10 Clever Ways You Can Cut Your Utility Bills and Save Energy at Home
Saving energy will give you recurring savings every month, help improve the environment and it may even give you tax breaks.
It's a win-win for everyone.
In this post, I'll share some of my favorite tips for saving energy at home -- all are easy and inexpensive fixes.
Cut phantom loads
Phantom loads and energy vampires may sound like something out of a horror movie. In a way it is ... at least for your power bill. The term refers to the energy consumption of a device or appliance when it's not in use or turned on.
“I was wasting around $60 per year just on two [guitar amplifiers] when they weren’t even powered on,” said Clay Crownover of Knoxville, Tennessee, “I think from now on I’m going to start unplugging stuff. “It’s free and it saves us money in the long run.” energy.gov
Most appliances in your home will continue to draw a small amount of stand-by power, even when they're switched off. This includes televisions, kitchen appliances and computers.
It's simple to avoid though: unplug it or use the switch on the power strip to cut the power.
Check how energy efficient your appliances are
All of your electronic devices and appliances will have labeling saying how much power they draw. Use that, along with this nice little tool and you can see how much a certain device is costing you.
That tool will also show you some other interesting stats, i.e. how much power can you save by not having your TV on in the background, or how much can you save by not running the AC when you're away?
If you're shopping around for new appliances, spend some time to find energy efficient models. Look for the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label. Devices with this label will have between 10 and 50 percent less energy consumption than other models.
Change to modern light bulbs
The savings here can be huge! A compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save you about 30$ in it's lifetime, and pay it's cost back by the first 6 months.
A common misconception is that these CFL bulbs will increase mercury release, but that's not the case! You can read more about CFL bulbs and mercury here.
Get a programmable thermostat
Like we briefly mentioned above, you can save a lot of money by thinking about how much your run your different electronic devices. A thermostat works by adjusting your home temperature to a programmed schedule.
Do you need to cool or heat up your home when you're not even there?
This can easily save you between 10 and 20 percent of your heating/cooling costs, and it's a relatively easy DIY.
Ditch the AC
Instead of using AC, which consumes a lot of energy, use ceiling and whole-house fans to cool your home. This can reduce and even eliminate your need for air-conditioning.
Identify and seal air leaks
Look for cracks and gaps where air is entering or exiting your home. According to Energy Star, this, along with proper insulation, can save you 10% of your annual energy bill.
Start with windows and doors. You can also hire an energy auditor to help you find problem areas.
Check your windows
Even though the seal around your windows might be fine, the glass itself can leak a lot of heat. Storm windows will cut your heating bill, due to better insulation (using a dead air space between the windows).
These are expensive, typically $10 000 and up, but will pay for themselves after about 10 years.
Improve insulation
Most of your energy costs will go to heating or cooling -- 50% according to Energy Star. Improving the insulation in your home's attic, walls, floors and ceilings will slow down the air flow between the inside and outside of your home.
Conserve water
When using less water, you will cur your water bill. IF you use less hot water, you will also save on your power or gas bill. Heating water is one one of the most energy consuming things in your home.
One way to save money here is to lower the temperature on your water heater.
Plant trees
Planting trees will provide shade and reduce the exposure to the sun. According to SMUD, properlyplaces trees around your home can cut your summer electricity bill by as much as 40%.