Lower Energy Bill

Looking for ways to save some money on your electricity bills?

The Energy Providers in Indiana have got together to provide local homeowners with tips and tricks to save energy. These tips are useful in all areas of the country and are available in 10 simple steps. If you are looking for more understanding about furnace filters etc. They have an excellent walk-you-through video on their mainpage: http://www.lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com/. The 10 tips I'm using can be found here: http://www.lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com/tips.aspx.

10 tips to lower your monthly energy bill from lowermymonthlyelectricbill.com:

1. Install (AND USE) a programmable thermostat - I say this and say this and say this...programmable thermostats are seriously 100% more useful than manual thermostats. They save you money, control the temperature and operate consistantly to keep your pipes from freezing or your home from boiling. What's not to love? The tip to lower your monthly energy bill is:

   turn your thermostat down 10 degrees while you are sleeping.

2. Wear socks and a sweater inside

   During the winter of course, and in the summer wear comfortable, light weight and colored materials. This will regulate your body temperature and allow for a less agressive tempearture required in the home.
3. They suggest putting a humidifier in frequently used rooms. Humidifying options are available on many of the newer ac and heating units. However, in California, where we don't have too much of a humidity problem - this shouldn't be too much of a concern unless there are respiratory issues.
4. They also suggest closing off rooms that aren't used. While this isn't going to save you any actual energy, it can help to ensure that the rest of the house is more comfortable. So if you can close off a room, it might be worth it.

5. Keep your garage door shut

   . Keeping the door shut blocks out blasts of hot or cool air. If you think about it, the garage door is large, and most garages are attached in some way to the house. If the garage becomes stifling hot - where do you think that air is going to move to? Scientifically through the process of heat transfer heat always moves from the warmer to the cooler. So if your home is cooler (through running of the ac) and your garage is warmer, the warmer air will try to get to the cooler air, effectivly ruining the nice inside temperature of the home. Keep the garage door - and for that matter, all other doors and windows CLOSED!
6. Consider adding insulation. In Indiana they require at least 12 inches. California is somewhat less, but there can never be too much insulation right?
7. Unplug appliances when they are not being used. Switching the "off" switch only turns off a certain amount of energy. Try squids or powerstrips! Once again, I say this and say this...
8. Common sense: Turn off the lights when not in a room.
9. Turn off the water when you are: brushing teeth, shaving...etc. etc. Especially in the winter, when you are utilizing the hot water heater to make the water a nice temperature. Avoiding heating water you may not be using will also bring your energy bill down.
10. This last one, I found a bit confusing? I use the iron all the time...but it's hot and capable of burning through things...I don't know why one would leave it on and unattended...but their #10 sugestion was to turn off the electric iron when taking a break from ironing. Go figure? But I guess every little bit helps.

Use these and other tips to lower your monthly energy bill. Also check out their video on furnace filters!

20% Vampire

Do you own a TV? a computer? a VCR...the list goes on and on. Electronics are beginning to replace the refrigerator as the leading energy-users in the residential home.

But what can you do about that energy use? First things first - MEASURE it! Source: http://www.fypower.org/news/?p=629&utm_medium=email&utm_source=eNewswire&utm_content=601417125&utm_campaign=e-Newswire+Issue+641+_+hjtkn&utm_term=Are+Energy+Vampires+Quietly+Boosting+Your+Bills%3f (please keep in mind that this is a newsletter entry and the address may change). The average home should be spending about 10-15% of their energy costs when appliances are in stand-by mode. If you have a high number of electronics this number may be considerably higher. There are measuring devices, so you can see how much your energy use is being affected by vampire appliances (appliances that use energy even while turned off.) How can you tell if an appliance is a vampire? This is really easy in the dark (This is really funny to me - vampires...coming out at night...) At night, or with the home dark check for those little red, green...or orange? etc. Lights. These little lights, like on your TV, or computer monitor show that there is POWER to the unit. If there is POWER to the unit and you aren't using the unit - that POWER is being WASTED.

Simple fixes? Turn off the units when they aren't being used.

Even easier? Use a power strip or a squid. -- Okay, but don't just buy the thing - you actually have to trip the little power switch on the power strip to make it actually useful. That way you can turn off your entire entertainment system when you aren't using it. That makes life so much easier...it's all on one button.

Why spend money on energy you're not even using?

Apartment Energy

So, you live in an apartment and want to save money on your energy bills, but can't talk the landlord into installing a new fridge?

Flex Your Power (www.flexyourpower.org), an energy non-profit based out of Southern California has a recent article that gives 22 low-cost things that you can do to save money in an apartment. Visit their suggestions here: http://www.fypower.org/news/?p=6186 Some of the simple things that they suggest for energy savings are replacing shower heads with low flow versions (and keeping the old shower head) so that you can reattach the old shower head (and take your low flow version onto your next residence). Sealing up cracks and draft-ways are useful in any home. But, being that this residence is less temporary, there are ropes and other temporary solutions that can be added around windows and doors and then removed later. The usual suggestions include setting your thermostat (higher in the summer and lower in the winter) and using blankets in the winter or fans in the summer as well as keeping curtains etc. drawn to keep out the heat of the day. There are many other useful suggestions, like displacing water in your toilet? and changing lightbulbs to CFLS. If you are currently living in an apartment, FYP has some great suggestions that will make a big difference in your energy bills. Also, if you are a homeowner stripped for cash, these temporary fixes might help you out along the way too - but remember these are easy, TEMPORARY fixes, eventually you will need to bunker down and upgrade to more efficient appliances etc.