How To Drastically Reduce Energy Costs

Change the Way You Heat & Cool

Nearly half the energy used in homes goes towards temperature control. With a few minor adjustments, you can make a noticeable dent in energy costs.

-Utilize ceiling fans instead of air conditioners.
-Turn the thermostat down when nobody is home. Keeping the temperature just a few degrees lower can save up to 10% on heating costs while still keeping your home a comfortable temperature.
-Take advantage of your wood or pellet stove, they are much more efficient sources of heat than a furnace.
-Replace the air filters in air conditioners and heaters.

Install an On-Demand Water Heater

On-demand water heaters provide hot water on an “as needed” basis, no holding tank required. Water is heated directly with a gas burner or electric element as the water travels through a pipe to the unit, thus forgoing the tank of hot water on standby.

Switch to LED’s

Traditional incandescent lights convert only a small amount of the energy they consume into actual light, while the rest becomes heat. Switching to light-emitting diodes (LEDs) will drastically reduce energy use. LED’s use 75% less energy and last more than 10 times longer than traditional bulbs. Another bonus is they don’t contain any harmful mercury.

Utilize Efficient Shower Heads & Toilets

There are many systems available today to help you save water without even realizing it.

-Low-flow shower heads are available in different flow rates, some even have a pause button which shuts off the water flow completely while the bather lathers up.
-Toilets consume 30% to 40% of the total water used in homes, making them the biggest water users. A low- flow toilet uses just 1.6 gallons of water per flush versus a traditional toilet at 3.5 gallons. To save even more, consider a dual flush model, it lets you choose between a 1-gallon or 1.6 gallon flushes.

Cook Smarter

Cut down on energy costs and time spent in the kitchen with a few simple changes. It’s a win, win.

-Consider an oven upgrade. Convection ovens use fans to force hot air to circulate more evenly, allowing food to be cooked at a lower temperature for less time. If that’s not an option, try to stick to the top rack of your conventional oven, it’s much hotter.
-Place pans on the matching size heating element or flame.
-Use lids on pots and pans to keep heat and steam from escaping into the air.