Conserve Energy and Save Money

Save Energy – Save Money.

Here are twenty easy things you can do to conserve energy and save money.

1. Use fluorescent lighting. When your incandescent light bulb burns out replace it with a compact fluorescent bulb. Not only do CFL’s last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, they save you up to $80 in energy costs over the life time of each bulb.

2. Insulate both your hot and cold water lines with closed cell insulation to reduce heat loss, prevent freezing and control damage from condensation. Pipe Wrap Insulation for Hot or Cold Pipes

3. Insulate your hot water tank. Wrapping your heater in an R 5.0 insulating blanket can save you up to $40 per year in energy cost.

4. If you live in a warmer climate, paint your house a lighter color, both inside and out. Dark colors absorb light, thus require additional energy to achieve the same comfort level.

5. Use the off switch on your power strip or unplug your appliances. 75% of the energy used by electronics in your home is consumed when they are “off.”

6. Turn the water off when you are brushing your teeth and make sure your children do the same.

7. Hang your clothes out to dry instead of using your gas or electric dryer.

8. Open your windows and turn off your furnace or air conditioner whenever temperatures outside are above 60 degrees or below 80 degrees.

9. Plant a tree. A single tree can shade your home from the sun enough to reduce the inside temperature by 8 to 10 degrees during the summer, saving up to 25% of your energy usage.

10. Landscape with native plants. Native plants require less water and create better wind blocks than most other plants.

11. Ride a bike or walk whenever possible. Your heart, your lungs and your pocket book will thank you.

12.
Install a programmable thermostat
and use it to raise or lower the temperature by 10 degrees when you are not at home.

13. During the day, closed the shades in the summer and open the shades in the winter.

14. Wash your clothes in cold water.

15. Set your refrigerator temperature to 38 degrees and your freezer to 5 degrees.

16. Use the dishwasher and use it wisely. Wash only full loads and open the dishwasher to allow dishes to air dry.

17. Set the thermostat on your hot water heater to 130 degrees. This is hot enough to keep bacteria from forming in your tank and cool enough to prevent scalding.

18. Change your furnace filter every 90 days and use a MERV 8 or better pleated furnace filter for optimal energy efficiency.

19. Caulk and weather strip your windows and doors.

20. Replace your old appliances with new energy efficient ones. If your appliance is more than 10 years old, replacing it with an energy star appliance can reduce your utility bills up to 25 percent.

There are a lot of easy ways to save energy and money.

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