GO GREEN and Reduce Electric Costs

 7 Easy ways to reduce your electric bill

  If you are like most homeowners, you have watched your electric rates soar over the last few months and with more increases to your electric bill on the horizon, now is the right time to educate yourself on how you can keep more money in your pocket and help protect the enviroment. There are changes you can make today that are both easy and inexpensive which can reduce your next electric bill.

   It’s Time To See The Light

  Start changing your incandescent lightbulbs over to compact flourescents. CFLs use about 75 percent less energy and can last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. They can save you up to $35 over the lifetime of each bulb and if you total up the number of bulbs in your home that could amount to quite a bit of cash. CFLs cost a little more than incandescents so a good idea could be to replace your current lightbulbs with CFLs as they burn out. CFLs do contain small amounts of mercury, so be sure to dispose of them properly. Mercury contamination is definitely a concern so here a a few things you should know: CFLs contain about 4mg of mercury, compared to 40mg that are in flourescent tubes. Mercury is a natural element that is found in many rocks, one of which is coal. Coal-fired electricity plants are the biggest source of airborne mercury in the United States and once in the air, Mercury settles onto land and water,washes into our lakes and rivers polluting fish and vegetation that people and animals eat. It is to our benefit and generations to come if we reduce our consumtion of electricity. Learn more on  recycling CFLs.

   That Nasty Lint

  Whether you own an electric or gas clothes dryer, it will run more efficiently (costing you less) if you clean out the lint screen after each load and you should also clean out the exhaust duct about once a year. With warmer weather approaching in many areas, keep in mind you can dry your clothes outside on a line or clothes rack.

   Lower The Temperature And Your Bill

   Most water heaters are set too high! You will save money if you adjust yours down to the lowest temperature you can get away with. Electric water heaters have two thermostats, so set both to the same temperature starting with 120-130 degrees and working your way up untill you’re at a temperature of satisfaction. If you own a older water heater, buy an insulating blanket to help maintain the temperature in the tank. Newer models have are built with better insulating qualities and adding a blanket probably won’t help much. When buying a new water heater look for the Energy Star label.

   Set It And Forget It

   A programable thermostat will save you money by automatically adjusting the temperature in your home during both, the heating and cooling months. These are fairly inexpensive and can be found at your local Home Centers and come with a variety of options so talk to the store representative so you can be sure to buy the one that best suits your family’s needs. The thermostat can be programmed to automatically adjust the temperature at certain times of the day and some models have a separate setting for the weekend. This is perfect for families that are away from home during times of work and school. When replacing your old themostat, keep in mind there is a good chance it operates on a mercury-switch and contains enough mercury to poison a small lake so be sure to recycle them properly. Visit the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association(NEWMOA)  website for information on the use of mercury in thermostats and you can also check with your local village on proper ways to recycle your thermostat. While we are on the subject of heating and cooling, remember to check and replace your air filters regularly which will allow your system to run more efficiently.

    Keep Your Fridge Running Cool

  Cleaning your refrigerator coils at least twice a year will improve its efficiency by 30-50 percent and that can save you some cold hard cash! This is an easy maintenance procedure that can be don with a vacuum and a brush. The door seals on your fridge can wear down over time and you can test them by shutting a dollar bill in the door and if you can pull it out easily, it is time to have it replaced. If your refrigerator was made bfore the year 2001, it uses about 40 percent more electricity than a new model with the Energy Star label.

   Shut Off Your Computers

  Most computers use the equivalent of around thre 100 watt lightbulbs so shutting them off at night will save you plenty.Even when you turn off your computer,monitor and printer they are still consuming electricity so plug them into a power strip andcut off their power with a flick of a switch. You can also set your computer to go into a power-saving mode when it is inactive for a set period of time without losing any current data. When buying a new computer and monitor,as with other appliances, look for the Energy Star label. An Energy Star computer ucan use up to 70 percent less electricity than computer that isn’t.

    Eliminate Those Energy Sucking Vampires

   Did you know that 75 percent of the electrical use by home electronics occurs when they are turned off? According to the Depatment of Energy, “Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. These phantom loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.” One of the hungriest of energy vampires are those cable and satellite boxes with DVRs. Turning these off with a power strip would be inconvenient becaus they take a long time to reset and you cannot record your tv shows if they are shut down. You can however, unplug them if you are leave on vacation and do not have anything scheduled to record(every little bit helps).  You can see a list of common electrical products and their electical consunptionin in thes tandby mode which is provided by theLawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL).

   Here Is A Bonus

   As you can now see, it is easy for all of us to do our part in conserving energy and it can be done without spending too much money. Here is the bonus tip: “Use common sense” at home and you will be surprised at the impact it will have on your electric bill. That means we all have to be a little more aware of our daily habits and remember to shut off lights as we exit rooms, shut off televisions that aren’t being watched and turn off those computers that aren’t being used(your mom is watching). Yes it is that easy!

  Slawek Polinski

   Home Sense 

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Slawek Energy electricity, going green, Home Energy