Saving money is a good thing, no matter how you do it. When it comes to gas and utility bills, many people don’t think twice about what they’re paying and don’t realize that by checking the efficiency of their homes and slightly altering some household habits, they could easily save a good amount of money on these bills. Here are some great tips to save energy in your home, therefore saving you money.
Make sure your doors and windows are properly sealed
It’s important to make sure all the doors and windows in your home are properly sealed, otherwise you’ll just be throwing money away on your gas bill. If you notice a draft coming from the doors or windows in your home, cover any holes and make sure to add weather stripping. Doing this will ensure that the heat or air stay inside your house rather than drifting out through any open spaces, therefore decreasing your usage and the amount you spend for them.
Keep your thermostat at around 68 degrees
Between the 60 to 70-degree range in your home, every extra degree can add a good amount of money to your gas bill. In fact, between 3-5% more energy is used every time the heat is above 68 degrees and the air is below 78 degrees. Just think of how much money an extra degree or two can cost you. This will certainly make you think about whether you REALLY need your home to be just one degree cooler or hotter, depending on the season. It’s great when a change so small like this can make a difference.
Keep your furnace filters clean
If your furnace filters are dirty, you’ll be using more energy and therefore paying more money on your bills for this extra energy used. Keeping your filters clean and replacing them every once in a while, will not only save you money, it will also keep you healthier! Since your furnace filter gets clogged with dust and other particles, having a clean one will keep you breathing much easier.
Install a programmable thermostat
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that you can save 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Using a programmable thermostat, you can automatically change the temperature in your home when you’re at work or even when you’re sleeping, which will reduce energy usage, and in turn, save you money.
Take shorter showers
You can save a lot of hot water every month by shaving off a minute or two on your showers. Not only will cutting down on your shower time reduce your gas bill, it will also be better for your skin, as taking long showers dries out your skin.
Use cold water to wash your clothes
Most of the energy your washing machine uses goes just to the hot water. If you switch to cold water you’ll save a ton of energy and therefore, you’ll also save money on your bills! Also make sure to clean the filter in the dryer after every load. When your filter becomes clogged, the dryer won’t work as well and it will use more energy to actually dry your clothes.
Pack your dishwasher to the brim
So many people run their dishwasher every day, even if they only have half (or less!) of a load. Make sure you load it up to get the most out of each cycle. Additionally, if you let your dishes air dry instead of using the manual heat dry, well, that’s even more savings for you.