Tips for saving on your Electric Bill and Lower your Home Energy Rating (HERS)
Looking for ways to reduce your energy usage? One of the tips below may be right for you.
Turn Down Your Thermostat. It’s one of the most effective ways to cut your energy usage. You can save as much as 3% for each degree that you turn your thermostat down during the winter. If you can be comfortable with, and if your health permits, a slightly cooler home, lower the thermostat by a couple of degrees and save even more. Don’t forget to turn down your thermostat when you are not home and at night when you go to bed.
Take Care of Your Furnace. Have your heating system inspected and serviced annually for more efficient operation. Also take time to insulate ductwork that runs through unheated areas like basements or crawl spaces.
Turn Down the Tank. You can reduce your energy consumption by turning your hot water tank down to 120 degrees. For every 10 degree reduction in temperature, you can save between 3% and 5% on your water heating costs. Insulating your hot water pipes and installing a water heater insulation blanket on your tank will also help reduce your energy consumption and save you money.
Think Before You Wash and Dry Clothes. Wash and dry only full loads of laundry and use the cold water setting on your washer. Be sure to clean the lint screen in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation for more efficient clothes drying and to prevent fire hazards.
Reduce Phantom Load. Make sure appliances like your computer and television are really off when you turn them off. Plug your computer and television into surge protection power strips, and turn off the power strip before you go to bed at night and save electricity and money.
Using propane appliances to save. Swap your electric appliances to propane. Here are the top energy savers.
Clothes Dryer
• Average cost to operate is roughly $40-$80/year.
• Propane saves about 20 percent annually compared with electric clothes dryers.
• Available capacities range from 18,000 Btu/h up to 30,000 Btu/h, which translates into faster drying times.
• Produces hot air with more moisture than electric dryers, which can help relax wrinkles. Moisture sensors prevent over-drying of the clothes, which saves additional energy.
• Over its lifespan, a propane clothes dryer saves over 2,000 pounds of CO2 emissions compared to an electric model.
Over the long term, energy efficiency improvements to your home can reduce your electricity usage and save you money.