Lower Your Energy Bills for Good!

 



This is one of our peaceful pockets ideas, which are easy earth-friendly ways to save money. In our last post, we covered how to do a DIY energy audit. From your audit, you probably found a few places where you are losing money on your energy costs.

In this post, we cover how to fix those energy wasters you found in your energy audit. Time to start saving money! We also talk about how to get a free or cheap professional energy audit, when you can afford it.

How to fix any air leaks around doors, windows, and other crannies

Air leaks can account for 10 to 25 percent of your heating costs. Here is how to seal them up and start saving:

1. On the outside of your house, clean out old beat-up caulk between where the window meets the siding, and apply a new line of waterproof caulk. On the inside of the window, add new weather-stripping. This should seal up the leaks well. Double check after the caulk has dried to make sure you sealed it completely.


2. If your door leaks air, install a sweep seal. This metal strip with a piece of vinyl attached helps close the space between the door frame and the door. You can also apply the same weather-stripping as your windows and fit them under the door or on the door frame itself to prevent air transfer.

How to fix external wall light switches and electrical sockets that leak air

1. Use your notes to let you know which external wall light switches and electrical sockets leak air.


2. Buy as many pre-cut insulating foam gaskets as you need, for a few pennies each.


3. Go to each leaky outlet and switch that you noted and remove the cover. Make sure you don't lose the screws! Insert the gasket on the inside of the cover and replace the cover. This can cut your heating and cooling costs by up to two percent.

How to save money on the appliances and electronics that are costing you the most

1. Use your notes from the Kill-A-Watt testing to find out which appliances and electronics will make the most difference on your power bill.


2. Unplug appliances and electronics when they aren't in use. Most fridges stay in constant use, or at least mine does.  :D Save 10 to 25 percent on your electric bill by taking on phantom power.

How to stop an energy leaking fridge

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS4Cs-lF4ME[/embed]

1. If your fridge gasket was sticky, try cleaning it well with soap and warm water. Repeat the paper test above.


2. If your fridge is leaking cold air out with no gunk on the seal, check for the make and model and order a new gasket.


3. Remove the damaged gasket and install the replacement yourself, using either the manufacturer's instructions or the YouTube video above.


4. Take the time to clean the exposed coils underneath or on the back of the appliance. Combining these ideas can increase a  fridge's cooling abilities by 25 percent.

How to stop an energy leaking oven

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9FxENXfIYo[/embed]

1. If your oven's seal was sticky, try cleaning it well with soap and warm water. Repeat the paper test from check your fridge seal above.


2. If your oven's seal lets a piece of paper be pulled out with no gunk on the seal, check for the make and model and order a new gasket.


3. Remove the damaged gasket and install the replacement yourself, using either the manufacturer's instructions or the YouTube video above. A properly sealed oven will increase the oven's efficiency by up to 50%.

How to insulate a water heater tank

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQYYlZUXYGw[/embed]

1. Wrap the water heater tank in an water heater insulating blanket.


2. Next, fit foam sleeves or insulating tape around pipes.


3. Turn the water heater down to 140°F/ 60°C to save energy by heating water less, while still killing bacteria properly.


4. Consider adding a timer to your hot water tank so that it turns off when everyone is at work/school and sleeping. Or, less expensively, just turn it off. If you use a timer, you can set it to turn on about an hour before you would need hot water.  Otherwise, it takes a little while to heat up in the morning, that’s less expensive than running it needlessly for eight hours. A tank that’s turned off means lower utility bills.


5. You may be able to get a rebate from your utility company, so check to see what they offer in terms of rebates.   You can save as much as 9 percent on annual water heating costs.

How to save money on lighting a room

 

1. Using your notes from the light meter, check each room's measurement and compare with the room's purpose.


2. If the lux level reading for the room is higher than is needed for how the room is used, this can be remedied by simply removing some light bulbs or lamps.


3. If the lux level is too low, you may need to add a lamp to reach the desired lighting level.


4. When you replace light bulbs, choose LEDs to save even more, as they last up to 6 years and use only a 7th of the energy, though they do cost more upfront. Use this calculator to see how much you can save by switching to LEDs, but average annual cost is about a tenth of traditional light bulbs.  Removing unnecessary lighting can save up to 50% on lighting energy costs.

Keep your lights off in the daytime.

1. For best use of daylight, paint your ceilings a very bright white to reflect the most light, avoiding glossy finishes to reduce glare.


2. Put mirrors in areas that get little natural light, including entryways, hallways, and basements. If you need to buy mirrors, get them at thrift stores for the best deal.


3. If you have Venetian blinds, tilt them upward, to direct incoming sunlight toward the ceiling, turning it into ambient light. 


4. In a Northern Winter, leave your Southern windows open all day, use Eastern windows in the morning and Western windows in the afternoon. This also helps with heating. (For those south of the equator, leave your Northern windows open.) 


5. In the Summer, do the opposite of Winter lighting to get the best lighting with the best cooling. Day-lighting savings are hard to calculate, but seem to average out to 25-50% on lighting costs, unless you build with day-lighting in mind.

Change Your Furnace Filter

Changing your furnace filter monthly can save 5-15% on your heating bill. If you buy a reusable/washable filter, then you save on the cost of the filters as well. One reusable filter is about the same cost as two disposable ones, so the savings add up quickly when you no longer have to buy filters.

How to get a free or cheap energy audit

 

• Many utilities offer free or cheap energy audits. By implementing the problems found in a home energy audit, you can save 5-30% on your utility bills, which may quickly pay for the cost of the audit, if a free audit isn't available.


• The first step is to contact your utilities to see if they offer energy audits. When you contact them, ask how much it will cost, what the audit will be like, and how long the audit takes. If you feel good about the price and details of the audit, go ahead and schedule one.


• If your utility companies don't offer an energy audit, try using the USA energy star raters locator. This link also shows you the energy-saving incentives offered in your state.

Ultimately, fixing energy leaks are easy to do with small fixes. This can include getting a free or cheap professional energy audit. All of the fixes help  to save money on your energy bills.

How has fixing these energy leaks saved you money on your energy bills? Be sure to share this post so more people can find eco-friendly ways to save money!

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