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Get a home energy audit
every couple of years with your power company to find ways to cut costs. Check
with your utility company for rebates whenever you install energy-saving equipment.
Add more energy-efficient insulation
to your attic, with the appropriate
R-value, or resistance to heat flow, for your
climate and the type of heating in your house.
Turn
down your home thermostat two degrees and save 24 kilowatt hours a month. It might
not sound like much, but it adds up. Buy a programmable
thermostat, especially if your home is vacant most of the day. Set it to turn
on a half hour before anyone arrives home.Adjust your thermostat
to a comfortable temperature and wait. Turning your thermostat up or down dramatically
wastes energy and increases your heating costs. Lower your
hot water thermostat 10 degrees, but no lower than 120 degrees. You'll still get
all the hot water you need and save 25 kilowatt hours a month.Fix
leaky faucets -- one drip a second is 20 kilowatts a month.Invest
in weather-stripping kits if you've got drafty doors. Trade
your standard candescent bulbs for compact fluorescent bulbs. They are more energy-efficient,
last for years instead of months, consume little power and generate little heat.Turn
off your computer when not in use, or use the energy-saving "sleep"
mode. Seal energy leaks. Caulk over cracks and small holes
around windows and exterior walls. Look carefully around plumbing pipes, telephone
wires, dryer vents, sink and bathtub drains and under countertops.Participate
in your power company's special energy-saving program. Some programs shut down
electric appliances for short bursts of time during peak hours. You hardly notice
the difference -- except in your bill.Buy major appliances
that sport the "Energy Star" sticker. That shows the appliance meets
or exceeds standards set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental
Protection Agency.Consider a front-loading washing machine.
They use 50 percent less energy and one-third less water. Plus, they remove far
more water in the rinse cycle, and that translates into big savings in dryer time.
When building a home or replacing a roof, select a roof
based more on energy efficiency than on how it looks. Light-colored roofs, such
as white, galvanized metal or cement tile, do the best job of reflecting the sun,
and cool quickly at night.
Landscaping with the right mix of
trees and shrubs can lower your energy bills by
blocking winter winds or the summer sun.
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