| Reducing energy costs and becoming more | | | | in energy savings. |
| energy efficient make for a great team, but how | | | | 3. Change Your Power Source |
| do we go about achieving those goals? Great | | | | If the heating in your home is supplied using |
| question. | | | | electricity, you may not realize it, but you're using |
| Here are 5 steps to creating a more energy | | | | the most expensive energy source and, literally, |
| efficient home. If you follow these steps, you'll be | | | | burning up a lot more money than you need to. |
| well on your way to getting your energy usage | | | | By switching to heating generated from fuel oil or |
| under control and hopefully seeing some sizable | | | | natural gas, you'll improve your efficiency while |
| reductions in your energy bills. | | | | saving a lot of money. |
| 1. Turn Your Lights Off | | | | The same applies to any other appliances run off |
| Are you or the other members of your family in | | | | electricity, such as clothes dryers, space heaters, |
| the habit of leaving lights on in rooms that are | | | | etc. If you can, financially and logistically, change |
| empty? Do you like to leave lights on everywhere | | | | the energy source of these appliances also. |
| because it feels good? Well, it may feel good at | | | | Solar thermal is a great alternative for your hot |
| the time, but here's betting that good feeling | | | | water and home heating needs. It's clean, |
| disappears all too quickly when your monthly utility | | | | renewable energy that can be partially paid for by |
| bill comes in! | | | | government rebates and will pay for itself within 5 |
| Turning lights off when not needed is a basic first | | | | years or so, after which most of your hit water |
| step to reducing your energy usage and your | | | | and heat will be free. |
| energy bill, and one that should be taken | | | | 4. Insulate And Caulk |
| immediately. | | | | Ensuring that your home is well insulated and that |
| As well as turning things off, how about closing | | | | doors and windows have been caulked, your |
| things? Keeping your doors closed will help | | | | home will be able to retain more heat in cooler |
| maintain a room's temperature and avoid the | | | | weather and cool air in warmer times. |
| need for your heater or air conditioner to keep | | | | This will reduce the amount of work needed from |
| working when they shouldn't need to. | | | | both your heater and your air conditioner, and, |
| Other simple changes can include reducing fridge | | | | since running an air conditioner is one of the most |
| visits;using appliances in the evening when gas and | | | | energy intensive parts of a home's energy profile, |
| electricity are cheaper;only doing laundry when | | | | can result in hefty energy savings. |
| there's a full load;hanging clothes to dry, avoiding | | | | 5. Think Energy Star |
| the dryer;washing dishes by hand. | | | | If you need to replace one of your aging |
| 2. Swap Out Those Old Energy-Hogging Light | | | | appliances, you'll be handsomely rewarded by |
| Bulbs | | | | investing in an Energy Star appliance, not only |
| Standard incandescent light bulbs are passe, my | | | | through cheaper energy bills but through possible |
| dear, so please, get real and get rid of them! | | | | rebates from your local utility. And, if you're |
| Seriously, though, they were fine when they | | | | buying a new fridge, save yourself a pile of |
| were the only game in town, but with the | | | | money by not taking the automatic defrost |
| introduction of CFLs (compact fluorescent light | | | | feature, which increases the fridge's energy usage |
| bulbs), they are in the same boat as candles were | | | | by over 30%! Manual defrost works just as well |
| before electricity and light bulbs came along, i.e. | | | | and costs a lot less. |
| obsolete. | | | | Follow these 5 steps, and you'll be well on your |
| OK, CFLs aren't cheap, but when you one lasts | | | | way to creating the ultimate in energy efficient |
| about 10 times longer and uses just a quarter of | | | | homes. And why not keep going? Maybe these |
| the energy of an incandescent bulb, your money | | | | tips will work as catalysts to ideas of your own |
| goes so much further, and, over the long run, | | | | for increasing your energy efficiency. If so, this |
| you're getting more money back in your pocket | | | | article will have done its job and then some. |