You can easily lower your utility bill without a lot of work or money on your part. Start by targeting your home’s largest energy users: heating/air conditioning, appliances, electronics, lighting, and water heating. The more of the simple steps below you check off, the more you can save!
Turn lights off when you leave a room. Tape a note by the door to help you remember.
Wash your clothes in cold water. It really will get your clothes just as clean. Save money and time: wash all colors of clothes together for fewer loads. (You do still need to use hot water for dirty cloth diapers.)
Keep your thermostat as high in summer/low in winter as you comfortably can. Every degree raised in summer or lowered in winter saves you money! Aim for 78 degrees in summer, 68 degrees in winter.
Move any furniture blocking vents or returns. Close vents and doors to rooms you don’t use. Seal air leaks around doors and windows. Use caulk or weather stripping around doors, windows, and attic and crawl space entrances to stop leaks.
Replace burned out bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. They’ll last 10 to 25 times longer than regular old incandescents and use about 75 percent less energy.
Use a power strip for electronics; turn it off when not in use. Even fully charged electronics can suck up to $100 of energy per year. Use a power strip to power your de vices so you can easily turn it off when they aren’t charging or in use. Try turning the strip off every time you leave home.
Visit www.savingsinthehouse.com for more information.
Posted by Monica DeVore – November 14, 2018
