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If you’re like most homeowners, the sight of your utilities bill, and the rising cost of fuel have you looking for ways to save money, and cut back on wasting that precious energy. We’ve come up with a list of things you can do for both. Some of these items can greatly improve the value of your home too! Take a look and see what you can do to reduce those costs. First, you should get an energy audit to find out where you can make improvements. One of the best things you can do before you start, is to find out where your home is costing you on wasted electricity, and heating & cooling. Before you start spending money to make improvements on your homes energy efficiency, you should find out where it actually needs it. The rest of the list is arranged by cost. We’ve grouped them in cost brackets, starting with free. That’s right, there are things you can start doing right now, that won’t cost you any-thing! 1. Turn down the water heater - turn it to warm, about 120°F. Any higher than that and you’re really wasting your money. 120°F is warm and comfortable, and it’s easier for you water heater to keep this temperature. 2. Adjust the thermostat - try changing it from 1-5 degrees from where you usually keep it. This can reduce 7-10% on energy costs. 3. Wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machines. 4. Use cold or warm water on the “wash” cycle, when doing laundry, and use the cold water rinse. 5. Turn off appliances completely when not in use. Make sure items are off, not just in “sleep” or “standby” mode, which still uses electricity. If you’d like an easier solution, see #10. 6. Vacuum dirt & dust from refrigerator coils and fan. When this part of your refrigerator gets dirty, it works harder to get air, therefore using more electricity. Be sure to unplug the refrigerator, or flip off the circuit breaker, first. Disconnect water lines, if it is equipped with an ice maker. 7. Close curtains and blinds to keep cold drafts out in winter, and keep heat out in summer. 8. Turn off the lights when not in use. If you have kids, make a game of going through the house turning off the lights where they aren’t needed. Give them smiley face points for turning them off, and frowns for leaving them on. Hopefully the list above will inspire you to do some small projects that may cost you from as little as $2 to under $100. 9. Get a “smart” power strip for appliances. A “smart” power strip will turn off items such as a dvd player or game console, when the TV is off. This is more convenient than turning off your appliances every time you’re done using them. $20 10. Change air filters - swapping out dirty, clogged, air filters on your furnace and air conditioning unit is not only good for reducing your energy use, but also gives you better air to breath. Air filters in your home should be changed, or washed if you have washable filters, once a month. ~$10 - $20 11. Seal doors & windows with caulk, or weather stripping. First, check for leaks. Light test - at night, shine a light around areas that should be sealed tight (doors, window frames, attic hatch), someone on the other side looks to see if there is light shining through. If so, that is a leak. Paper test - close doors and windows on a piece of paper. If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, that’s a leak. Smoke test - turn off gas appliances and fireplace. Light an incense, put the incense by closed windows and doors, if the smoke waivers from an air draft, or gets sucked out through a spot, you have a leak. ~$30 12. Make the switch from incandescent to LED or CFL lights - LED and CFL light bulbs last longer and use less energy. Change at least 5 frequently used lights now, and buy LED or CFL bulbs to replace others as they burn out. ~$10 13. Insulate hot water lines with foam, or rubber, insulation. $15 14. Use low flow shower fixtures. $20 15. Insulate water heater with an insulated water heater blanket. $30 16. Replace outdoor lights with LEDs. By the way, there’s a bonus, they don’t attract insects! $40+ 17. Use solar powered path lights. $30+ Next we have a group of items that are mainly focused on helping your home stay cool in the summer, and warm in the winter reducing the need to use your furnace and A/C as much. These projects will cost a little more, $100 - $500. 18. Install honeycombed shades instead of flat blinds, they trap hot or cold air. $30/each 19. Plant shade trees (deciduous) on the side of your house that gets the most sun during hottest days of the year (usually the west and southwest sides). $100+ 20. Solar shades or solar film on the windows that get the most sun in summer. $50-$160 each. 21. Clean air ducts, so that hot or cold air can get to you easier when you turn on the furnace or A/C. $300 - $500 22. Install ceiling fans. In the summer they should turn counter-clockwise to move hot air away, in the winter turn them clockwise to push warm air back down into your room. $200 - $500 23. Install a programmable thermostat. $160 - $250 Now we can start looking at the home improvements you can make that will really save money on utilities, and add value to your home. Let’s call these “small” investments. $500 - $1000 24. Repair siding on your home. The outside of your home is the first defense against energy loss. Fix holes & cracks. Seal any gaps from vents openings. 25. Add storm windows to your single pane windows, in winter. Single pane windows let in drafty cold air. Adding a storm window will reduce the loss of warm air. ~$170 - $230 each. 26. Replace old appliances with Energy Star appliances. Look for rebates, and incentives from your local government to buy new, energy efficient appliances. 27. Install an attic fan. In the summer, your attic traps hot air in, making the rest of your home hot. An attic fan will help move the hot air out. $800 - $1000 Last in our groups, are the longer term investments. These projects may cost more, but they are definite improvements to the value of your home, and will continue to pay off over the years. $1000+ 28. Replace hollow doors with solid doors, especially exterior doors. Hollow doors don’t insulate very well, therefore you are losing heated air, or cooled air. Interior doors $100+ Exterior $300+ 29. Seal air ducts with duct sealant. Air ducts get gaps as they age, seal them up so you get the most from your heating/cooling system. $1000+ 30. Insulate your attic. The attic can waste a lot of your heating & cooling. Insulate it to stop the waste. DIY around $100, or hire a contractor $1000+ 31. Basement and crawl space insulating. These are more areas that waste your heating & cooling. $1000+ 32. Insulate the walls. Just like the attic, and basement, your walls need to be insulated in order to make the most of your heating & cooling energy. $500/ 200sq. ft. 33. Upgrade your windows. Instead of adding storm windows, invest in higher quality, energy efficient windows. Double-paned windows will provide insulation against outdoor temps and they can even reduce noises from outside. 34. Install radiant heating under hardwood, or tile, floors. By heating your floors, you can reduce the amount of heat you need from your furnace. Imagine waking up on a crisp winter morning, and stepping onto a nice warm floor. Your feet will thank you. *Contact us for more information* approximately $1500 - $2000 / 200sq. ft. 35. Install solar panels. Create your own energy with solar panels! You could possibly eliminate your electricity bill, and maybe even make some money. Some utility companies will pay you for the extra electricity you create but don’t use. Look for tax incentives that may apply. $20,000+ 36. Go geothermal! Geothermal energy uses temperatures below the ground to heat and cool your home. You’ll eliminate home fuel costs altogether, and will reduce your A/C needs. Rebate programs and tax incentives may apply, look for both through federal and state programs. $50000+ Have more questions about home energy improvement? Leave a comment below or contact us at 216-663-6462.If you’re like most homeowners, the sight of your utilities bill, and the rising cost of fuel have you looking for ways to save money, and cut back on wasting that precious energy.  We’ve come up with a list of things you can do for both.  Some of these items can greatly improve the value of your home too!  Take a look and see what you can do to reduce those costs.

