Looking for ways to reduce your home energy bills? Did you know that most utility companies offer their customers a free home energy audit? A home energy audit will pinpoint those areas that are inefficient and suggest the most effective measures for cutting your energy costs.
Did you know the average U.S. family spends close to $1,500 a year on home utility bills? So what can you do to help reduce those costs? eChristianFinance.com has put together these 10 ways to reduce your home energy bills:
1. Set your thermostat comfortably low in the winter and comfortably high in the summer. Install a programmable thermostat that is compatible with your heating system. Utility companies recommend 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer.
2. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs.
3. Let your dishes air dry instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
4. Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
5. Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips (make sure and turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use as TVs and DVDs in standby still use several watts of power).
6. Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees.
7. Take short showers instead of baths.
8. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
9. Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
10. Look for the energy star label on home appliances and products. Energy star products meet strict efficiency guidelines set forth by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
For more information about home energy audits, including free tools and calculators, visit www.energysavers.gov or www.natresnet.org/resources/consumer/default.htm.
Originally from here
Posted on Shalom Adventure by: Brenda Miller
