When you save energy, you save money. But where should you start to get a jump on using less energy, especially with winter approaching? Here are 12 smart steps to take, courtesy of Canada’s Direct Energy Regulated Services. Start with actions to reduce the amount of energy you need. Then replace existing equipment with more efficient options.

TO SAVE ENERGY THIS FALL…

INSULATE AND WEATHERIZE

1.Upgrade the insulation in your exterior walls, crawlspaces, basements and attics. Many homes don’t have nearly the insulation they need to keep warm air in and cold air out. If you live out west, check with Alberta power companies, for example. Or, check with your local utility in your region to find out how much insulation your home should have to cut down your energy bills.

2.Seal leaky windows and doors. Heat from your home escapes out these cracks. These leaks are easy to seal with weatherstripping around the door and caulking for the windows, available cheaply at your local hardware store.

3. Seal electrical outlets on exterior walls. Some small amount of cold air gets into your house through electrical outlets that are positioned on exterior walls. You can buy pre-cut insulation pads to put behind those outlets, or plastic plugs to place in them when they’re not being used.

REPAIR AND REFIT

4.Clean your chimney, and install an efficient insert. Wood-burning fireplaces send most of their heat up the chimney, rather than into your home. Maybe this year is the year to install an efficient insert that will capture the heat and radiate it back into your house. Clean the chimney to improve air ventilation and reduce risk of fire.

5. Remove window air conditioners. If they must stay in place, seal them with caulking or weatherizing tape and cover them with an airtight, insulated jacket.

6.Cover single-pane windows. Single panes of glass offer almost no protection against cold temperatures. If you have single-panes, see if you can add energy-efficient double-pane windows with inert argon gas fill, warm-edge spacers, and low-e coating. Also hang drapes or curtains in front of windows to provide additional insulation.

7. Check your water heater. If its surface is hot or even warm, some of the energy used to heat the water is being wasted. Check your owner manual to see how to wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket to keep more of the heat inside the tank.

8.Set the water heater temperature reasonably. In Canada, the recommended temperature is between 43 degrees C and 49 degrees C. In the U.S., the Dept. of Energy recommends 120 degrees F.

9.Uncover heating vents. Make sure your heating bents aren’t blocked by furniture or drapes and the dampers are open. Vacuum out dust and pet hair from warm air registers and cold air returns so your furnace runs more efficiently.

REPLACE

10.Replace your furnace with one rated 90% or higher in energy efficiency. If your furnace is getting old, consider replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Check with your local utility to see if any rebates are available to help cover the cost. Some tax credits may help offset the cost as well.

11.Replace the air filters in the furnace once a month or so. Cleaner air filters help improve the furnace’s efficiency.

12.Replace your standard thermostat with a programmable one. Get a thermostat that you can set to turn down the heat when you leave for work in the morning or go to bed at night. You can also program it to turn up the heat before you get home or wake up. The U.S. EPA reports that doing save can save you anywhere from to 30% on your heating (and cooling) energy bills.

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What difference does it make if you turn off the lights when you leave a room, install a low-flow shower head, or turn down your water heater a mere 20 degrees? Constellation Energy* shows you exactly why it matters with a cool infographic called 31 Energy Saving Hacks.

These are some of the best energy saving hacks I’ve seen!

Why? Two reasons:

√ One, they cover the major ways you use energy at home: doing the laundry and the dishes, lighting up your rooms and powering your electronics, heating and cooling your home, and showering and bathing.

√ Two, all of them will save you money.

Of the 31 Best Energy Saving Hacks, here are the 5 I like the best (because they’re easy and cost-effective):

1) Skip the rinse on your dishwasher. Using the rinse features costs you 3-7 gallons more of hot water each time you wash your dishes. Wash per usual, then open the door to the dishwasher and pull the wet racks out and let the dishes air dry.

2) Take shorter showers. Cutting just 4 minutes off your shower time can save you over 3,000 gallons of water each year! In a 4-person family, that’s 12,000 gallons.

3) Unplug. You don’t need to keep battery chargers plugged in when the batteries are fully charged. And by the way, unplug other electronics when you’re not using them so they don’t keep drawing power out of the socket (which they do, even when they’re turned off).

