How to Save Money on Utility Bills & Make your Home more Efficient?

Do you ever feel like your money is flying out the window on utility bills? Here are a few simple tips to help:

Make the Switch to LED

LEDs are a great example of how innovation and technology can make your life easier. They give off less heat, last at least 25 times longer and consume up to 90 percent less electricity than incandescent bulbs.

Tip: By switching five of your home’s most frequently used bulbs with ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs, it’s possible to save $75 on energy costs annually.

Seal Those Leaks

On average, heating and cooling account for almost half of a home’s energy consumption. In fact, all the little leaks can be equivalent to leaving open a 3-foot-by-3-foot window.

Tip: Take simple steps like caulking windows, sealing leaks around chimneys and recessed lighting, and sliding draft guards under your doors to save up to 20% on heating costs.

Heat and Cool Efficiently

Don’t waste money heating or cooling an empty home. Install a programmable thermostat and in colder weather schedule your home’s heat to lower when you are away or asleep and increase when you are returning home or waking-up. In warm weather, schedule the thermostat to raise the temperature when you are away or asleep, and lower it at other times.

Maintain Your HVAC System

Make sure to clean or change your furnace filters regularly. A dirty filter will slow down air flow, making the system work harder to keep you warm (or cool) and costing you more money

Save on Utility Bills by Fixing Leaks

A leaky toilet can add thousands of gallons to a monthly water bill resulting in hundreds of dollars wasted…

The average household's leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted every year and ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more per day. Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills. Here are some tips for finding leaks:

• Take a look at your water usage during a colder month. If a family of four exceeds 12,000 gallons per month, there are serious leaks.
• Check your water meter when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
• Identify toilet leaks by placing a drop of food coloring in the toilet tank. If any color shows up in the bowl after 10 mins, you have a leak. (Be sure to flush immediately after the experiment to avoid staining the tank.)
• Examine faucet gaskets and pipe fittings for any water on the outside of the pipe to check for surface leaks.

Bottom Line

By making a few key upgrades to your home, you’ll save on your utility bills and improve the energy efficiency of your home. When you’re ready to sell your house, these key features will make it even more attractive to potential buyers. Contact me to learn what buyers are looking for when it comes to energy efficiency options in your area.