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Powerful money saving ideas

 

• Keep your cool when it’s warm and stay warm when it’s cool.  With an electric heat pump in the Energy Right Program, your home is comfortable no matter what the weather is outside.  That’s because an electric heat pump does two jobs— it warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer.  And it saves you money all year long.

 

• Kick it up a degree. When you’re air conditioning, set your thermostat to 78. Anything lower will increase your cost by approximately five percent for every degree below 78. And if you’re going to be away from home, try setting your thermostat even higher. In the winter, set the temperature at 68. Your heating cost will increase three percent for each degree above 68 degrees.

 

•High tech thermostats. Programmable thermostats can save you money and energy any time of the year. For instance, in the winter you can program the thermostat to run cooler at night and warmer during the day. Interested? Talk to your heating and air conditioning contractor for a programmable thermostat designed just for heat pumps.

 

• Make sure the lights are off when the air conditioning is on. It’s always a good idea to turn off unused lights — you’ll save energy and money. But it’s especially smart when it’s hot outside. Lights, appliances and tools generate heat and make your air conditioner work harder — and that costs you money.

 

• Keep it indoors. Whether you’re heating or cooling, you don’t want your energy going out the door. Caulk and weather-strip around doors and window frames. Closely check any area where pipes go from the outside of your home to the inside, especially plumbing pipes. And if you have operable storm windows, make sure those are shut, too.

 

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Energy wrong

 

• Let the sun in. Those open curtains or drapes on the sunny side of the house can really heat things up in the summer. Shading the windows helps keep the sun out and your home cooler. In the winter, keep the curtains open to let the sun’s warmth in. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.

 

• Forget about those filters. But only if you want to increase heating or cooling costs. Dirty filters make your unit work harder. For maximum efficiency, clean or replace your air filters every month. A good way to remember is to change out the filter when you get your electric bill.

 

• Hide those unsightly vents. You may not like the way they look, but your vents and return grill need to be out in the open. Adequate air flow is important not only for your comfort, but also for the life and efficiency of the heating and cooling system.

• Ignore your SEER rating. All heat pumps or central air conditioning units have a SEER or EER rating. A higher rating means your system will work more efficiently and use less energy to heat or cool your home.  After a few years, the savings will help offset the added cost of higher efficiency equipment.

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Saving energy from the inside out

All around your home, no matter what room you’re in, you can find a way to save energy. There are even cost-cutting measures you can take outside in your yard. And it’s important to remember that even the smallest, most insignificant item could be costing you money. Here are a few more Energy Right tips that will help make your home as energy efficient as possible.

• Insulate your outlets. Believe it or not, those tiny holes in your electrical outlets let cold air into your home. You can remove the outlet covers and insert specially designed insulation pads underneath. Also, put insulating plugs in all outlets that aren’t in use.

• Plant a tree. Mature shade trees not only look beautiful, they can also cut your cooling bills. Check with a local nursery to find out which trees are best for your area and then plant them around your home, especially on the southern and western sides.

•Switch on the compact fluorescents. Make the switch from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescents. They use 75 percent less energy and last up to ten times longer. That adds up to more light for less money.

• Chill out. Let cooked foods cool to room temperature before putting them in the refrigerator. Hot foods—and their containers —will raise the temperature in the fridge, making it work much harder. But be careful not to leave food out too long, or it will spoil. Follow recipe instructions.

Energy wrong

• Wide open garage doors. Your garage doors could be the last line of defense between you and the great outdoors. During the winter months, keep your garage doors shut. In the summer, let heat escape by opening a window or installing a ventilation fan. Also, consider insulated doors for even more efficiency.

• Set the thermostat to 90 degrees. But only if you want a higher heating bill. Your home warms up at the same speed, regardless of the temperature setting. So you won’t reach your desired temperature any sooner by setting the thermostat to a higher setting than you are actually seeking.

• Clean out your freezer. Actually, your freezer works best when it’s full. And the fuller it is, the less cold air you lose when you open the door.

• Check your oven often. But only if you want your food to take longer to cook. When you repeatedly open and close your oven, the warm air escapes. This is especially bad during the summer as it puts unnecessary heat into the air, making cooling more difficult—and more.

Did you know?

✔ If every US household replaced four incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs, the US would save as much energy as removing seven million cars from the road.

✔ 90 percent of the electricity that runs an incandescent light bulb is lost to heat, only 10 percent goes to actual lighting.

✔ Leaks around closed windows and doors waste as much energy as one large open window.

✔ Energy-efficient windows can cut cooling and heating bills by one-third.

✔ Refrigerators use about seven percent of the nation’s total electric output. Up to half the energy used by a refrigerator goes to cool its motor. Keeping the motor and coils clean makes the refrigerator work more efficiently.

Source: In Concert with the Environment Program