7 Bright Ideas to Save on Your Energy & Water Bills Right Now

Here are a few simple suggestions you can incorporate into your home and lifestyle, in order to save lots of money and energy right now. Many of these suggested tools are affordable, easy to install, simple to use, and have excellent return on investment potential. Additionally, as many government programs, utility companies and EnergyStar partners offer great incentives and rebates for switching to these products, there hasn’t been a better time to start saving than now!

Energy Efficient Lighting
Replacing your incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient lights such as Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) bulbs is one of the easiest ways to start saving money. EnergyStar-rated CFLs in particular will save you money because they use 75% less energy and last 6 to 12 times longer than traditional bulbs. In fact, replacing your 5 most frequently used bulbs with EnergyStar-rated CFLs can save you more than $65 a year in energy costs; or $50 per lifespan of a CFL bulb (calculation based on 15-watt CFL, 10,000-hour lifespan, and $0.0898 per kWh).

Better still, did you know that if every US household makes its next lightbulb an Energy Star-rated CFL, we will save more than $800 million on our national energy bill and 8.4 billion kWh of energy (that’s enough to power over 808,000 homes for one year - about the number of homes in Boston, Denver, and San Francisco combined)! In pollution terms, it is like removing the pollution of 1.2 million cars for one year!

Cost: Approximately $2.50 to $5 per bulb
Payback: Around 3 to 7.5 months, depending on usage and your electric rate (cost per kWh)
Savings: Provided ALL household light fixtures are energy-efficient: per year = $117; 10-year savings = $1861*

Low Flow Fixtures
Low flow fixtures such as low flow faucets aerators and low flow showerheads save you water, energy and money by limiting the volume of water that flow through them. As such, by switching from standard showerheads (2.5 gpm) to low flow showerheads (1.0 gpm to 1.5 gpm), you can easily save 7,300 gallons of water (approximately 10% to 60% off your current consumption); in terms of combined water and energy savings, that equals to about $91 for natural gas and $143 for electric (calculation based on 4-person family using 1.5 gpm showerhead, FEMP/DOE data, and average water rate of $4/1000 gallons).

Cost: Approximately: low flow faucet aerator = $1 to $3.50; low flow showerhead = $10 to $68
Payback: For aerators, immediate; for showerheads, 2+ months, depending on the gpm
Savings: Niagara Conservation 1.5 gpm 2915CH low flow showerhead, for example:
• Electric Water Heat = 949 kWh + 7,300 gal H2O = $143 (per year)
• Gas Water Heat = 52 therms + 7,300 gal H2O = $91 (per year)

Smart Power Strips
Electrical devices consume power even when they’re switched off. In fact, this “phantom” use of power makes up 40% of your total home (or 73% of your total office) energy usage. But what’s the alternative to crawling underneath the desk(s) to unplug your things each time? Or, replacing all of your old appliances EnergyStar-rated ones? It’s called the smart power strip.

Also known as the energy saving power strip, this smart little gadget automatically cuts off the power supply from the power source when devices are shut off, while still supplying power to the devices that you always need on (e.g., Internet phone, cable modem, DVR). Best of all, in addition to costing you no more than a standard power strip, a smart power strip will give you surge protection and save you about $15 to $20 per month on your energy bill!

Cost: Approximately $20 to $100
Payback: For a smart power strip around $35, as little as 6 weeks
Savings: According to treehugger.com, per year = $178; 10-year savings = $2834*

Weatherstripping
Weatherstripping literally refers to the narrow strip of material that covers the joint of a door or window to exclude the cold; but often times it actually refers to the act of sealing air leaks, drafts, dust and moisture from under and around doors, windows, and electrical outlets on exterior walls as well as air ducts and chimneys. And while it takes some time for you to caulk and seal your entire home, the total effects in terms of money savings are dramatic and long-lasting.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, home weatherization may cost $1000 but will potentially save $300 to $500 per year. That amount is equal to 20% of your total heating & cooling bill or 10% of your total energy bill (based on a 3-bedroom house with insulation in walls, attic, among other areas and spaces). As a matter of fact, if you insulate your home on or before 12/31/2010, you can earn a tax credit up to $1,500!

