5 Simple Ways to Help Lower Your Energy Bills

Here are just a few things you can do to help lower your energy bills or help make your home more energy efficient:

  1. Replace traditional light bulbs with energy efficient bulbs. Energy Star bulbs use one-third less energy. By simply replacing the five most frequently used light fixtures in your house you could save up to $60 a year. These bulbs can last up to seven years. In addition, they distribute light more efficiently and evenly than standard fixtures and come in hundreds of decorative styles.
  2. Add insulation to keep the cool air inside in summer. Insulation tends to become compacted over the years and loses some of its original efficiency. Another layer over the present one will better insulate the home, bringing back to its original level. There are some "environmentally friendly" products made of newspapers, soybeans and even recycled blue jeans, which you should consider in order to eliminate the possibility of breathing in stray fibers.
  3. Protect your pipes by covering them with a special insulating wrap. It comes in pre-cut foam that simply slips over the hot water pipes in crawl spaces, garages, basements or attic to keep the water temperature consistent.
  4. By installing a ceiling fan, you can redirect the cool air in a room and keep it circulating.
  5. Close draperies on the side of the house where the sun comes in. Otherwise the sun's heat will warm the room and make your air conditioning system work harder, using more energy to keep it cool.

And, here's a sixth tip to help out even more. There's a way to actually paint insulation right on your walls while adding new color to a room. Now, you can mix a nontoxic ceramic powder into the paint that will reduce the amount of conditioned air passing through your walls to the outside. The ceramic particles in the powder make a barrier that reflects the cool air back into the room. What will they think of next?

Posted: 3/25/2008 4:23:43 PM by Sam