First, you should get an energy audit to find out where you can make improvements.  One of the best things you can do before you start, is to find out where your home is costing you on wasted electricity, and heating and cooling.  Before you start spending money to make improvements on your homes energy efficiency, you should find out where it actually needs it.

Our list is arranged by cost.  We’ve grouped them in cost brackets, starting with free.  That’s right, there are things you can start doing right now, that won’t cost you anything!

 

Easy ways to save money on your energy bills

 

  1. Turn down the water heater – turn it to warm, about 120°F.  Any higher than that and you’re really wasting your money.  120°F is warm and comfortable, and it’s easier for you water heater to keep this temperature.
  2. Adjust the thermostat – try changing it from 1-5 degrees from where you usually keep it.  This can reduce 7-10% on energy costs.
  3. Wash full loads in the dishwasher and washing machines.
  4. Use cold or warm water on the “wash” cycle, when doing laundry, and use  the cold water rinse.
  5. Turn off appliances completely when not in use.  Make sure items are off, not just in “sleep” or “standby” mode, which still uses electricity.  If you’d like an easier solution, see #1 in the next section.
  6. Vacuum dirt and dust from refrigerator coils and fan.  When this part of your refrigerator gets dirty, it works harder to get air, therefore using more electricity.  Be sure to unplug the refrigerator, or flip off the circuit breaker, first.  Disconnect water lines, if it is equipped with an ice maker.
  7. Close curtains and blinds to keep cold drafts out in winter, and keep heat out in summer.
  8. Turn off the lights when not in use.  If you have kids, make a game of going through the house turning off the lights where they aren’t needed.  Give them smiley face points for turning them off, and frowns for leaving them on.

Hopefully the list above will inspire you to do some small projects that may cost you from as little as $2 to under $100.

