Saving Energy While Beating the Heat

For those of you who haven’t noticed, over the past two years our electrical bills have steadily increased at a rate of a few dollars per month and this trend is nowhere near ending anytime soon. While it is difficult to gauge the increases from one month to the next, these rate hikes add up to a substantial amount of money over the course of a year and can often be compared to the compounding interest that many of the worst credit card companies are currently trying to charge. In some states, electrical bills are as high as 50% more than this time last year while the usage has remained the same or decreased, and this is an alarming problem that has to be addressed. Although as consumers we can not yet survive completely without the power company, there are still a few ways to beat them at their own game. This week, Coupon Shack will focus on reducing your energy bill without making drastic sacrifices. Of course, at Coupon Shack our expertise is saving all of you money while shopping online; and truth be told we knew very little about shaving dollars off of our electric bills. In order to gain this type in insight we turned to one of our partner stores, AJ Madison, since their online showroom educates customers everyday on ways to conserve power. After sitting down and spending some time with one of their department managers, here’s what we found out-

1. Solar and Wind Power
While both of these technologies are a viable option if you have about $10,000 to spend, the price point just isn’t quite low enough to be considered worth adding onto an existing home. If you’re on the market to purchase a home and can combine the cost of solar energy into your mortgage though, that extra fifty dollars per month will be offset by having little or no electrical bill at all. Wind turbines work best in areas that receive a steady wind speed of 10 MPH or greater, while solar panels rely on the proper positioning of your home and the surrounding terrain so you can capture as much sunlight as possible. The best news is that these sources of power can be harnessed directly into your local power company’s lines, so if there is electricity left over at the end of the month they will send a check to your mailbox for the difference.
2. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
While I personally was not convinced that the new compact fluorescent light bulbs were true energy savers, the math certainly does not lie. Each bulb you replace within your home will save approximately $5 per year off of your electric bill, which in itself does not seem like a lot but the average home has thirty or more lights. The savings grows even bigger when comparing larger, more powerful outside lights so be sure to change those right away. Even though these types of light bulbs may cost more for the initial purchase, each one will last for years which makes up for the difference in cost all by itself. The savings is not massive, but a switch to all CFL bulbs within your home should shave about $10 per month off of your energy bill.
3. Air Conditioning/ Heating
This is the main topic of discussion since we have to remain comfortable within our home environments, and air conditioning is also where most of us make the biggest mistakes. Central air is expensive to have installed (around $3000 to $5000 for the unit and labor) but if you look at your energy usage when using multiple fans and window shakers, it is very likely that your residence is using in excess of $50 per month of similarly sized homes with built in A/C. Now, that $600 per year that you are wasting may sound a lot better than several thousand, but between the government incentives on Energy Star units and the tax rebates; it is entirely possible that the $50 per month being thrown to the wolves will come close to making your entire purchase if you opt for short term financing. Like we mentioned above with the solar panel advice; if you’re purchasing a new home be sure to get this purchase included within the contract for instant savings. Home Depot runs periodic specials where their credit card holders will receive 0% financing for twelve months on any purchase over a few hundred dollars, and since they both sell and install A/C units this is a very smart way of tackling your home energy bill. Newer Energy Star units can use as much as 40% less power than a central air conditioning system that was installed 10+ years ago, and if you’re relying on fans and window units you can realistically cut your entire electric bill in half. Another tip from AJ Madison is to change out your air filters monthly since this can increase efficiency by as much as 20%. Also remember that central air reduces the overall humidity which literally makes you more comfortable, while portable units just blow cold air. Changing your home from fans and smaller units to a new Energy Star system can save as much as $70 per month off of your electric bill.
4. Hot Water Heater
For many of you this part of your electric bill probably rivals air conditioning expenses, and heating your water accounts for the vast majority of this cost. Tankless hot water heaters are undoubtedly the way to go; they are inexpensive, heat water on demand, and shut off when not in use. The average tankless hot water heater will reduce your monthly electrical expenses by 20% or more, and it also benefits your dishwasher and laundry machines. AJ Madison has a great selection on tankless hot water heaters at the lowest prices anywhere on the internet, and they are very easy to install yourself.
5. Appliances
Other appliances around the home also chug down their fair share of power, and one of the leading culprits is the refrigerator. If your unit is twenty years old it uses double the energy that modern units require, and making this change could easily save $10 to $15 per month off of your overall bill. Dishwashers and are nowhere near as costly when it comes to comparing older and recent models, but an average of 25% improved efficiency can be expected with each of them. Modern stoves require about the same amount of power, but since they heat so quickly they are only in use for a fraction of the time so it still saves a good bit of electricity. If you switch out each of your major home appliances that savings could result in as much as 40% less overall power consumption, while making your life a whole lot more comfortable. Many of these appliances also carry government incentives, but the instant savings will disappear by the end of the summer since Congress is re-allocating much of this money towards other projects. Home Depot applies for these rebates on the spot when you make your purchase, so if you act fast then you’ll definitely be able to get in on the incentives.

Posted by Keith on October 20, 2010     Tags: Go Green


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