Are you beginning to stress over the rising costs of your Energy bills? Natural Gas, Electricity, Oil and Water all seem to be heading ever skyward in their costs to you. It is no wonder that you’re beginning to take a much closer look at just how much you pay out each month for utilities.
Are there simple things you can do to save on your power costs? The answer is a resounding Yes! But first let’s look at which utility items cost you the most within your home. Below is a chart which tracks the average percentages an American Household pays for power for the different elements of your home.
Heating – 31{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Cooling – 12{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Water Heating – 12{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Lighting – 11{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Computer & Electronics – 9{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Appliances – 9{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Refrigerator – 8{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
Other – 8{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626}
The first thing you want to check is whether your energy company provides a free energy audit service. You’ll be surprised at just how much money can be saved when the deficient elements that are discovered within your home are repaired. Even if your power company doesn’t provide this service they may be able to recommend a respected Energy Auditor in your area who for a reasonable fee can reveal plenty of areas where you can save money.
When you have completed the Audit and the items identified in the report are corrected, on average you can expect to save anywhere from 5-30{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626} on your utility bills. An energy audit can produce some real utility solutions for you.
While you’re asking your Energy Company about the audit, also ask them if they are offering any free conservation kits that could help you save money on your power bills. If they say no, be sure and ask them whether they are going to be having any upcoming programs in the near future. It pays to ask.
Next on the list is the cost of cooling a home. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much money you can save by installing a few energy efficient ceiling fans in your home to care for your cooling needs instead of your Central Air Conditioning System. If you have Central A/C only use it on the hottest days of the year while making use of the ceiling fans for the rest of the time. Your savings will likely be substantial.
As noted on the above list, the third highest energy cost comes from heating your water. There is no question that one of the best ways to save on your hot water costs is by installing an inexpensive hot water blanket on your water tank. The cost of the blanket is only about $25 but the amount of electricity you save can cut your costs by 25 to 40{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626} according to the Iowa Energy Center. One word of caution is to be sure and check your owners manual that came with your hot water heater to make sure your model doesn’t have any restriction on placing a blanket over the tank. If you don’t have the manual, check the manufactures website online for details of your particular model. This is especially important for Natural Gas models. When choosing a Hot Water Blanket, make sure it has a value of R-11. The best way to tell how much money you might save with a blanket is by feeling the sides of your Hot Water Tank. If it feels warm, there is cost cutting savings to be had.
When talking about both Water costs and the energy costs to heat it, don’t overlook installing low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators. Yes, I know the old ones felt like you were trying to wash with a leaky hose, however the new models do quite a good job with distributing enough water that you feel like it’s doing a good job.
At some point all of us are faced with replacing worn out appliances such as a refrigerator, an oven, dishwasher, washer and dryer or other home appliances. Be sure to look at Energy Star’s website to find out about the often overlooked rebates your local power company will give you if you purchase an energy compliant appliance. Keep in mind that the savings is in addition to any state or federal credit or rebate programs they might be running. You could literally find yourself saving hundreds of dollars on the cost of your new appliance plus receive the benefit of the energy savings you get from the more energy efficient appliance.
You can save big on your lighting costs by switching to CFL’s otherwise known as Compact Fluorescent Lamps. Believe it or not, CFL’s use a whopping 75{7871f4c91f79cbddef59511eb5b9899c6f1d497baab0afdeab5a98ee6e504626} less energy than a standard incandescent bulb, while lasting up to 10 times longer than their counterparts according to Home Energy Saver.
We all love our electronics and oftentimes leave them running around the clock. If you can’t stand to turn them completely off when not in use, most electronics now have sleep modes which minimize the amount of power they are using while not in use. You still get the benefit of not having to wait for the electronics to warm up or bootup when utilizing sleep mode, but you also can save a good sum on your electricity costs.
A growing trend among homeowners to save Big on their power bills is to incorporate Green Energy such as Solar Panels or Wind Turbines. Years ago these system would cost homeowners tens of thousands of dollars to install. Did you know that today there are easy to follow courses which teach you how to build your own Solar or Wind system for less than $200?
When it comes to Utility Solutions none can give you more bang for the buck than incorporating Green Energy into your home. You might be surprised to learn that there are over 10,000 homes in the United States that are completely energy self sufficient. That’s right, not a single dollar is being paid out to Utility Companies. When you consider how much this type of system contributes to a healthier environment while saving you money, it’s worth taking a closer look.