Realty Times - Tips to Cut Energy Bills

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Tips to Cut Energy Bills

by Lew Sichelman

With the dog days of summer officially upon us -- and with utility costs rising at the same pace as our backyard thermometers, the Alliance to Save Energy offers these tips to remain cool during the sweltering heat wave and save a few bucks in the process:

Shift energy-intensive tasks, such as laundry and dishwashing, to off-peak hours -- nights, mornings, and weekends -- when the strain on the power grid from business, industry and homes operating air conditioning simultaneously is reduced. Operate washers and dryers with full loads to get the most for your energy dollars.

Cooling puts the greatest stress on the power grid and summer energy bills. Maintain your AC equipment with a professional "tune-up" to save you the cost and inconvenience of a breakdown during the hottest days. Clean or replace filters monthly.

Also consider increasing the temperature by just three degrees to decrease your energy bills -- or use a fan to circulate air so that you can increase the temperature comfortably. For optimum performance, make sure window units are sized properly.

Save water and energy simultaneously. Energy Star-certified clothes washers cut water and energy usage simultaneously, while getting clothes just as clean with less wear and tear. Also investigate Energy Star-certified dishwashers with soil sensors to shorten the washing cycle and clothes dryers with moisture sensors.

Since your refrigerator runs 24 hours a day and accounts for about 10 percent of the total home electricity bill, keep the coils clean to reduce your energy bills and extend the life of your appliance. The coils are located behind or under the fridge.

Look for the Energy Star label, which is the symbol for energy efficiency, when shopping for a new refrigerator. If all of the nation's households used the most efficient refrigerators, electricity savings would eliminate the need for some 20-30 power plants.

Forgetful? A programmable thermostat automatically coordinates indoor climates with your daily and weekend patterns, reducing cooling bills by up to 10 percent. And you don't have to "remember" to turn the air conditioning off when you won't be home.

For a room air conditioner, install a setback timer if it doesn't already have one so the machine does not run when you are not home. These things can reduce energy use and let you come home to a cool house.

Plug energy "leaks" with appropriate insulation, weather stripping, caulking and "low-e" or spectrally selective windows, glass doors and skylights. Make sure your attic and the rest of your house are well insulated. Some of these home energy-efficiency improvements can generate up to a $500 federal tax credit.

To cut your related energy bills by up to 30 percent, also look for the Energy Star label when shopping for room air conditioners, major appliances, lighting, home office equipment, windows, and electronics. (Find retailers near you at energystar.gov.)

Replacing four 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 23-watt fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) that use about two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer, saving $190 over the life of the bulbs. If all our nation's households did the same, we'd save as much energy as is consumed by some 38 million cars in one year.

You also can improve your home's security and still avoid wasting money and energy when you are out by putting timers on a few lights or installing motion detectors on exterior floodlights.

Turn off everything not in use. Lights, TVs, computers. Everything!

Published: August 23, 2006

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

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