Slash Power BillsFirst, government assistance. Check out these two sites. State incentives: www.dsireusa.org . Federal incentives: www.energytaxincentives.org Also… Here’s some other more conventional ways of saving on your monthly bills:
56 Easy Ways To Slash High Electricity Bills 1. Turn off lights in any room not being used. 2. Shut off dishwasher for dry cycle. Let your dishes "air dry". 3. Use a window fan instead of air conditioner whenever possible. 4. Turn off your TV, radio, record player when not in use. 5. Use large bulb instead of several small ones where bright light is needed. 6. Use lamp shades with white liner. This reflects more light. 7. Replace incandescent with fluorescent bulbs wherever possible. 8. Teach all family members to turn off lights when leaving a room. 9. Don't use dishwasher or laundry equipment until you have a full load. 10. Use outdoor lights only where they are needed. 11. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer door seals are airtight. 12. Save electricity by using old-fashioned clothesline for clothes drying. 13. Keep air conditioning condenser shaded from sun or on the north side of the house. 14. Vacuum or dust off coils of refrigerator and freezer regularly. 15. Turn off air conditioning when no one is home. 16. "Instant-on" TV sets use energy even when set is not turned on. 17. A full freezer uses less energy. Use bags of ice cubes to keep filled. 18. Never overload clothes dryer and always clean lint filter after use. 19. Freezers and refrigerators that defrost automatically use more energy. 20. Let hot foods cool before placing them in the refrigerator. 21. Remove clothes that require ironing from the dryer while they are damp. 22. When replacing switches, consider installing solid state dimmer switches. 23. Use low wattage night-light bulbs that now come in 4 and 7-watt sizes. 24. Place your refrigerator in the coolest part of the kitchen. 25. Don't "over dry" clothing. It wastes energy and may damage synthetics. 26. When going away for extended periods, set refrigerator at lowest setting. 27. Turn off electric water heater when going away for vacations or weekends. 28. Turn 3-way lamps down to lowest level for TV watching. 29. Choose light, reflective colors for room ceilings and walls. 30. Never connect any large appliance to an extension cord. 31. Decide exactly what you want before you open the refrigerator door. 32. Defrost refrigerator regularly - when about 1/4 inch of ice has formed. 33. "Long-life" light bulbs use more energy than standard life bulbs. 34. Turn off your iron when not using it. 35. Put light switches where they are easy to turn on and off. 36. Keep appliances clean and in good working order. They'll use less energy. 37. When using air conditioning, set thermostat at 78 degrees or higher. 38. Keep bulbs and lighting fixtures clean. Dust lowers light levels. 39. Eliminate unnecessary outdoor decorative lighting. 40. Plant shrubs and trees so that they will shade house during summer months. 41. Use higher wattage bulbs only for reading and close work. 42. Insulating your attic will save on operating air conditioning (also heating). 43. If you have a second refrigerator, ask yourself if you really need it. 44. Keep the outside exhaust of your clothes dryer clean. 45. Buy appliances on the basis of cost plus operating costs, not price alone. 46. Buy clothing made of fabrics that require little or no ironing. 47. Use hand tools in your workshop instead of power tools. 48. When using air conditioning, keep windows closed & close off unused rooms. 49. Use reflector floodlights in directional lamps instead of standard bulbs. 50. Buy only "no iron" sheets and pillow cases to save on ironing energy. 51. Use adapters to convert table lamps into low-energy fluorescent lamps. 52. Microwave ovens reduce cooking time by 15% to 20% and save energy. 53. When shopping for new appliances, ask about energy-efficient models. 54. Don't use several light bulbs where one will do the job. 55. Limit the use of appliances that use over 1,000 watts. 56. Check all energy bills closely. Errors can be costly. Another perspective: 55 Rules For Cutting Home Heating Bills 1. Heat your home with energy that is cheapest in your area. 2. Consider heating your home with solar heat. It costs the least. 3. Insulate your water heater. This will pay for itself quickly. 4. Open draperies and shades in winter to let in sunshine. 5. Keep thermostat at 68 degrees; 55 degrees at night. Install an automatic timer. 6. Heat only those rooms that are in use. 7. Cut heat loss in half by weather-stripping doors and windows. 8. Check for cracks around fireplace. Keep heat in by caulking all cracks. 9. Insulate your attic and all outside walls. 10. Be sure your thermostat is not located in a normally cold or hot place. 11. In winter, set thermostat low. In spring and fall, turn off heat. 12. Wear warm (closely knit fabrics) clothing indoors during cold weather. 13. When away from home, turn off heat and hot water heater. 14. Keep windows closed during cold weather. 15. Inspect your furnace. Keep parts clean. Replace air filters when necessary. 16. Wrap heating ducts with duct tape where exposed to cold air. 17. Don't peek into the oven. You lose 20% - 50% of the heat each time you do. 18. Have your furnace serviced by an experienced professional once a year. 19. Avoid use of kitchen, bathroom fans in winter. They waste household heat. 20. Keep fireplace damper closed when not in use. 21. Make sure that furnace cold air register is not obstructed. 22. Check efficiency ratings before purchasing portable heaters of any kind. 23. Cooking utensils with flat bottoms and tight fitting covers save heat. 24. Be sure pots and pans are right size for range burners and elements. 25. Plan some meals so that the entire meal can be prepared in the oven at the same time. 26. Thaw frozen meats to almost room temperature before cooking. 27. Never use range or oven to heat the kitchen. This could prove dangerous. 28. Turn off oven about 5 minutes before cooking time is over. 29. Use storm or thermal windows in cold areas. 30. During winter months, arrange furniture away from outside walls. 31. Remove awnings from sun-exposed windows during winter months. 32. Insulate floors over unheated spaces such as crawl spaces and garage. 33. Close off attic, garage, basement, spare bedrooms, storage areas, etc. 34. An electric blanket is much less expensive than heating your bedroom. 35. Cover pots and pans when heating liquids. 36. Install storm doors before cold weather arrives. 37. Seal gaps around pipes, wires, vents. Caulk baseboards. 38. Turn off heat when the fireplace is being used. 39. A glass front or glass screen will reduce fireplace heat loss. 40. Dust or vacuum radiator surfaces frequently. 41. Don't forget to weather-strip your attic door to prevent heat from escaping. 42. Insulate your mattress and bed frame with wrapping paper or plastic sheets. 43. Repair holes in roof, walls, doors and windows where heat may escape. 44. Check to see that glass in all windows have full putty. 45. If wood is inexpensive in your area, install a wood burning stove. 46. Turn off your furnace pilot light when heat is not necessary. 47. Teach youngsters to keep doors closed and other ways of conserving heat. 48. Talk to your utility company for other suggestions for saving heat. HOW TO SAVE ON HOT WATER...... 49. Keep hot water thermostat set at 110-120 degrees. (Most are set at 140 degrees). 50. Repair faucets. A dripping faucet can waste 15 gallons of hot water a day. 51. Install an automatic timer so water is heated only during hours needed. 52. Wash clothing in cold water with cold water detergent. 53. Install an aerator on your kitchen sink faucet to save on hot water. 54. Save hot water by installing a low-flow showerhead. 55. "Suds savers" on washers allow you to reuse hot water for several loads. |