With energy costs sky high and the movement to go green, millions of people worldwide are looking for ways to not only save some money on their energy bill but also protect the environment. You do not have to go insane with solar panels and wind turbines to make a huge impact in either of the areas mentioned. You simply need to focus on modernizing what you have and bringing many of the internal components up to date. This isn't very expensive to do, and the tips offered here will recoup any costs associated with them rather quickly, leaving you with a few dollars more in your pocket each month.
Sealing your home can mean many different things, so we will focus on the biggies here. Replace weather stripping around doors and windows to prevent drafts and air leaks. Most of us do not understand how much heat or air from the A/C we lose through these tiny cracks, and this alone will impact your energy bill greatly. You need to also walk around the house and look for gaps around window frames, cracks in the foundation and even holes near the eaves of the attic that critters and bugs slip in and out of. A simple can of spray insulation will do the trick for the holes, and some cement patch will work for the foundation cracks.
Old furnaces are an issue as they can cost a bit, but you need to realize a newer model can drop your bill up to a third. Do a quick calculation as to how much your bill increases when the unit is running, and you will realize that a newer system will pay for itself in about six months to a year, tops. This is one to consider if you are looking to reduce your electric bill and reduce some of your carbon footprint on the environment.
Upgrading your windows doesn't have to bankrupt you. If you have standard sized windows, you can check with a local discount remodeling store that sells overstock windows at a drastic discount. These are often windows that were ordered but never used due to a building project falling through, or they simply moved on to a different model. A great deal can be found in these types of stores, and I'm not referring to the major home improvement chains.
Electrical outlets are one of the biggest culprits for energy loss. A huge area is cut out of the wall with a small device installed leading to a large area for drafts and energy loss behind the walls. You can remedy this by insulating the areas behind the outlet. Again, this is one you will see a difference in the energy bill each month.
If you want to see an immediate reduction in your electric bill and you use lights constantly, switch to energy efficient CFL or LED lights. A home that constantly has lights on can see a reduction of 30 to 40 dollars per month using these energy efficient lights.
You now know how to go green, save some money and do so in a matter of a few hours. As mentioned, we all cannot afford to go full blown alternative energy, so the next step is to make the little changes that do matter and impact our lives financially and environmentally in a big way.