 

More ways to save money

 

  1. Get a “smart” power strip for appliances.  A “smart” power strip will turn off items such as a dvd player or game console, when the TV is off.  This is more convenient than turning off your appliances every time you’re done using them. $20
  2. Change air filters – swapping out dirty, clogged, air filters on your furnace and air conditioning unit is not only good for reducing your energy use, but also gives you better air to breath.  Air filters in your home should be changed, or washed if you have washable filters, once a month. ~$10 – $20
  3. Seal doors & windows with caulk, or weather stripping. First, check for leaks.  Light test – at night, shine a light around areas that should be sealed tight (doors, window frames, attic hatch), someone on the other side looks to see if there is light shining through.  If so, that is a leak.  Paper test – close doors and windows on a piece of paper.  If you can pull the paper out without tearing it, that’s a leak.  Smoke test – turn off gas appliances and fireplace.  Light an incense, put the incense by closed windows and doors, if the smoke waivers from an air draft, or gets sucked out through a spot, you have a leak. ~$30
  4. Make the switch from incandescent to LED or CFL lights – LED and CFL light bulbs last longer and use less energy.  Change at least 5 frequently used lights now, and buy LED or CFL bulbs to replace others as they burn out. ~$10
  5. Insulate hot water lines with foam, or rubber, insulation. $15
  6. Use low flow shower fixtures. $20
  7. Insulate water heater with an insulated water heater blanket. $30
  8. Replace outdoor lights with LEDs. By the way, there’s a bonus, they don’t attract insects! $40+
  9. Use solar powered path lights. $30+

 

Next we have a group of items that are mainly focused on helping your home stay cool in the summer, and warm in the winter reducing the need to use your furnace and A/C as much.  These projects will cost a little more, $100 – $500.

 

Furnace and A/C advice that can cut down on your energy bills

 

  1. Install honeycombed shades instead of flat blinds,  they trap hot or cold air. $30/each
  2. Plant shade trees (deciduous) on the side of your house that gets the most sun during hottest days of the year (usually the west and southwest sides). $100+
  3. Solar shades or solar film on the windows that get the most sun in summer. $50-$160 each.
  4. Clean air ducts, so that hot or cold air can get to you easier when you turn on the furnace or A/C. $300 – $500
  5. Install ceiling fans.  In the summer they should turn counter-clockwise to move hot air away, in the winter turn them clockwise to push warm air back down into your room. $200 – $500
  6. Install a programmable thermostat. $160 – $250

 

Now we can start looking at the home improvements you can make that will really save money on utilities, and add value to your home.  Let’s call these “small” investments.  $500 – $1000

 

  1. Repair siding on your home.  The outside of your home is the first defense against energy loss.  Fix holes and cracks.  Seal any gaps from vents openings.
  2. Add storm windows to your single pane windows, in winter.  Single pane windows let in drafty cold air.  Adding a storm window will reduce the loss of warm air.  ~$170 – $230 each.
  3. Replace old appliances with Energy Star appliances.  Look for rebates, and incentives from your local government to buy new, energy efficient appliances.
  4. Install an attic fan.  In the summer, your attic traps hot air in, making the rest of your home hot.  An attic fan will help move the hot air out.  $800 – $1000

 

Last in our groups, are the longer term investments.  These projects may cost more, but they are definite improvements to the value of your home, and will continue to pay off over the years.

$1000+

  1. Replace hollow doors with solid doors, especially exterior doors.  Hollow doors don’t insulate very well, therefore you are losing heated air, or cooled air.  Interior doors $100+ Exterior $300+
  2. Seal air ducts with duct sealant.  Air ducts get gaps as they age, seal them up so you get the most from your heating and cooling system.  $1000+
  3. Insulate your attic.  The attic can waste a lot of your heating & cooling.  Insulate it to stop the waste.  DIY around $100, or hire a contractor $1000+
  4. Basement and crawl space insulating.  These are more areas that waste your heating & cooling.  $1000+
  5. Insulate the walls.  Just like the attic, and basement, your walls need to be insulated in order to make the most of your heating & cooling energy.  $500/ 200sq. ft.
  6. Upgrade your windows.  Instead of adding storm windows, invest in higher quality, energy efficient windows.  Double-paned windows will provide insulation against outdoor temps and they can even reduce noises from outside.
  7. Install radiant heating under hardwood, or tile, floors.  By heating your floors, you can reduce the amount of heat you need from your furnace.  Imagine waking up on a crisp winter morning, and stepping onto a nice warm floor.  Your feet will thank you.  *Contact us for more information*  approximately $1500 – $2000 / 200sq. ft.
  8. Install solar panels.  Create your own energy with solar panels!  You could possibly eliminate your electricity bill, and maybe even make some money.  Some utility companies will pay you for the extra electricity you create but don’t use.  Look for tax incentives that may apply.  $20,000+
  9. Go geothermal!  Geothermal energy uses temperatures below the ground to heat and cool your home.  You’ll eliminate home fuel costs altogether, and will reduce your A/C needs.  Rebate programs and tax incentives may apply, look for both through federal and state programs.  $50000+

Have more questions about home energy improvement?  Leave a comment below or contact us at 216-663-6462.