Beat Your Utility Bills This Winter

It is only the beginning of Fall, and already the chill wind of early morning and late evening is here. Besides putting on a sweater or sweat shirt, you must put on shoes and socks now. No more sandals. Well, at least for me. My hands and feet get cold first. At times, the inside of your home is even colder than the outside. I was tempted to turn on the heat, but came to a halt when I remembered last year’s heat bill.

Here is a list of tips to save on your utility bills this winter.

10 Electricity Saving Tips

1. Unplug all electrical outlets in the room that you are not in use. Keeping them plugged in will only run up your bill.
2. Change all your lighting to high efficiency bulbs. It might not look good, but it will save you money in the long run.
3. Turn off all electricity before leaving the house for the day.
4. If you have a two-story home, adjust the downstairs thermostat before going to sleep. Do the opposite when you wake up.
5. Check your garage for power tools that are not in use. Unplug them.
6. Open up your blinds and shades to let in sun light instead of turning on your electric lights.
7. Purchase an automatic timer for your kitchen appliances. One timer usually has three outlets for connecting your toaster, coffee maker, and microwave. Set the timer to go off at night.
8. Unplug your hair dryer, curler, electric toothbrush, and shaver in the bathroom.
9. Use another timer for your entertainment system such as television, DVD player, audio, and game system. Set the timer for when you want to use it.
10. Use timer on your computer, printer, and modem/router. By doing this, electricity is only used by the timer, instead of three or four devices.

10 Heat Saving Tips

1. Change the filter in your furnace to keep it running efficiently.
2. Close your blinds, shades and draperies at night to keep the house warm.
3. Keep your thermostat at a reasonable and comfortable level. For each degree you dial down, you can save up to three percent in energy costs.
4. If you are not home for more than four hours, set your thermostat at 55 degrees.
5. Sealing all the cracks around windows, doors, and siding will eliminate drafts.
6. Insulating walls, ceilings, basements or crawl spaces can significantly reduce your heating costs, not to mention the federal tax credits that you can claim.
7. Set your water heater at 115 to 120 degrees. Your water heater accounts for 14% of your gas bill.
8. Install low-flow shower heads to reduce water usage.
9. Clean your dryer’s lint trap to improve air circulation, and if possible, dry back to back loads to take advantage of the warm air.
10. By washing your clothes in warm water instead of hot, you can reduce your energy use by half. If your laundry must be washed in hot water, try cold water for the rinse cycle. About 80% of energy used in washing clothes is for heating the water.

Beat your utility bills this winter, and conserve energy. Going green and saving money work hand in hand. What could be better than doing your part to preserve the earth, while pocketing some savings at the same time?