20 tips to save money on energy
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JANESVILLE — When you see your energy bill, you might cringe.
The cost of heating and cooling is expensive.
And you would like to save a little cash.
It's easy to become more energy efficient without spending tons of dough.
Alliant Energy provides several ways to save money on your bill:
1. Shade trees can reduce cooling costs. You can plant trees if you don't have any in your yard.
2. Turn off the lights when you're not home or not using them.
3. Use fans to circulate air instead of your air conditioner.
4. Get a room air conditioner.
5. Change your furnace filter regularly.
6. Set back your home's thermostat by 10 degrees for eight hours every day. It will reduce your energy consumption by 10 percent.
7. Don't try and heat your home quickly by setting the thermostat higher than you want. It doesn't work.
8. Open your shades during the day for solar heat. Close them to keep solar heat out.
9. Avoid using space heaters. They use a lot of electricity.
10. Avoid using your electric oven. Microwaves, toasters and other appliances use less energy.
11. Throw out your second refrigerator or freezer. They can add $100 to your energy bill every year.
12. Use cold water when washing clothes. And always wash a full load to avoid extra cycles.
13. Clean your dryer's lint screen. A dirty lint screen causes the dryer to use more energy.
14. Use fluorescent light bulbs. They use less energy and last longer.
15. Take showers instead of baths. They use less water.
16. Set your water heater to 120 degrees.
17. Seal doors and windows to reduce heating costs.
18. Install a showerhead that saves water.
19. Keep the garage door closed if it's attached to your house.
20. Install a programmable thermostat. You can set it to reduce your home's temperature at certain times of the day. Then you'll never forget.
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Jul 23, 2009 at 11:46 a.m.
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We do all of these things except the trees. It takes time for trees to grow and still our bill is too high.
I still don't understand the logic of shower vs bath. I guess if you can do your business in less than 5 minutes maybe but if the shower can fill up the bath tub in the time it takes me to wash up then they are even right?
Jul 23, 2009 at 11:29 a.m.
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oops, that should be 62 degrees not 629.
Jul 23, 2009 at 11:23 a.m.
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All those suggestions sound very nice, but I can tell you they don't always add up to savings. Last winter I kept my themostat at 629 yes, you read that right, 62) degrees. I put plastic on both the inside and the outside of my windows and closed all of the storm windows. I turned my water heater down to where the water was warm, never hot, and I still had $300.00 gas bills for each month of Nov, Dec, Jan and Feb. In march it went down to 250.00. In April I moved to a more efficient, better insulated apartment. Now my bills are in the 30.00 a month range, and my former electric bill was averaging 55.00 in summer.
Jul 21, 2009 at 3:35 p.m.
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OK janesvillean....I was just pointing out a simple fact. If you would have read my post carefully, you would have seen that I wrote "only for the people who would not turn it down manually."
You always seem to want to have the last word, so, if it's that easy to make you happy....so be it.
Jul 21, 2009 at 10:55 a.m.
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Hannah, Central air units are more efficient than window units when cooling the entire house. When comfort level is on the edge of good or bad and the whole house doesn't need humidity control, I use a small one room unit in bedroom for sleeping. A one room conditioner costs around $100. Probably make that up in 1-2 years.
Jul 21, 2009 at 9:57 a.m.
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JohnDoe, if you want the job of setting the thermostat two or four times a day, go ahead. Most people would frequently forget, and there go the savings.
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The energy required to make the house comfortable before a certain time is small compared to the energy saved by the system automatically turning it down, and people should be allowed to save energy without feeling as though they are sacrificing comfort.
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hannah, you're right -- the improved efficiency of a new refrigerator is probably the second most promising area of energy savings. Not to mention that people should vacuum out their coils regularly, especially if they have pets.
Jul 20, 2009 at 6:50 p.m.
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Programmable thermostats are touted as being so great for energy savings, but that is true only for the people who would not turn it down manually when leaving or sleeping.
A programmable one actually costs some even more because they set it to come on early so it is already warm (or cool in the summer) BEFORE they get up in the morning or home from work.
Jul 20, 2009 at 6:25 p.m.
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Last January 2008 I see my total energy bill was $53, and February was $83. I pigged out in March at $98, and April was $77. I'd say most of it was that darned space heater! How do I do it? Super duper insulation, the entire South side is double walled glass, and lots of firewood gleaned lovingly from the surrounding community. To be honest, it's hard work that never seems to end getting the wood. You really have to want it, even when you don't want to do it.
Jul 20, 2009 at 4:39 p.m.
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Install a programmable thermostat should be #1. For as low as $20 ($60 for a good one) you can begin immediately saving energy and money without lifting a finger. It's about the easiest win you can find.
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