Home Energy Saving Tips

With the price of everything rising, saving money on your home energy bill is always a nice thing. Some little do it yourself projects, that don’t cost a lot, can save you a good hunk of change. A look around your basement or crawl space could revel some areas where you could add some insulation or seal up some drafty holes that will help reduce your energy bill. Adding weather stripping and caulking around doors and windows that leak air. Where plumbing, electrical wiring and duct work comes through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets you will want to add some foam or caulk. Install foam gaskets behind cover plates of your outlets and switches. Add insulation to your water heater and the water piping going to your water heater. These are all simple jobs you can accomplish in a few hours that will be well worth your time and a few dollars for material that will pay off for a long time to come. Change to energy efficeint light bulbs is a great way to save money. Check out our article Change-a-light-bulb-save-some-money On the Next Page we show you how to insulate your water heater and pipes to save on your energy bill. [nextpagelink][/nextpagelink] Using the tips below, your savings will surely exceed the cost of these small improvements. Insulating your hot water pipes reduces heat loss and can raise water temperature 2°F–4°F hotter than uninsulated pipes can deliver, allowing you to lower your water temperature setting. You also won't have to wait as long for hot water when you turn on a faucet or shower head, which helps conserve water. Paying for someone to insulate your pipes—as a project on its own—may not make economic sense. But having the insulation done during new construction of a home, during other work on your water heater or pipes, or insulating the pipes yourself, is well worth the effort. In special cases, such as when the fuel used for heating water is very expensive, the distance traveled by the pipes is far, the pipes are exposed to very cold air (in which case they should be insulated anyway to prevent freezing), and if the household uses a lot of water, much higher energy savings can be obtained. In these cases, cost savings may offset paying for someone to do the job for you. Energy.gov. Insulating your hot water tank can also save you a good bit of coin over time. Head over to the Next Page to see important tips on properly install an insulation blanked on your water heater. [nextpagelink][/nextpagelink] According to the Energy Dept. 16% of the average homes energy usage goes to heating water. Anything you do to keep from losing heat from these appliances will put a big bite in that number. Just like insulating your walls or roof, insulating your hot water tank is an easy and inexpensive way to improve energy efficiency and save you money each month. If your water tank is new, it is likely already insulated. If you have an older hot water tank, check to see if it has insulation with an R-value of at least 24. If not, consider insulating your water tank, which could reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45% and save you about 7%–16% in water heating costs—and should pay for itself in about a year. You can find pre-cut jackets or blankets available from around $20. If you don't know your water heater tank's R-value, touch it. A tank that is warm to the touch needs additional insulation. Energy.gov Here is a great video on adding insulation to you water heater.