Simple ideas to help lower your energy bill this summer.
Skip pre-rinsing dishes. It’s good to scrape food off before putting dishes in the dishwasher, but there’s no need to rinse them. You’ll save up to 6,500 gallons of water per year.
Replace furnace air filters often. A dirty air filter can make your furnace work harder and use more energy. Replace the filter every two to three months.
Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs). CFLs can last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy. LED bulbs are mercury-free and may last three to five times as long as CFLs.
Clean air ducts. Keep your air ducts clean to improve air flow and reduce stress on your furnace and central air conditioner.
Upgrade your thermostat. A programmable thermostat can save you over $100 a year on your energy bill.
Install low-flow toilets and showerheads. Toilets consume up to 40% of a home’s average water use. Using low-flow toilets can save more than 9,000 gallons of water a year. A low-flow showerhead only uses 1.5 gallons per minute while most conventional showerheads use 5 gallons per minute.
Install ceiling fans. For summer use, ceiling fans can cool a room more efficiently than an air conditioner. For winter use, most ceiling fans have a reverse switch so that their blades force heated air down from the ceiling.
Plant deciduous shade trees near the house. Leafy trees on the west and southwest sides of a house can keep your home cooler in the summer.