5 energy-saving tips that cost $10 or less
There are plenty of very expensive ways to save energy and reduce your utility bills, but if you’re on a budget or don’t want to spend unnecessary money on home improvements, Realgy Energy Services has a list of 5 energy-saving ideas that will cost $10 or less.
1. Turning off your lights when you’re not in the room will cost $0 but will save you money!
Lighting accounts for about 10 percent of a typical household’s electricity bill, so turning off your lights when you’re not in the room is a great way to save some money off lighting costs, whether or not you upgrade to CFL light bulbs.
To find out how much money you can save simply by turning off lights when you’re not using them, head over to energy.gov
2. Installing low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators for under $10 each can help reduce the amount of hot water you use in your home.
This improvement can be a significant source of energy savings since about 73 percent of the water used in a typical shower is hot water. Using low-flow shower heads and faucet aerators can reduce your home’s water heating costs by as much as 50 percent.
3. Replacing an old incandescent light bulb with a CFL will cost less than $10.
Incandescent light bulbs may be cheaper than compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) but they also waste a lot of energy, Ninety percent of the energy used by a traditional incandescent bulb is given off as heat. In addition, incandescent bulbs burn out much faster than CFLs which last at least 6 times longer and use about 75 percent less energy. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, upgrading 15 inefficient incandescent light bulbs to CFL or LED bulbs could save about $50 per year.
Still confused about the difference between watts and lumens? Check out this Realgy Energy Services blog post: Watt vs Lumens: How bright is that light?
4. Use a $10 power strip to slay energy vampires.
Just plug your devices into it and flip the strip’s power switch on when you want to use your devices and off when you don’t. Make sure not to use power strips with devices that have to run in standby mode to operate, like DVRs
Standby or vampire power as it is most commonly referred to, wastes $10 billion of electricity annually in the United States alone. The average US household has about 40 electronic devices that constantly draw small amounts of power.
5. Depending on how much you need, most homeowners can weather strip their windows and doors for under $10.
More than 20 percent of all the heated and cooled air that escapes your home sneaks out through gaps around windows and doors. When installing weather stripping, it is a good idea to measure the perimeters of the doors and windows needing weather stripping, total them up, and add about 10 percent to that number to make sure you have enough weather stripping.
Learn how to select and apply weather stripping at energy.gov
If you are still looking for ways to reduce your energy bills, enroll with a registered energy supplier like Realgy Energy Services. Check out Realgy Energy Services rates and see how much you could be saving www.realgyenergyservices.com
Sources:
ENERGY STAR, “Light Bulbs”
Energy.Gov, “Lighting Choices to Save You Money”
Energy.Gov, “Reduce Hot Water Use for Energy Savings”
ENERGY STAR, “Standby Power and Energy Vampires”
Energy.Gov, “Weather Stripping”
Energy.Gov, “When to Turn Off Your Lights”
Inefficient Commercial Lighting Fixes
Lighting accounts for roughly 40 percent of energy consumption in many commercial buildings. Switching to energy-efficient lights can reduce lighting costs by as much as 75% each year. That is money back in YOUR pocket.
Fluorescent tube lights are more energy efficient that the popular A-type standard incandescent lamps, and will reduce energy consumption up to 40%. Fluorescent lights create less direct glare than incandescent lights have a cooler and quieter operation. Just as important, modern fluorescent bulbs do not flicker during start-up, making them perfect for commercial buildings.
T8 and T5 fluorescent tube lights
When purchasing fluorescent lights, look for T8 high-efficiency one inch lamps, which have a low life-cycle cost and illumination that more closely resembles natural light. The T8 lights are smaller in diameter than the older T12 lights, which enable the gases and rare earth phosphors inside to function more efficiently.
LED lighting uses 75% less energy and will last 35 to 50 times longer than incandescent lights and 2 to 5 times longer than fluorescent lighting. They produce very little heat and will not break like traditional bulbs. LED lights that are Energy Star qualified even come with a minimum three year warranty, though in many instances they can last a decade or more. In terms of return on your investment, LED bulbs can represent huge savings despite their high up-front costs.
Don’t let the high prices of efficient bulbs scare you away though. You can reduce your upfront costs by switching out your old lights with one of these new types of energy efficient lighting as the old bulbs burn out. Eventually, you’ll have replaced every single bulb, and the savings will really start piling up.
Sources:
Consortium for Energy Efficiency, Commercial Lighting
Department of Energy, Energy Savers, Fluorescent Tube and Circline Lamps
Energy Star, Lighting, What Choose Energy Star Qualified LED Lighting?