Cost: Approximately: door = $2.50 to $15; window = $2 to $23; electrical outlet = $0.10 to $5; air duct done yourself = $10 to $20; air duct done professionally = $300 to $1000; chimney = $45
Payback: About 2 to 3 years, depending on how well you weatherstrip all of your doors, windows, electrical outlets, air ducts, chimneys and any other sources for drafts or unwanted air seepage
Savings: $300 to $500 per year, provided your entire home is properly caulked and sealed; cannot estimate savings from individual sealing fixes (epa.gov).

Motion Sensors
Motion sensors (Motion Sensing Wall Switches or Occupancy Sensors) are ideal for controlling lights that have unpredictable usage and could be accidentally left on for prolonged periods of time. In addition to the typical commercial applications, they can be used in home entryways, bathrooms, closets, basements, attics, garage and porches to save money. Motion sensors are convenient because they eliminate the need for anyone to have to remember to turn anything off as they leave a room or space.

In a commercial setting, motions sensors can save you 13% to 90%, depending on the type of room or area of installation. In a residential setting, American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy estimates lighting costs adds up to about 10% of total household energy costs (annual average); that means, for example, at $0.0898 per kWh, a $50 motion sensor will pay for itself by saving around 560 kWh over 9 months (based on bulbs that use 2 kWh per day).

Cost: Approximately $50 to $100; most porch lights have built-in sensors
Payback: 6 months to 1 year, depending on your electricity rate
Savings: • Residential: Up to 10% of your entire monthly energy bill
• Commercial: 13% to 90%

Programmable Thermostats
High-tech programmable thermostats give you the flexibility to preset temperatures based on criteria such as day of week, time of day, and occupancy. That means, you can set a different temperature for a particular day or range of days; any particular time of day; or an occupied or unoccupied space. Programmable thermostats are convenient because you don’t have to remember to adjust or turn off anything (e.g., before going to bed at night or on a long vacation), once the temperature settings are locked in. Best of all, some utility companies offer free installation (e.g., in exchange for letting them scale back your air conditioner use in the on hot summer days) and/or rebates, so check with them for great incentives to get started today.

Cost: Approximately $40 to $125
Payback: About one year, assuming thermostat controls heat and air conditioning, and depending on where you live (climate and electricity rate) and personal preference (average set temperature during the hottest and coldest months)
Savings: Depending on your electricity rate and climate (per year):
• Low kWh but need lots of heat (e.g., Fargo, ND) = $115
• High kWh and need lots of cooling (e.g., Las Vegas, NV) = $75

Drain Water Heat Recovery System
Did you know that 90% of the energy used to heat water goes down the drain? The good news: by installing a Drain Water Heat Recovery system in your home, you can recycle 60% of the energy that would otherwise be wasted, and reduce your water heating bills by 25% to 40% without altering your lifestyle. A non-storage DWHR is basically a copper heat exchanger that replaces part of your existing vertical shower drainage pipe; as you shower, the heat from the outgoing drain water preheats the freshwater supply that feeds into your water heater, thus saving you water heating bills. Additionally, DWHR systems can be applied to industrial or commercial uses to preheat or precool large quantity of water or other liquids. Better still, some utility companies offer rebates for those who install, so check with your local company to see if they are offering any incentives.

Cost: Approximately $625 to $995, plus $100 for professional installation (optional)
Payback: About 2 to 5 years at a rate of return of 15% to 50% per year — more specifically, it’s closer to 2 years, if you use electricity to heat water; and it’s closer to 5 years, if you use natural gas to heat water
Savings: • If your natural gas rate is fairly high, then around $120 per year

* Including annual 10% fuel inflation

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jaishree_Knauff

Fire Safety Tips For Home

Fire has been known to be a major destroyer of houses around the world, and most of these fires have been caused due to negligence of the occupants or due to other safety regulations that were not complied with. There are many small and important tips that can safeguard your home from catching a fire and also protect the property as well as the occupants in case a fire does happen, due to any reason. These tips may either be precautionary measures to prevent a fire or safety tips that can stop a fire from spreading.

Some small preventive measures include making sure that all fire producing substances are kept away from children, as carelessness of children are known to be an important reason for starting a fire. These should be stored either in locked places or at locations, which cannot be reached by children. Equipments like gas cylinders should be guarded and kept under lock and key. You could even procure safety latches for such equipments which make these tamper proof. One important source of fires at homes is the kitchen. This is one area which has tremendous use for fire and hence is sometimes not carefully handled. Make sure that all curtains or such clothing materials used in the kitchen premises are fire proof or at least made of material that do not catch fire easily. Substances like nylon can catch fire very easily, whereas thicker substances like cotton or wool do not catch fire that very soon.

