You might think it unusual to find an energy saving guide on a Christian web site: here is how it came about. When Jamon was a young man he sold home insulation. At the time it was just a job but he became interested in other ways to save on utility bills. He found out that there was a lot of information on how to save money but it was scatted throughout many different manuals, books or information sheets put out by utility companies or by home environment companies. Jamon took what was the best and easiest of these ideas to implement and put them into an easy to understand book. If you put only one or two of these ideas into effect, it will save you a lot of money over the years. God wants you to be a good steward of your money therefore he wants to make your money put to its best use for you or your family.
If you are to reduce your energy consumption then you must have the attitude that you can do something to make a difference. It is your money and you should do all you can to keep it. Saving on energy consumption is like giving yourself an extra payday. Make a commitment to save money and you will be surprised at how much you can save.
If your house has a small hall or stoop that can be enclosed, then you may want to turn it into an air lock by adding a door to keep out outside air as you enter. You may be able to do this yourself in your spare time and at a small cost.
When purchasing appliances check the energy guide tag to compare the operating cost of different brands. Consider all savings on an annual basis. A saving of only five dollars a month is sixty dollars a year and six hundred dollars over ten years.
Insulate the ceiling and wall even if you don’t finish the walls. Adjust the garage door to close tight. Keep the garage door closed when not using. Repair or replace the garage door if needed. Keep any windows tightly closed and locked. Keep walk through doors closed and locked when not in use
If you have an older home that has not had the insulation updated, have an insulation contractor check to see if your insulation has settled and its insulating properties reduced. Have a contractor inspect your vents to see that they are clear of any insulating material and that there is enough ventilation for your attic. Add additional vents if recommended. Add insulation if recommended.
A minimum of R-30 is recommended for most parts of the country. (The “R” refers to the ability of a material to resist the flow of heat. The higher the R number, the greater the insulating value). Some areas are now recommending R-35 to R-40 for attic insulation.
Install a radiant barrier. A radiant barrier is craft paper with aluminum foil on one or both sides. It may be installed by laying it on top of your present insulation or by stapling it to your roof rafters. It will reflect heat away from your house in summer and back into your house in winter. Check with a contractor in your area to see how best to install it to prevent moisture build up. Depending on where you live, radiant barrier can save you from ten to thirty percent on your heating and cooling bill. A radiant barrier will also help to reduce maintenance of heating and cooling systems and will add comfort and value to your house.
Repair any water leaks in fixtures. Install a water saving showerhead. Reduce water pressure in sink to save on water and sewer cost.
If you have an old toilet that uses five gallons to flush, reduce the amount of water to flush by adjusting the water fill arm or float to a lower level or take a half gallon milk carton and fill it with water and place it in your tank. This will save you at least one half gallon of water each time you flush and over one year it will save you hundreds of gallons. Replace your old toilet with a new water saving toilet. Showers use less water that baths.
Check vents to make sure that they are clear of objects or furniture. If your room is not being used, close the vent or turn off the heat except for heat pumps. Install insulated blinds, shades or curtains that will reduce heat coming through windows. Install heat reflecting film on window glass if cost effective. If you have and old heating system, investigate a new, more efficient system but only if it will pay for itself in savings. Cover and seal around wall air conditioners in winter months.
Reduce the temperature on the thermostat (2) to 120 degrees. Install a water heater timer to turn the heater off at night or for hours that no one is using hot water. Install on/off switch next to the water heater and turn off when away for two days or more. You may use your circuit breaker for this if it is convenient. Install an insulation blanket around your water heater. These are available at most building supply stores. When your water heater needs to be replaced, replace it with an energy saver type. When building or remodeling place the water heater nearest to the point of greatest use. Investigate the new gas, tank less water heaters. They save space and money. If you live in an apartment or mobile home or condominium and you have an electric hot water heater this will save you two to four hundred dollars a year find your circuit breaker for your hot water heater and mark it so that it is easy to locate. When you turn in for the night flip the breaker off and in the morning flip it back on. Not heating hot water for eight to ten hours a day will save you one to two dollars a day on your electric bill. It only takes about fifteen minutes for your water to heat back up in the morning so you won’t low on hot water more then a few minutes. If no one is going to be home during the day then turn your breaker off as you leave and that will save you even more money. If your going to be away for a day or more turn off the breaker as you leave you will be surprised how much money this tip will save you in a year.
