If you have been paying attention to your power bill the last few years, you have likely seen how much your power bill has increased. So, you are like many others and on the hunt for anything that you can do to cut down on your power consumption. Once a philosophy only held dear by environmentalists, green energy tactics are now a good way to just keep more of your money at the end of the month. Keep reading for some ideas you can use.
Invest the money to have an accredited service technician both examine and clean your air conditioning and furnace on an annual basis. This maintenance will keep them both working optimally and at peak efficiency, making the money spent a worthwhile investment in a smaller power bill.
Any hot tanks in your home can work better and for less power when insulated to prevent heat from escaping. Cover your electric hot water tank, but not the thermostat. You can do something similar with natural gas and heating oil tanks, just taking care not to cover tops, bottoms and burner compartments.
Stop using your clothes dryer. Hang clothes out to dry. Clothes dryers add unnecessary heat to your home which just fights your air conditioning. Your power bill is too high to have appliances doing battle.
Never turn your thermometer down in an attempt to speed up the cooling of your home. The air conditioner will cool down at the same rate it would have anyway. Just put the thermometer where you eventually want it and have some patience. Later on, you will know you saved money by not making the unit run harder for excessive cooling.
Keep your heating and cooling equipment, plus large appliances like washers, dryers, fridges and freezers maintained properly. Routine maintenance of your machines adds up over time in terms of savings. You will be four times less likely to have something breakdown. Your energy bill could be a third smaller, and any repairs that do wind up needing done can be cheaper too.
When your lamps that use incandescent bulbs need new bulbs, go for compact fluroescent lamp bulbs. They can still screw into your old lamps and give just as much light. Yet, they will last six times as long or more, and only use a quarter of the electricity. Do not worry about price, if you remember what they used to cost. Many stores now have them for less than a dollar a bulb.
Reclaim rain that falls on your property. Installing a catch and contain system can range from a barrel under your primary gutter to an elaborate pipe system that traps run off from your whole property. Use it to water your yard or garden, and maybe even wash your car!
Just about everyone knows that when they go green at home, they do themselves a favor, as well as the planet. It is only in recent years though that this has really taken off. Be a part of the evolution of energy at home and make the switch with the ideas presented in this article.