You can still be comfortable while saving energy.
These strategies to save money on your energy costs are organized according to home system, with the greatest savers and those requiring a small or no investment at the top of each category.
Be a part of the solution! Add to this web site with your great money saving strategy here.
Climate Control
Install an automatic thermostat (~$30). This alone will reduce energy use by up to 25%, as maintaining a constant temperature is more efficient than frequent changes. Using the auto thermostat, set your heat at 68F/20C in living areas and 64F/18C in the bedroom when you are at home, and 60F/16C everywhere starting 30 minutes before you go to bed. Program it to come back on 30 minutes before you rise. This #1 in the strategies to save money should save 10%. You will lower your refrigerator electricity costs by 10% since it will have to work less in a cooler environment. Amazon.com Widgets
For A/C do the same, except set the levels 2F/1C warmer than you did last year. Be sure your home is going green with proper
air conditioner sizing.
When heating, buy a humidifier for your home. More humid air feels warmer, allowing you to lower the thermostat. It also keeps your skin and nasal passages healthier in dry winter air. Amazon.com Widgets
If you have radiators, place a heat reflector behind each one. To increase humidity, keep a pan of water on top. Ditto for a wood or coal stove. Plumbing
Set your hot water heater at 120F/49C or less. This prevents lime scale deposits in the tank and saves energy. Fit all faucets with an aerator (~$4). This reduces water flow from 5-15 gpm to 1-2.5 gpm. Amazon.com Widgets
Install low flow shower heads (~$15). Produces a finer spray and cuts flow by 2 gpm. Amazon.com Widgets
Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth, shaving, or scrubbing a pot. This is #2 in the top strategies to save money. The average person who does not do this uses 5 gallons to brush his teeth! Place a plastic bottle filled with sand/rocks into your toilet tank to reduce flush water use—not a brick, whose decaying particles can cause leaks. Repair leaky plumbing. A 1 drop/second leak = 2,700 gal./year. Wrap your hot water heater with an insulator jacket (~$30). Keep the insulator away from the hot water pipe and exhaust area if you have a gas heater. Amazon.com Widgets
Buy a dual flush toilet. A fixture senses the bowl volume and adjusts water used accordingly. This can cut toilet water use by 50%. DIY Basement Repair. With the advice of a highly experienced contractor, you can either do-it-yourself or have the knowledge to save on contracting costs for
basement waterproofing.
Replace your hot water tank with a tankless setup. These are either whole house (~$1000) or individual units at the point of use (~$200). Save 27-50% energy cost, and compare this to the ~$300-$800 cost to buy a new traditional tank version. These Rheem units are industry leaders and reliable.
Home Appliances
Clean fridge coils 3x/year. Lowers energy use by 30%. Rather than pre-rinsing dishes (5 minutes=~25 gallons), run a pre-wash/rinse-only cycle on the dishwasher, which uses only ~1 gallon of water. Only run your dishwasher when it is full, and wash as few items by hand as possible. Faucet flow is 5-15 gpm without aerator, while a dishwasher cycle uses only 6-10 gallons. Clean you’re A/C filter twice each season to improve efficiency. Defrost your freezer when there is >1/2” ice. Reduces energy use by 30%. Set fridge to 40F/4C and freezer to 5F/-15C. Temperatures above this increase energy consumption by 5%. Bypass the clothes washer’s pre-wash cycle. Saves 15% energy per wash. Defrost food at room temp or overnight in the fridge, not with a microwave. Turn electric range burners off early and allow the pan’s heat to finish the cooking. Unplug your clothes iron for the last garment, using the iron’s retained heat. Replace your clothes washer with a front load model, which use 40% less water and wash 30% more clothes per load. Saves 15 gal./wash and 6,390 gal./year. Our #3 in the strategies to save money.
Amazon.com Widgets Line dry your clothes instead of machine drying. Clothes dryers use 2-3 x the energy of your washing machine. Electronics
Use
compact fluorescent bulbs,
which use 66% less electricity and last 10x longer than incandescent bulbs. Our final #4 'must do' strategies to save money. Dust off light bulbs. You can increase light by 50%. Turn computers off at night, and set to sleep mode when not in use during day. Screen saver mode doesn’t save much electricity. Choose “draft” quality for all but important computer printing. It uses a fraction of the ink. Install motion sensor light switches in areas where lights are often left on (~$15). Replace halogen lamps with “natural light” compact fluorescent bulb lamps. A halogen bulb uses as much energy/year as two washing machines. This should be one of your top strategies to save money. Buy Energy Star rated appliances. They are 40-50% more efficient. Buy a dishwasher with a booster heater, then lower your hot water heater temperature. The initial extra cost of ~$30 will be recouped in one year. For RVs, these highly rated fans run quietly and efficiently off your auto battery, ensuring a comfortable cabin. Amazon.com Widgets Lawn & Garden
Make your own mulch. Compost your food scraps, newsprint and yard waste to enrich your garden and plants.Make or buy low cost organic fertilizers and pesticides.Start a small vegetable garden, even in a bucket.
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Return from Strategies to Save Money to Save Fuel
Energy & Money Saving Products
‡ Ride Share & Driving Tips apps
‡ Portable Tire Pumps
‡ Programmable Thermostats
‡ Faucet Aerators
‡ Low Flow Shower Heads
‡ Home Insulation Materials
‡ Hot Water Heater Insulation
‡ DIY Basement Waterproofing
‡ Tankless Water Heaters
‡ Humidifiers
‡ Energy Saving Clothes Washers
‡ Auto and RV Fans
‡ Home Energy Loss Monitors
‡ Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
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