Energy Savings
- If you still have any incandescent light bulbs in your home, consider replacing them with Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs), which show the ENERGY STAR certification. CFLs are the swirly looking bulbs that slightly resemble frozen yogurt cones. These bulbs are available in a variety of colors, shapes and sizes. The great thing about CFLs is that they have a low up-front cost and a lmuch longer life-span than incandescent bulbs.By switching all of your incandescent bulbs with CFLs, you can save a significant amount on your electricity bill. Lighting can account for as much as 20% of most homeowner’s electric bills. Utilizing Compact Fluorescent bulbs is a great way to find quick savings, because they use up to 75% less electricity than your standard light bulb.
In fact, if each home in the United States switched out one incandescent bulb with a compact fluorescent, we would save enough electricity in one year to provide light to more than 3 million homes. The result would be a reduction of green house gases the same as if 800,000 cars were taken off the road. Furthermore, CFLs result in only 1/5th of the mercury emissions as incandescent light bulbs.
For more information regarding saving energy with CFL bulbs, click here.
- Consider replacing light switches with dimmers so that you can dim your bulbs whenever you wish to use less light. Our technicians can install timers, dimmers, motion-detector switches and photo-sensitive switches for you. Call us to talk about all of your dimmer and other switch options that can help you save more on your next electric bill.
- Replace your thermostat with one that is programmable to help your home stay warm in the cold months and cool in the hot months. Your thermostat will raise and lower the temperature as needed so that you do not need to remember to do it.
- By replacing your old appliances, such as stoves, furnaces and air conditioners with ENERGY STAR certified appliances, you can save 25% off of your energy bills. These appliance have to comply with very strict guidelines for efficiency, which are determined by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.Although most ENERGY STAR appliances have a higher up front cost, you will typically make this back through the money that you save. Plus, you are benefitting the environment.
- Use air dry rather than heat dry when washing dishes.
- Turn off all electronics such as computers when you’re not using them.
- Plug all of your home electronics into power strips. When you are not using them, turn off the power strip. Even when TVs and other appliances are turned off, they still use a small amount of stand-by power.
- Lower the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Shorten your showers, and don’t take baths.
- Only wash clothes and dishes when you have a full load.
- Drive carefully. Driving aggressively, accelerating quickly and speeding all use more gasoline.
For more idea for saving energy, visit www.energysavers.gov.
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