There is something awfully menacing about that electric bill that finds its way to our home each month. You warily scan the information and wonder whether it’s your excessive curling iron use that’s tipped off this month’s expenses, your son’s or daughter’s game console, or perhaps your husband’s electric dartboard, which has been put to all too much use as of late.
Unfortunately, more habitual contributors are the likely culprits of your costly electric bills, but that means the solutions are easier to discover and actualize.
An average homeowner’s heating or cooling system takes up just under 50 percent of the utility bill. Lighting and appliances are your second biggest consumers, claiming about 33 percent. This does not include the cost of your refrigerator, which usually commands about 9 percent. Finally your water heater is your final major energy hoarder, contributing between 14 and 20 percent to your cost.
Most of us have taken in the innumerable ways to cut such expenses – turn out the lights before leaving a room, collect a full load before you do laundry – but we should question whether these tips are saving us cash, or just saving our conscience. Read on for some solid advice to improve the energy efficiency of your home.
Heating and cooling
Programmable thermostats allow you to set multiple daily settings. Adjust temperatures for when you are in and out of the home and when you’re asleep.
Ceiling fans can cool a room without your having to lower the thermostat. It amounts to feeling about 4 degrees (Fahrenheit) cooler thanks to the moving air, and uses less energy than air conditioning.
In warmer months, cool your home at 78° or warmer. Raise your thermostat to 82° or warmer when you're not home.
In cooler months, heat your home at 68° or cooler. Lower your thermostat to 65° or cooler at bedtime or when you're away.
Clean or replace the AC filter every month to help your system run more efficiently and cost less.
Lighting
In case you hadn’t heard so already (a thousand and one times over) compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent ones, and last as much as 10 times longer.
The fridge
If yours is more than 15 years old, you’re especially likely to suffer a high cost of use. Update your appliance! And while you’re at it, purchase one that’s energy efficient to provide you even more savings.
Having more than one refrigerator or freezer usually costs you more than you save by buying frozen foods in bulk. Keep your appliances to a minimum.
Water heater
Insulate your hot water tank by purchasing an inexpensive hot water jacket. If your tank doesn’t already have a high R-value (a measure of thermal resistance) of at least R-24, a jacket can save you between 4 and 9 percent in heating costs. A helpful tip: A heater that’s warm to the touch needs extra insulation.
Other appliances
Use the auto function on your dryer to avoid over-drying and wasting energy.
Limit your pool-pump usage. No more than 6 hours per day in the summer, and no more than 4 in the winter.
Always use a cold rinse when washing clothes.
Turn off your appliances when not in use. An unmonitored ceiling fan can cost you up to $7 a month depending on its size and age.
A great fix: Use a smart power strip that turns off electronics after it senses they’ve been idle for some time.
If you’re curious about how your home is using energy, follow these calculations.
Multiply the wattage of an appliance by the approximate number of hours you operate it per month.
Divide this by 1,000.
The answer is the kWh (kilowatt-hour) use of the appliance. Each kWh is 1,000 watts of electricity used for one hour.
Multiply that answer by your kWh cost, which can be found on your electric bill and you’ll get a good idea of how much that appliance costs you to use each month.
Another great tool to help you personalize your potential savings: http://energyguide.com/
References:
Jennifer Mulrean, . "Slash your electric bill 6 easy ways." MSN money. 2009. MSN, Web. 18 Sep 2009.
<http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Savinganddebt/Finddealsonline/P42610.asp>.
"Top 10 Tips to Save Energy." Florida Power and Light. 2009. FPL, Web. 18 Sep 2009.
<http://www.fpl.com/residential/savings/energy_advisor/top_10_tips/top_10_tips.shtml>.
"How Much Does it Cost to Operate My Appliances?" Glendale Water and Power. 2009. GWP, Web. 18 Sep 2009.
<http://www.glendalewaterandpower.com/rates/power_usage_matrix.aspx>.
"Insulate Your Water Heater Tank for Energy Savings." Energy Savers. 24 Mar 2009. U.S. Department of Energy, Web. 19 Sep 2009.
<http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=13070.>
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