Home Energy Saving Tips:
Extra Hints for Stretching Those Energy Dollars

I haven't met anyone who doesn't want home energy saving tips to lower their monthly electric bill.

Between fuel for our cars and fuel/heat/air for our homes, we pay out a hefty sum each and every month to get to where we need to go and to be comfortable at home.

So what's new in this area of saving energy?

Many of us have memorized the standard "how to save energy" slogans, such as :
Turn off lights you're not using.
Turn up (or down) your thermostat.
Use weatherstripping around your windows and doors.

And of course, proper insulation can save a bundle of cash - both in the summer and in the winter.

Well, suppose you have done all (or most) of these things and your bill is still higher than you want to pay?

Over the years, we have discovered some not-so-common hints for home energy savings that may never have occurred to you.

Read on!

Home Energy Savings Ideas

• Do you own double hung windows?
  These are great for simple cleaning of your windows and can be energy efficient. But did you know that these windows can slide open at the top and let in frigid winter air?

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  We love to open the windows to get fresh air during the mild days. What we didn't realize was that, unless securely closed on both top and bottom in the winter, cold air was creeping in from the top of the window (where we couldn't see it)! To correct this, you must push upwards firmly on the top of the window frame and then lock it tightly into place. ___________________________________________________________________

• Running the dishwasher
  When it's hot outside, run the dishes only at night, where the heat from the cleaning cycles won't heat up you or your living space.

• Set your programmable thermostat to the warmest temperature you can handle in the summer, and the coolest in the winter.
  Use your ceiling fans to help you raise or lower your thermostat by several degrees without noticing the difference! (see the next tip for more detail)

• Use your ceiling fan to its full advantage
  Many people are unaware that most ceiling fans have reversible blades. Each spring and fall (or when your seasons change) you can easily reverse the blades to help keep you cooler or warmer. In one direction, the blades push warmer air downwards. In the other, the fan pushes cooling breezes downward - you will feel several degrees cooler than the true room temp when you use this feature!

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