Save money while conserving energy

In today’s economy, it seems that homeowners across the country are doing everything they can to cut costs by conserving energy. Conserving energy in your home can be very beneficial for a variety of reasons. Some of those reasons include saving money by reducing the high costs of monthly utility bills; preserve the environment for a cleaner and greener tomorrow; reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve indoor air quality. There are many ways that people can safely conserve energy in their homes and beyond.

Here are some easy ways to reduce costs in your home while conserving energy:

Turning on

The old saying applies: “Turn off the lights when you leave the room.” When you leave a room for at least five minutes, turn off the lights. This small step will save you money and conserve energy at the same time. In the long run, you will greatly reduce costs and put money in your pockets.

Also, consider replacing the incandescent light bulbs in your home with new fluorescent light bulbs. These energy efficient bulbs can deliver the same light levels with significantly less energy.

Weatherize windows and doors

By simply weatherizing the windows and doors of your home, you can significantly save energy and reduce your monthly cooling and heating costs. This simple task can be accomplished by sealing your home’s windows and doors with a plastic film cover, weather stripping, and an inexpensive tube of caulk.

Sealing helps prevent cold drafts from entering your home through windows and doors, conserving energy used for cooling and heating.

Thermostat

During the cold winter months, it is best to set your thermostat between 68 and 70 degrees. At night, it is better to try to reduce the thermostat between 5 and 10 degrees. Experts have suggested that it is better to sleep in cooler conditions.

During the hot summer months, consider installing ceiling fans throughout your home to increase air circulation instead of leaving the air conditioner running constantly; day and night.

electronics

Always unplug electronic devices that are not in use. This is an easy way to conserve energy in your home.

Some examples include televisions, radios, stereos, and battery chargers. All of these electronics combined use the same amount of energy, on a daily basis, as a refrigerator.

Kitchen appliances

It’s just as important to unplug unused electronics in the kitchen as it is in the rest of the house, especially when preparing food. It can be very beneficial to use smaller kitchen appliances when preparing meals, such as toasters, toaster ovens, microwave ovens, stovetops, and slow cookers. These small kitchen appliances typically consume less energy compared to electric ovens.

Hot water

There’s nothing like a long hot shower after a hard day at work. Did you know that simply by reducing the use of hot water in your home, you can greatly save energy? Experts say that the average shower should only last five to ten minutes.

One of the easiest and simplest ways to save energy is to wash clothes in a washing machine with cold water. Also, consider doing larger batches of laundry instead of so many small loads. Also, clean the lint screen thoroughly after each use, which will help conserve energy.

Homeowners should also be aware of water heaters and their high residential energy consumption!

Natural gas

Natural gas is more energy efficient for homeowners than electricity, so when possible, use gas stoves, water heaters, dryers, and other appliances instead of electric.

recycle

Did you know that recycling in the long run will actually save you money? All you have to do is recycle old newspapers, magazines, cans, plastics, and transparent and colored glass. This will save you money, conserve energy, and give you a better and brighter future tomorrow.