Repair or replace leaking faucets. Reduce the water pressure in the sinks to lower water and sewer cost. Use cold water when using disposal. Run only full loads in the dishwasher. Use the microwave or toaster oven for warming small meals. Install florescent lighting in the ceiling. Adjust refrigerator temperatures for efficiency. Do not leave appliances on any longer than necessary.
Replace kitchen, garage or basement lights with florescent lights. Replace high wattage bulbs with lower wattage bulbs where brightness is not important. Replace burned out light bulbs with energy savings light bulbs. Turn out lights when they are not needed.
Trees and shrubbery properly placed can reduce your heating and cooling costs. If you do not know how to place landscaping for saving energy, then contact a landscape company for suggestions.
Use cold water to wash whenever possible. If your washer does not have a water level adjustment then wash full loads whenever possible. Vent dryer to the outside. When the washer needs to be replaced, replace it with a water saving model. Use an outside clothes line for drying in good weather.
Adding aluminum or vinyl siding should not be considered as an energy saving addition to your house because they are not cost effective and will not pay themselves in savings. These sidings should be installed for enhancing the looks of your house or to reduce ongoing maintenance only. Wood or Masonite siding should be repaired and maintained for energy efficiency.
When re-roofing your house, install a light or medium colored roof to reflect heat away from your house. Investigate the price of a 25-year roof when re-roofing. The amount of increase in price over a 20-year roof may save your money over a period of time and increase the value or your house.
Solar hot water heaters and solar furnaces are not cost effective unless they are designed and built into the house when the house is built. If remodeling and you have more than one window in a bedroom, consider removing them. If you are building or remodeling put the closets on the outside walls. Electric blankets will allow you to lower your house temperature at night in cool weather.
Install ceiling fans in large rooms or rooms with high ceilings to circulate air and to use heat and air conditioning more effectively. Use whole house fans to bring in cool air from the outside and reduce air conditioning cost. Ceiling fans vary widely in cost so shop wisely to make sure that you will be getting a good value and are going to be saving money.
Check your crawl space for moisture. If moisture is found, locate the problem and repair it. Install moisture barrier in the crawl space that you can get from your local building supply company. Check vent doors to see if they fit tight or need to be repaired or replaced. (In some parts of the country it is recommended that vents remain open year round to prevent moisture). Check crawl space door to make sure it closes tightly. Repair any floor insulation that has come loose. Wrap water pipes with insulation. Check heating ducts for leaks.
Install heat reflecting film on windows and glass doors. Check every door and window for air leaks. If any leaks are found, repair immediately. Caulk or weather strip where needed. If you have single pane windows and do not have storm windows, investigate the cost of installing them. Price varies so shop wisely. Install storm doors if needed. Check door thresholds to see if they need to be replaced.
Do not install replacement windows for the purpose of saving money. The cost of replacement by far exceeds any savings. Replacement windows should only be installed to add looks or value to your house. Single pane glass sliding doors should be replaced with double pane doors or by an insulated shut door. If a sliding door faces the sun, put up curtains or blinds to block the sun and to reduce cooling cost.
Always close the damper when the fireplace is not in use. Install a glass door on an open fireplace. Turn back the thermostat on heating system when using the fireplace.
Investigate the purchase of a heatolator if you want to use a fireplace for heating your house. If you do not have to purchase the wood, consider a wood burning stove.
Wood stoves come in many price ranges so buy one that will pay for itself in savings. Have a safety check made of your chimney every year or two to prevent the possibility of chimney fires.
Have maintenance done regularly to help avoid major repairs. Keep filters clean and change as recommended. Reduce the temperature if leaving the house for long periods in cooler months.
Install solar equipment only if you can prove that it will pay for itself in savings. If you have rooms that are not being used and you can turn off the heat in those rooms then do so. Better insulation and management of present equipment will often be a better investment for your money.
Thermostats should be checked for accuracy if they are over ten years old or do not function properly. Investigate electronic, programmable thermostats if you are away a lot. 70 to 74 degrees are the most efficient temperatures for most houses. Every degree above or below this range will increase your heating or cooling cost about three percent. Turn down heat setting to sixty degrees if away for two days or more.
When remodeling, reduce the number or size of windows if possible. A window should be considered as a hole in your wall. Install solid wood paneling on the inside of an outside wall of at least 3/8ths-inch thickness for added insulation.
If your floors are not insulated, install R-19 insulation batts under the floor if you have a crawl space. Window areas should be only about 5 percent of the total floor square footage of the house.
Install carpet over bare floors for extra insulation.