10 Simple Tips to Saving Energy & Money in Homes
1. Program your thermostat
Set your thermostat to the coolest temperature in the winter and the warmest temperature in the summer that keeps you comfortable. The smaller the gap between your thermostat setpoint and the outdoor temperature, the more you will save. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, turning back thermostats 7-10 degrees from their normal settings for 8 hours a day can save as much as 10% on heating and cooling costs.
2. Insulate your attic
Adding insulating to R38 level can help save energy and improve home comfort. This equates to a depth of 12-14 inches.
3. Weatherize your home
By reducing the number of wall penetrations and adding weather stripping and/or caulking to doors and windows, you can keep more of the conditioned air inside versus it leaking out into the attic or even outside. Your furnace operates less, which means more savings to you. By sealing air leaks you can save 10-20% and even more in older, leaky homes!
4. Set your HVAC fan to “Auto”
Putting your thermostat setting on “auto” rather than “on” ensures that your heating and cooling system runs only when it needs to rather than all the time. Using the “auto” setting can save up to $300 to $400 per year.
5. Replace old appliances
When replacing old appliances, consider ENERGY STAR certified products. ENERGY STAR certified refridgerators can save more than $200 over their lifetime, while ENERGY STAR certified clothes washers should save more than $500 and use 30% less water.
10 Simple Tips to Saving Energy & Money in Homes
6. Check for leaky ductwork
It is not unusual for 20 percent of all heating and cooling energy to be lost through leaky duct joints. That means for every $5 spent on heating and cooling, $1 is wasted due to air leakage. You can enjoy the benefits of a good duct system by sealing your ducts with mastic instead of duct tape. Mastic is a gooey paste that can be slathered on ductwork joints in your system. You can check the ductwork closest to your furnace or heat pump fan to see if mastic is used. If it is not, have an HVAC contractor familiar with ENERGY STAR compliant ductwork apply it properly.
7. Unplug unused appliances
Did you know that having a a second refrigerator can cost $60 to $200 per year to run and a second freezer typically costs $50 to $175 per year? Unplug these appliances to maximize savings.
8. Smart power strips
Turning off your TV, computer and video game consoles when not in use can save you up to $80 per year. However, electronics may continue to draw power even when powered “off.” Consider unplugging these or using smart power strips to completely turn off unused electronics.
9. Replace your most frequently used lights
A 15-watt light-emitting diode (LED) produces the same amount of light as a 60-watt incandescent bulb while using 75 percent less energy and lasting longer. As an additional way to save, remember to turn off lights whenever possible.
10. Install a low-flow showerhead
Showers make up about 17 percent of all indoor water use. Replacing a 2.5-gpm showerhead with a low-flow 1.5-gpm showerhead could save 40 percent in water consumption as well as energy used for heating water.
**Check out our website for more energy saving tips and tricks! Also, ask us about a free, home energy audit to customize an action plan specific to your home.**