwise invisible toilet leaks.
Gas Savings Tips
There are a number of ways to save money on your gas bill. Below are a few suggestions to help you conserve gas.
1
Gas savings can be increased by using less hot water, turning down the thermostat, and insulating the gas water heating unit.
2
When cooking with gas put the cover over the pans and use only as much flame as necessary (Remember that slightly boiling water cooks foods at the same temperature as water that is rapidly boiling).
3
When cooking with gas, preheat only when necessary. Don't preheat for meats and casseroles and use your exhaust fan sparingly.
4
When you have a gas water heater, try taking a shower instead of a bath. A bath can use 15 - 25 gallons of hot water compared to the 10 gallons used for a 5 minute shower.