Electricity is a major component that creates fires at homes and buildings, short circuits being the sole reason for such fires. Make sure that all circuits are in good condition and if any wires or connections are found hanging loose, rectify them immediately. Those staying close to forest areas are subject to be affected by forest fires, especially in extreme summers. In such cases, protect your home by installing fire proof fences, at least five to eight feet high. Also, smoking indoors, especially in bedrooms or living rooms are also known to be a reason for starting fires at home. Always advice smokers to smoke outside and never at home, as this is important not only from a fire aspect but also from a health aspect. Use ashtrays and make sure that the cigarette butts are doused well before they are discarded. Dipping them in water helps the most. Keeping the ashtrays moist can also help.

Ultimately, fire escape plans and equipments are also important. Educate all members of your house as well as the community about fire escape routes available in the building and location of fire extinguishers and mode of use. Education about different extinguishers to be used for different fires can also be very helpful.

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Winter Home Maintenance Tips

As days grow shorter and temperatures fall, it’s time once again to prepare your home for the long winter months ahead. Taking a few minutes now to walk around your home—visually inspecting important systems from a safety perspective and making note of routine maintenance chores that need attention—is a great way to get started, and a good winter maintenance checklist can help.

Here are some tips to help get you started:

Clean gutters and downspouts. A clogged gutter or downspout can freeze and wreak havoc on your home. Make a point of checking your gutters and downspouts well before daytime temperature’s dip below 32 degrees fahrenheit.

Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Use the testing feature on each device to make sure it’s working. Replace batteries and inoperable units as needed.

Recharge or replace fire extinguishers. Check the gauge on every fire extinguisher to make sure it’s fully charged (arrow pointing to the green area of the gauge). Remove each extinguisher from its mounting bracket and turn it upside down to help prevent the dry chemicals inside from caking on the bottom over time. If your fire extinguishers are more than one year old, consider having them inspected by a professional.

Check furnace vents. If your home has a forced air furnace, check to make sure that vents in primary living areas are open and unobstructed. You can partially close vents located in less frequently used rooms, but don’t close them all the way unless you’re sure there is no chance of water pipes freezing as a result. Keep in mind that temperatures inside the walls of your home will be lower than adjacent living areas.

Stock up on furnace filters. Dirty furnace filters waste energy. They also force your furnace to work harder to heat your home. Your owner’s manual should explain what types of filters are best for your furnace, and how often they need to be changed. Keep in mind that a high-efficiency air filter will trap more dirt than a conventional filter and may need to be replaced more frequently to keep your furnace from overheating.

Schedule checkups for all home heating systems. Regular maintenance can help furnaces, wood stoves, chimneys and other home heating components stay in top working order. Most experts recommend that you schedule an annual inspection by a qualified professional for each system, but service intervals may vary from one system or manufacturer to another, so play it safe and check your owners manual or contact each heating system manufacturer for guidance.

Replace worn out weather strips. Worn out weather stripping around windows and doors can dramatically increase your home heating costs. Weather strips are easy to replace, and should pay for themselves in a very short time.

Inspect the insulation in attics and crawl spaces. Over time, fiberglass insulation panels can sag away from rafters, joists and wall cavities, allowing cold air to penetrate your home. Duct tape can be used to reseat a small problem area, but extensive sagging may indicate a moisture problem. Try to determine the source of this problem before you replace large areas of insulation. And, if you decide to replace the insulation yourself, make sure you follow manufacturer guidelines for personal protective equipment.

Protect exterior water valves. Hose bibs located in an unheated garage or on the outside of your home may need protection to prevent freezing damage. Inexpensive insulating covers are available at most home centers, but it’s still a good idea to shut off the water supply connected to the hose bib from inside the home. After shutting off the water supply, open each hose bib to allow any remaining water to drain. Disconnect hoses and store them inside for the winter.

The Home Improvement News and Information Center provides information and resources for home remodeling, home improvement and home energy management projects. For more information about home maintenance, point your web browser to http://www.HomeImprovementTime.com/consumer/search.asp?search=maintenance&mode=search.

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