Consumer guide to energy savings April 13, 2007

There are some very simple things you can do to save a few bucks on energy and water. There are also some more expensive things you can do. Here’s a list of the most helpful.

• Turn your hot water heater down to 120 degrees. It’ll save you energy, and also be safer for your kids to avoid scalding.
• Use the energy-saving settings on your current appliances – refrigerator, washer and dryer, dish washer… If you have new-ish appliances (purchased in the last 5 years) they probably have energy saving settings. If not, you can turn your refrigerator temperature down a bit (does your butter really need to be one degree above freezing?), use the cold water wash settings for all your laundry, and turn off the “heated dry” on your dishwasher.
• Replace your regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. Look for the Energy Star on the packaging though, because there are some bulbs out there masquerading as energy efficient when they’re no better than regular bulbs.
• Clean or replace your filters regularly – air conditioner, furnace, heat pump.
• If you’re still loving your 1980’s style waterbed, make it! Covering up that bed with cozy blankets will keep the water temp warm and save energy. I’m serious. Better yet though, welcome to this century, and go buy yourself a comfy pillow-top.
• Wrap your water heater in a thermal blanket. You can buy them at home improvement stores, and you’ll be surprised how much $ they shave off your bill. Capture that heat!
• Find any leaks in your windows and doorways.

Did you know that most utility providers will come out and do an energy audit? Call yours. A free audit can save you lots of money in the long run, and help you help the environment.