Tips on Utilities

Energy Efficiency Programs for Replacement Furnaces, Water Heaters and Air Conditioners

Check with your local utility company for grants or low interest loans that are rolled into your utility bill when you purchase energy efficient units. Energy savings could largely pay for the cost of the item.

Installing an insulating jacket around your water heater can result in savings, as can turning the temperature of your water heater down to 110-120 degrees (no need to run it hotter).

Electricity

To save as much as hundreds of dollars a year on electricity, make certain that any new appliances you purchase, especially air conditioners and furnaces, are energy-efficient. Information on the energy efficiency of major appliances is found on Energy Guide Labels required by federal law.

Enrolling in load management programs and off-hour rate programs offered by your electric utility may save you up to $100 a year in electricity costs. Call your electric utility for information about these cost-saving programs.

Water

A lot of the water used in your home is used in the bathroom. A toilet uses four to five gallons for each flush and a shower uses five to ten gallons per minute. Do not use the toilet for a trash disposal and flush only when necessary. Fix faucet leaks and leaks in the toilet tank or bowl that can waste thousands of gallons of water a day. Check to see if your water department is offering rebates on replacement of 4-5 gallons per flush toilets with 1.6 gallons per flush toilets. Long, hot showers are nice, but run up your utility bills. Shorten your showers. Turn off the water while soaping or shampooing and install flow restrictors and water-saving showerheads. Don't let the sink faucet run while shaving, washing, or brushing your teeth.

The kitchen is also a large user of water. Reduce the time you let water stream from the faucet. Use a stopper for the drain or use a pan of water when washing vegetables. The water can later be poured onto houseplants. Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Load the dishwasher to capacity. A partially filled washer wastes water and energy. Use the shortest cycle necessary to get your dishes clean and use the air-dry cycle.

Water can also be saved outdoors. Washing sidewalks and driveways with a hose is costly - use a broom. Water your lawn sparingly and only during cool morning or evening hours. Don't waste water by letting it run on sidewalks, the driveway and into the street.

Home Heating

A home energy audit can identify ways to save up to hundreds of dollars a year on home heating (and air conditioning). Ask your electric or gas utility if they can do this audit for free or for a reasonable charge. If they cannot, ask them to refer you to a qualified professional.

Conserve fuel by keeping your house cooler than normal. Temporarily "close off" heat to rooms you use rarely. Windows and doors are places where large amounts of heat escape. Stuff cracks around windows and doors with towels or other such materials.

Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely; in just one hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.

Home Air Conditioning

Don't set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.

Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.

Plant trees or shrubs to shade air-conditioning units but not to block the airflow. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.

Local Telephone Service

Check with your phone company to see whether a flat rate or measured service plan will save you the most money.

You will usually save money by buying your phones instead of leasing them.

Check your local phone bill to see if you have optional services that you don't really need or use. Each option you drop could save you $40 or more each year.

Long Distance Telephone Service

Long distance calls made during evenings, at night, or on weekends can cost significantly less than weekday calls.

If you make more than a few long distance calls each month, consider subscribing to a calling plan. Call several long distance companies to see which one has the least expensive plan for the calls you make.

Whenever possible, dial your long distance calls directly. Using the operator to complete a call can cost you an extra $6.