4) Clean or replace furnace filters. You find it easier to breathe when your air and nose aren’t obstructed, right? So does your furnace. Give it a clean filter every three months, and breathe easier.

5) Time your water heater. This one never occurred to me before.  You can put a timer on your water heater to turn the heating function down or even off when you’re not home or on vacation. Who knew?

You can see the entire list of Constellation’s energy saving hacks right here.

What’s your favorite energy saving hack? Don’t keep it a secret!

*Note: Sponsored posts allow us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. As ever, our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post The 31 Best Energy Saving Hacks to Save You Money, Too appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Whether you’re bracing yourself this winter with money saving tips for keeping warm or have gaping holes to plug when it comes to energy efficiency, now’s the time to focus on the big picture. Householders need a combination of tactics to lower energy costs long term, ranging from insulating their bricks and mortar to investigating in better value alternative energy sources. A commitment to adopting simple energy saving habits around the home can also go a long way towards saving you significant amounts of money each year. Here are five sure-fire ways to lower energy costs, thanks to Britain’s Energy Saving Trust, or EST .

 1) Use a programmable thermostat.

Programmable thermostats automatically adjust your heating, turning it down when you’re at work or in bed, turning it up right before you get home. The Google-owned Nest , pictured right, is particularly clever when it comes to helping people shrink their power bills for good.

2) Stop heat escaping.

Is inadequate insulation undermining your energy saving efforts? Homes built with solid brick walls or aluminum siding, or just older construction, are usually less snug than those built with more modern, insulating construction, says EST. Applying a high performance, thermally insulated cladding could help you feel warmer and reduce your heating bill significantly. Similarly, loft insulation stops warmth escaping through your roof, where around 20 per cent of heat can be lost through drafty attics and crawl spaces. It takes around two hours for experts to wrap joists, boards and fill loft spaces with thick mineral wool materials, offering savings on your annual energy bills. In addition to addition to adding insulation, weatherize by sealing the leaks around doors and windows, and cover windows with curtains or shades that will seal in the heat during cold winter months.

3) Switch companies.

Should you switch to a utility company that better meets your household energy needs? Compare utility providers in your area to see what kind of power they offer and how much it costs. In the U.S., consumers already purchase gas and electricity from different providers. this is now becoming an option in the UK as well. Take advantage of competition in the marketplace to find a provider that delivers good service and the cleanest energy possible at the best price. Scott Byrom, energy expert at Make It Cheaper, told the Guardian: “Most people like the convenience of having both gas and electricity on the one bill, but there’s a growing number who take a contrary view. Not only are they saving even more money by going for single-fuel deals but they’re managing their consumption better by having a clearer picture of exactly how much they’re spending on each.”

 4) Choose alternative energy.

Have you considered switching to an alternative energy source like solar panels or cleaner fuel, like a biomass heating system. You can amortize the cost of installing a new system over time, and ultimately save hundreds per year.  Biomass boilers use wood pellets, wood chip, logs and other organic fuels and come in all sizes. Water and central heating systems can be powered efficiently by biomass.

 5) Don’t forget lights, electronics, and appliances.

Replacing old light bulbs? Try highly efficient LEDs. Wash clothes in cold water, and spin dry to reduce the heating required in the dryer. Turn off electronics when you’re not using them; even leaving them on standby or in sleep mode uses energy unnecessarily.  Gadgets such as television sets, microwave ovens, speaker systems and the personal computer can be unplugged overnight. When buying new appliances and electronics, choose the most energy-efficient models available to meet your needs and remember, even if you pay a little more upfront, you’ll save all that and more in reduced energy bills.

All of the small energy saving changes you make around your home can add up to significant annual savings on your utility bills. Plus, using less energy reduces climate change and the air pollution that are associated with burning fossil fuels. It’s a win/win/win – for you, your pocketbook, and the planet.

NOTE: Sponsors like Britain’s Energy Saving Trust enable us to provide expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinion remains our own. Thanks!

