What Can I do to Reduce My Energy Bills?

September 16th, 2006

As summer kicks into high gear and many people begin to feel the pinch of higher energy bills we could all use some quick tips on improving the efficiency in our homes.

This list is by no means complete, but it should at least get you thinking about things you could all year ’round to help use your energy better.

• Programmable thermostats can help reduce your energy bills. Set it to a higher (or lower, in the winter) temperature while you are out for the day, and have it cool the place down around the time you get home from work. A good thermostat lets you set 4 different settings for all 7 days of the week. Make sure to take your pets into account if you have them.
• If you have a lot of ceiling fans or other light fixtures that use 60-100 watt bulbs in your house, consider switching to the fluorescent-coil kind. These bulbs output at normal levels, but at a fraction of the input wattage (for instance, 14 watts for a 60 watt). If you could replace 10 regular bulbs with these, you would be using only 140 watts instead of 600. Quite a savings!
• Window tinting can also be a great investment, especially on skylights. Kits can be bought for $50 at your local home improvement store and are easy to install.

• Go natural: plant a tree on the south side of your house. It will block the sunlight in the summer, and in the winter it will lose its leaves and let light into your home.

• If you have older windows, consider replacing them with newer, triple-pane windows. Also check your doors to see that the wather-stripping is in good condition all the way around the frame. This change alone could save you up to 50% depending on the current condition of your windows/doors.
• If you have some money to invest upfront, you could consider installing a new word-burning stove. Todays wood-burners are way more efficient than older models, and actually reburn the smoke they produce. And because trees remove as much carbon dioxide from the air while living as they produce when bruned, the net effect on the environment is as close to zero as you can get. They are also made with up 70% efficiency ratings. Check out more info by clicking here.

There are thousands of ways to help your home be more efficient. So keep your eyes and ears open for more suggestions!

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