|
You don't need to be living in California to be hit hard by increasing energy costs.
Whether you're in a hot climate or a cold one -- or something in between -- you're probably paying a lot more for gas and electricity.
There are plenty of ways to cut your energy costs, and many of them involve small changes that don't require the outlay of a whole lot of cash, either.
In fact, there are some things you can do that don't cost a cent.
"Turn down your home thermostat two degrees," says Mark Fryburg of Portland General Electric in Portland, Ore. "That will save 24 kilowatt hours a month. It might not sound like much, but it adds up. Lower your hot water thermostat 10 degrees but no lower than 120 degrees. You'll still get all the hot water you need but you'll save 25 kilowatt hours a month. That's assuming you're heating with electricity. If you heat with gas, the savings could be more because in many parts of the country gas costs have risen even more. Another thing you can do is fix leaky faucets -- one drip a second is 20 kilowatts a month."
Get an energy check-up
Michael Lowndes of Uniondale, N.Y.-based Long Island Power Authority says the first thing homeowners should do is have a home energy audit.
"Not just once -- repeat it every couple of years. It gives good baselines to work with."
Audits, whether they're done in person by someone from the utility company or by questionnaire, are usually free and cover everything from heating and cooling systems to appliances to insulation. When the audit is done, you'll know which areas of your house are the most energy inefficient. In other words -- where you're letting money fly out the window.
If you'd like to use the Internet to get an idea of the five biggest energy-saving improvement your home needs, try the U.S. Department of Energy Web site. It's an interactive feature that starts by showing how much money an energy efficient home in your area saves over a home that isn't energy efficient. Then it asks for specifics about your house and family in order to make recommendations.
Which energy-saving improvements can give you the biggest and fastest return on your investment can vary widely depending on a number of factors such as where you live, but the folks at Portland General Electric have come up with a list that can save everyone money.
Spokesman Mark Fryburg says if you decide to implement any of the suggestions, don't pinch pennies. It's important to buy the best "high performance" equipment.
"Don't get the cheapest shower head or porch light and don't hire the cheapest contractor to install insulation unless you're assured of the quality of the product or the service purchased. For example, there are low-flow shower heads that deliver less water use, but don't deliver a quality showering experience."
Here are some more energy/money saving tips:
Let there be inexpensive light
One of the easiest energy-saving improvements involves light bulbs. Get rid of those incandescent bulbs and replace them with compact florescent light bulbs -- or CFLs.
Michael Lowndes says the average household pays 15 percent of the energy bill on lighting alone.
"That can add up to hundreds of dollars a year wasted on inefficient lighting. The solution is CFLs. They use 75 percent less energy than a standard incandescent bulb of the equivalent wattage. If someone tells you CFLs flicker or they're slow to start up, that was 10 years ago. This is a new generation of CFLs -- they have indoor, outdoor, three-way and dimmer switches."
Lowndes says one 60-watt equivalent CFL typically will last as long as 13 incandescent bulbs. You'll pay more -- the average cost of a 60-watt CFL is about $8 -- but you'll get it back in energy savings. Plus, CFLs don't throw off the heat that incandescent bulbs emit -- and that can help keep air-conditioning bills down.
Be sure to check with your utility company for rebates whenever you install energy-saving equipment. Long Island Power Authority, for instance, gives its customers $6 for every CFL they buy, up to 10 per household.
Look to the 'Star' stickers
If it's time for a new washer, dryer or kitchen appliance, look for the "Energy Star" sticker. That shows the appliance meets or exceeds standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. If you're in the market for a washing machine, Lowndes says take a look at front loaders.
"Front-loading machines rotate on the horizontal axis. They use tumble wash technology, which uses 50 percent less energy -- that's one-third less water. They get clothes 25 percent cleaner than a traditional top-load washer and they're gentler on the clothes. In addition, during the spin cycle, they remove far more water, and that translates into a savings in dryer time."
Lowndes says a front-load machine saves more water in one year than an individual drinks in a lifetime. The typical family, he says, will save $100 per year in utilities, water and detergent bills.
Find your inner SEER
If you're having central air conditioning installed, the representative should be able to determine the most energy-efficient unit. The bigger problem, according to Lowndes, is room air conditioners.
"The key is proper sizing. It's a major factor in overall efficiency of the system. Many people make a mistake in choosing a window unit; they think a larger unit will run less. That's not true -- it will work harder. Know the dimensions of the room, the direction it faces. Does it have a southern exposure? Does the room have a lot of windows? If you go to a store and the salespeople can't relate to this information, choose another store."
Your new central air-conditioning unit or room air conditioner will have a SEER number -- seasonal energy efficiency ratio. It should be 13 or better, says Lowndes.
Roofing right
The proper roofing material and insulation throughout the home are essential to cutting energy costs. Building codes throughout the country dictate the minimum amount of insulation, but a homeowner building a house or replacing a roof may select a roof based on how it looks rather than energy efficiency.
Perhaps nowhere in the country is the type of roof more important than in the South, where the goal is usually to reflect heat away from the home. A recent study by Florida Power & Light proves what Southerners have known for generations -- light-colored roofs do the best job of reflecting the sun.
The study also showed that the best type of roofing material for Sunbelt homes is white, galvanized metal. It actually came in a very close second to cement tile roofing in its ability to reflect the sun's heat, but it won overall because of its "superior ability to cool quickly at night." FPL says a white, galvanized-metal roof should save a customer who lives in a 1,770 square-foot home about $128, or 23 percent annually in cooling costs, compared to a dark-gray shingle roof on the same home.
Made in the shade
Landscaping should do more than just look good. The right mix of trees and shrubs can lower your energy bills by blocking winter winds or the summer sun.
Elaine Donaldson, a Portland General Electric employee, put landscaping to work in her yard.
"If there's a wind from the northeast, put in evergreen shrubs or trees that get pretty big. I have shrubs on the north side -- a whole row of them across the back. On the southeast corner of my home I planted a European Mountain Ash tree. It won't get too big and it blocks the sun from hitting the window. I also have a lot of perennials and native plants so I don't have to do a lot of watering in the summer. The city has to pump the water from somewhere -- that's electricity costs. And it could lower the cost of your water, too."
When buying a tree, Donaldson says, make sure you know how big it will be when full grown. Don't put evergreens under power lines, as evergreens tend to get very tall. Your local nursery should be able to help you with energy-saving landscaping tips.
Whether the energy-saving changes you're prepared to make are big-ticket items such as a roof, central air or an appliance, or inexpensive such as changing light bulbs or getting a room air conditioner, be sure to check with your utility company for rebates. You might be surprised to see how rewarding energy efficiency can be.
|