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1)    Use an air conditioner AND fans. A fan doesn’t affect the temperature of a room. It just creates a “wind chill” effect by moving air around. An air conditioner will actually lower the temperature of a room and remove humidity, too.  We cool the house to around 78 or 80 degrees (down from the high nineties or low hundreds!), then circulate the cooled air with small room fans. We only use fans in the rooms we’re actually occupying to save energy.

  2)    Set our thermostat as high as comfortably possible. For us, that means somewhere between 78 and 80 degrees F. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. The U.S. Department of Energy suggests keeping your house warmer than normal when you are away, and around 78°F (26°C) only when you are at home and need cooling. A programmable thermostat can make it easy to set back your temperature.
•    Find out how to operate your thermostat for maximum energy savings.

3)    Cover sunny windows. Our sunniest windows are shaded by porch overhangs that prevent the hot sun from streaming into our house and heating things up. We have double-paned blinds we can pull if the sun gets too intense. In previous years, we planted several deciduous trees in front of the house. Now their shade also helps us keep our home cool in the summer.

4)    Keep windows and doors closed. Once we’ve cooled the air, we try not to leave outside doors open too long when we’re going in and out. We use a back door to enter and exit because it lets in less heat than the front door.

5)    Use oven only in early morning. If I need to bake anything, I try to do it before 9 a.m. Otherwise, I cook on my stove top, in the microwave and toaster oven, or on an outdoor grill.

6)    Cook several meals at one time, then reheat as needed. This not only saves energy, but reduces the amount of time I spend cooking overall.

7)    Make “sun” tea. I drink a lot of iced tea in the summer. Rather than boil water in a kettle on the stove, I either use an electric kettle to boil water in less than a minute, or just put a pitcher of water outside with a few tea bags in it. After a few hours, the heat from the sun will raise the water temperature enough to steep the tea.

8)    Eat cold food. Summer is the perfect time for salads, smoothies, sandwiches, raw vegetables,  cold soups, and of course, ice cream. If you eat as much ice cream as we do, you might want to make your own. You can get popsicle molds that are either stainless steel or BPA-free plastic.

9)    Take shorter showers in cool water.  Any of these timers will help you keep your shower under five minutes.

10)    Take off some clothes. You know how, in winter, you put on a sweater to stay warm? In summer, we all walk around our house barefoot and in loose, sleeveless dresses or tank tops and shorts. It’s surprising how much cooler we stay when we’re lightly dressed.

Want more energy-saving tips? Find them right here.

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1. Caulk or weatherstrip windows and doors. Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of most utility bills – and offers the most opportunities for money and energy savings. Did you know that the energy used by the average home generates twice as much pollution as the average car? Materials for the average twelve-window, two-door house could cost about $25, but savings in annual energy costs might amount to more than 10 percent of your yearly heating bill. According to the Department of Energy, if every gas-heated home were properly caulked and weather-stripped, we’d save enough natural gas each year to heat almost 4 million more homes. You can find weatherstripping at most hardware stores. To minimize indoor air pollution from the weatherstripping materials you use, try water-based caulks like Quick Shield VOC-Free Sealant or Polyseamseal.

2. Install storm windows and doors. Combination screen and storm windows and doors are the most convenient and energy efficient because they can be opened easily when there is no need to run heating or cooling equipment. Installing high efficiency Energy Star windows can reduce heating and cooling costs by 15 percent; you can save from $125-$340 a year when you replace single pane windows with their Energy Star equivalents. If you don’t want to buy new windows, cover existing window with a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on the frame. You can buy a ready-made kit again at most hardware stores. A third alternative? Thermal draperies, made with a thick, fiber-filled backing to fit snugly against the entire window frame, can reduce heat loss by as much as 50 percent and save you $15 per window each winter. Even simple heavy drapes can save about $10 per window annually.

3. Insulate. You can reduce your energy needs by as much as 20 to 30 percent, and save about four months’ worth of household energy, by investing in insulation. Focus on your attic floor or top floor ceiling, crawlspace, exterior walls. basement ceilings and walls, and rooms over unheated spaces, like garages. The “Simply Insulate” website maintained by the North American Insulation Manufacturers Association will tell you how much insulation you need in the different parts of your house, depending on where you live. Think about using cotton insulation made from recycled cotton or denim scrap that will have no impact on your indoor air quality, unlike the formaldehyde ingredients in fiberglass insulation.

4. Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to predetermine temperatures for daytime and evening comfort as well as energy savings. It can save you as much as 20 percent if you opt to reduce temperatures by 5 degrees at night and 10 degrees during the day when most people are out of the house.

5. Get an energy audit. At low or no cost, your local utility may provide a specially trained auditor to examine your home and explain what inexpensive and free energy conservation actions you can take to save money and energy immediately. The auditor may also take an infrared photograph of your home to help you pinpoint exactly where heat is being lost. You can also use this do-it-yourself audit tool developed by the city of Seattle.

6. Set your water heater to 120 degrees. If you currently heat your water to 140 degrees, you may save as much as 10 percent on water-heating costs by dialing the thermostat down a bit.

7. Wrap your hot water pipes in insulating tape or foam. You’ll reduce the loss of heat through the hot water pipes that move hot water from your water tank to your faucets.

8. Use less hot water. Wash laundry in cold water. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Fix leaky faucets. Wash full loads of laundry and dishes.

9. Maintain your furnace. If you heat with oil, have your furnace serviced at least once a year to save 10 percent in fuel consumption (if you do this in summer, you’ll get cheaper, off-season rates). Clean or replace the filters in your forced-air heating system each month. Dust or vacuum radiator surfaces frequently. If you must replace your furnace, buy the most energy-efficient model you can afford. If you have a fireplace, keep the damper closed to avoid losing as much as 8 percent of your home’s heated or cooled air.

10. Upgrade your appliances. When you replace your appliances, choose Energy Star models, which use 10-50% less energy and water than the standard alternatives. If just one in 10 homes used ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, the environmental benefit would be like planting 1.7 million new acres of trees.

Here are more energy-saving tips that save money, too.

Can “clean” coal or nuclear power solve our climate change problems. I don’t think so.

Here’s why climate change matters to women in particular.

The post Want to Reduce the Climate Change Impact of Your House? Follow This 10-Step Checklist. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Nevertheless, you may still be among the millions of people who have not yet incorporated energy conservation into your daily routine. Why not? The number one reason for most people is money – not necessarily real money, but definitely the perception that it will require a lot of money to put energy-saving strategies to work in your home.

I say “perception,” because that’s often what it is. Many consumers are under the generally false impression that they can’t afford to adopt ‘green’ (i.e., energy efficient) technologies. And especially during these economic hard times, even the suspicion that something will cost more is enough to deter its purchase.

That’s why the concept of Green ROI – return on investment – is so important. Green ROI offers a way to calculate what the purchase of a green product is worth both in the short term and a longer way down the road. In other words, if you spend xx $$$ on a green product today, how long will it take you to realize a gain – in real dollars – and make the purchase worthwhile?

Well, consider a few of these Green ROI calculations, courtesy of GreenandSave.com, and based on a ten-year performance period:

Programmable Thermostat – Automatically adjust indoor air temperatures to reduce the amount of gas or electricity you use.
Cost: $115
Annual Savings: $180
ROI: 156.5%

  Standby Power Reduction – Use energy-saving power strips on office electronics and home appliances to reduce energy use
Cost: $20 for two strips
Annual Savings: $24
ROI: 120%

Compact Fluorescent Lighting – Replace 20 incandescent bulbs that are 60 Watts and have a life expectancy of 1,500 hours, with CFLs that only use 14 Watts and last 10,000 hours.
Cost: $3.00 – $6.00 per bulb
Annual Savings: Each bulb saves on average $4 to $7 per year in electricity
ROI: 133.3%

See how saving energy saves money – a lot of money — over the long-term? But what about climate change, you ask?

Take programmable thermostats. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which administers the federal Energy Star program, calculates that in 2006, consumers using programmable thermostats not only saved a total of $14 billion on their utility bills; they also saved enough energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to taking 25 million cars off the road.

Want to know how additional investments will create Green ROI? Click here.

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