Did Your Utility Bills Skyrocket This Month?

Well folks, the groundhog has spoken- six more weeks of winter!  Since the icy weather will be hanging around, there are a few things you can do to use less electricity and save on heating.

The first thing you can do is fix the drafts.  On average, up to 20% of a home's heat is lost through drafts.  If you're not sure, simply place your hand against a door or window.  If you can feel cold air coming in, you can be sure you are losing heat.  Drafts are simple to fix and can save you hundreds on your heating bill every year.
Fit draft excluders around the interior and exterior of your doors, as needed.  Then fill any cracks or crevices around window frames with a filler or sealant.

Another simple and free solution is to close curtains or blinds as soon as the sun begins to set.  This will trap the warm air in your home and act as insulation.

Turning your thermostat down 1 degree can reduce energy consumption by over 5%.  The best part is, you'll never feel the difference.

Make sure your water heater is not set higher than 140 degrees F.  Also give your water heater regular check ups to make sure it's working properly.

Turn off appliances and lights.  Unplug the appliances that you will not be using for more than half the day.  Don't use the 'Stand by' mode.  Appliances on stand by can draw an average of 5-10% of household energy use!

Don't leave your refrigerator or freezer open longer than necessary and remember- your freezer needs to be defrosted regularly for it to run efficiently.

Turn off the computer.  Screen savers actually use more energy than when you are using the computer yourself.  They can even reduce the life of your monitor.  Instead, enable the display blanking feature to turn the monitor off automatically when your computer is idle.  This simple step can save you $50-$100 per year.  Another way to reduce the power your computer uses is to reduce the screen brightness.  This will also increase the battery time for a laptop.  For a 66% reduction in energy, switch from a CRT monitor to an LCD monitor.

Insulating is not only simple to do,  it's also the most cost effective.  Cavity wall insulation can save a third of your heat from escaping.  It's a great investment if you don't already have it.

We hope you find these tips helpful.  Please give us a call if you'd like any additional information!