photo credit: midnightcomm
Not only are energy bills breaking a lot of budgets, but we’re also choking the planet with carbon, so whether you’re looking to save energy to help pad your checkbook or so the world can breathe more freely, the following tips will help.
Cut Back on Heating
Purchase a programmable thermostat so you can drop the temperature during the day when you’re away and bring it back up to a comfortable temperature by the time you get home. You can also try to learn to live a few degrees cooler and bundle up more.
Seal up your Home
Look for cracks and any openings where the climate controlled indoor air can leak out or outside air can invade your home. Seal up these cracks to prevent drafts and energy loss.
Switch to Fluorescents
Traditional incandescent bulbs use three to four times more energy than compact fluorescent bulbs. They do cost more initially, but last quite a bit longer so in the long run you’ll be saving money on the purchase.
Use Natural Light
As often as possible, take advantage of natural light for illumination and heating. It’s free!
Check the Insulation
Typically, older homes suffer from poor insulation more frequently than newer ones, but it doesn’t hurt to check the insulation in every home as a properly insulated home saves energy costs in many ways.
Leave Nothing in your Wake
Break any bad habits of leaving lights, televisions, radios, etc on when you leave a room, or leave the house entirely. Learn to turn everything off before you exit the room and save energy where you aren’t using it.
The above energy saving tips are easy and common ways to cut down on energy consumption and costs. If you’ve already taken these steps or are looking for a more dramatic savings, get creative and come up with your own ways to limit the amount of energy you’re regularly consuming.
