Save Money by Saving Energy

As energy costs increase, more and more homeowners are looking for ways to cut energy costs by increasing efficiency. A recent USA Weekend article looks at four areas where a small investment can mean long-term savings.

Higher gas bills, higher electric bills, higher water bills. Almost all of our household costs are increasing, especially in the area of energy. Saving energy has multiple beneficial effects, including saving money and the environment. USA Weekend explores several ideas you can apply in your own home to save energy.

Waste Not

Limiting waste is the most environmentally and fiscally friendly thing you can do. Hot water usage, for example, is a major source of waste. There are a number of ways you can conserve hot water, such as limiting long showers and upgrading your water heater. Conventional water heaters cause a huge amount of waste by heating and storing water that no one uses. About half of every $1 spent on heating water is wasted. An alternative to conventional water heaters is now available in the form of tankless water heaters, such as those offered by Bosch (boschhotwater.com). These systems heat water on demand, such as when you turn on the tap or the shower, so you’re not paying to heat and store 40 gallons of water every day, even when you’re out of town or at work. The downside is that these systems are expensive, starting at about $500, compared with conventional heaters that start at $200. But, in terms of the energy they conserve and their eligibility for federal tax credits of up to $300, the investment more than pays for itself.

More Efficient Heating and Cooling

In contrast with traditional heating and cooling methods, a new eco-friendly technology is available called a geothermal heat pump. These units use the Earth’s ground temperature, instead of outside air, to heat and cool the home. They are more expensive to install than a traditional HVAC unit, mainly because of additional digging and excavation, but they are environmentally friendly and can cut heating and cooling bills by up to 50%! Learn more by visiting two manufacturers’ Web sites, Trane.com and Carrier.com.

Better Lighting

Replacing all or even some of your conventional bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs can save you a bunch of cash on your electric bills. As an example, take an average three-bedroom townhome in the suburbs that may have a total of 65 bulbs. If all of those bulbs were conventional 60-watt incandescent light bulbs and were left on for one hour, they would burn more than 3.9 kilowatts of power. At approximately 8 cents per kilowatt, that totals around 32 cents an hour. If the household switched to compact fluorescent lights, also known as CFLs, the lighting costs would be cut to just 7 cents an hour! In addition to this savings, many CFLs have a lifetime warranty and also have to be replaced less often.

The Problem of Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are the source of the greatest energy loss. By replacing drafty single-pane windows with new energy-efficient ones, your energy costs could be cut by up to 15%! Replacing doors and windows is expensive, but if you spread out the project over several years, the cost can be more manageable.

Another neat way to save money is to install SageGlass, a glass that tints itself at the touch of a button to keep out intense rays in the summer. Simply let the sun shine in during the winter to aid in heating or tint the windows to block it out in the summer to aid in cooling.

Other Ideas

You can also add a “smart roof,” a roof made of solar roof shingles that harness the sun’s energy to power appliances, in addition to keeping out the elements. One manufacturer of this product is Open Energy Corporation (openenergycorp.com), which makes SolarSave roofing tiles, which can be installed in one section or over the entire roof. This is an expensive option, with a 400-square-foot installation (which would produce 4,000 watts of energy, enough to meet energy needs of a typical 2,000-square-foot home) costing approximately $30,000. Some states, however, offer a rebate based on the number of watts produced. There is also the potential that your home could produce enough energy from the sun that your electric meter would run backwards, earning energy credits from your utility provider.

<< Back to Home