Energy Saving Ideas For Your Home

With utility costs increasing across the country, families are feeling the pressure of having to spend more money to maintain the same quality of living. Many families will find it a challenge to cope with these rising expenses, but there are cost effective measures you can take to lower energy costs without having to spend a lot of money. Consider some of the following tips as good practices to keeping more money in your pocket while saving energy at home.

Energy Efficient Bulbs

Over the last five years or so, energy efficient bulbs have become more common place and affordable. They are most commonly referred to as CFL, or compact fluorescent bulb, and can typically create the same amount of light as a traditional incandescent bulb by only using a third of the power. They also have a longer life span compared to traditional bulbs and help reduce the number of bulbs that make it into our landfills.

Replacement Windows

If your home is older, chances are that your windows are not energy efficient. As time passes, the seals on the windows in your home weaken and may in fact leak.

When your windows leak, they are letting the heat, or cold, leak out of your home which in turn increases your heating bills or air conditioning bills. Some people cover their windows with plastic in winter to try and overcome the heat loss and others shade their windows in the summer. It is more cost effective, however, to replace the windows instead.

Thanks to technological advances, new windows retain heat better and can help to reduce your energy bills by up to 25% depending on the age of your current windows and the climate in which you live in.

Energy Efficient Furnaces or Air Conditioners

Another common source for excess spending on utilities is heating and cooling. With many homes using furnaces that are over ten years old or A/C units just as old, they are needlessly consuming energy that isn´t required. Though homes in warmer climates don´t receive as much of a benefit from energy efficient heating, most homes will save up to 30% on their energy costs. A replacement isn´t as expensive as you would think and will pay for itself in just a few years.

Energy can be saved around the home in a number of ways from adopting more energy friendly habits (such as turning off the lights in rooms you are not using) and by replacing inefficient devices in your home (such as light bulbs, windows and your furnace). By taking these small steps, you will soon be able to keep more money in your pocket while also taking care of the environment.