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How to Lower Energy Bills During Dog Days of Summer
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Helen Malani - shopzilla.com
It's the worst of both worlds: Summer's coming to a close, which means the end of half-day Fridays and summer camp. But the heat remains relentless, which means energy bills stay high. Oh, the indignity! So let's take a look at all the ways you can control these pesky and often outrageous costs that invade your home in August.
WIZARD OF SPEND-LOW PARK: It might have taken a genius like Thomas Edison to invent the light bulb, but you can be a financial genius by screwing in a new one. Replace your incandescent (normal-shaped) bulbs with compact fluorescents (the curly ones) and save tons over time.
THAT'S HOT! Yeah, that's right, I said it. I'm not ashamed of using a ubiquitous phrase when warranted, and this is one such case. It is hot outside, and you want to be cool inside. But that doesn't mean you should blast your air conditioner until your house is suitable for hanging meat. Instead, set your thermostat to 78 F, and you'll stay reasonably cool. The result? A reasonable bill.
JUST PLAY IT COOL, BOY, REAL COOL! They might have sung it first and best in "West Side Story," but follow this wisdom when it comes to showers in the summer. Who needs a steaming hot shower when it's steaming hot outside? Not me. We tend to take cooler showers during the hottest months anyway, so let the hot-water bills follow suit. Turn your water heater down to 115 F and shave some dollars off your energy bill.
HIDE AND GO SEEK: Here's a new twist on an old game. Your opponent: the energy-sucking appliances in your home. The rules are simple: Turn off the lights in your house, and then find and annihilate all of the little red, blinking lights that surround you. Coffee makers, DVD players, phone chargers ... anything that shows the time or lights up in any way is fair game. Even when they aren't in use, dormant devices cost you money. How many appliances really need to know what time it is?
KEEPING CLEAN: Institute a cleaning regimen for your microwave. Keeping a microwave clean shortens cooking time, which saves energy and lowers your bill. To put a bigger dent in that bill, use your microwave to defrost frozen food before cooking it in your oven. Your kitchen (and house) will stay cooler, saving you money.
POWER STRIPPING: No, it's not a new exercise fad. Using power strips can save big bucks on your electric bill. Plug your computer, printer and other accessories into a power strip, and turn the strip off when you're done. We're all guilty of letting our computers "sleep" day and night -- a very expensive slumber. Cutting the power to your printer can save you $13 a year, and powering down the computer all the way cuts about $55. So get stripping! I've never been a big fan of dropping money to replace something that ain't broke. But if you replace your nasty old refrigerator with an energy-saving model, you'll save enough (after recouping the original cost) to buy a new one every five years. |
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