Little Things Save a Lot

By Magen Howard

It is easy to get overwhelmed by two words: energy efficiency. What should I do? How should I do it? Do I have to replace my entire heating and cooling system to see savings?

The easy answer is no, you can do a lot of upgrading with little money.

On your next trip to the home improvement or local hardware store, take this shopping guide with you. It lists five areas where a few simple energy-efficiency investments will produce savings right away.

Lighting

Since lighting accounts for about 11 percent of home energy use, switch your traditional incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). An Energy Star-qualified CFL uses about 75 percent less energy than a traditional bulb, lasts up to 10 times longer and can save about $40 in energy costs over its lifetime. A four-pack of 14-watt CFLs (equivalent to a 60-watt incandescent) runs about $6.

Filling the Cracks

A tube of caulk and a roll of weather stripping can go a long way toward saving money on your electricity bill. It is easy to find where cold air leaks in around doors and windows. Simply hold your hand out and feel. Caulk around windows, dryer vents and fans for about $2 a tube, and weather strip around doors for about $4 a roll.

There are also some not-so-obvious places for air to flow in and out of your home, notably outlets and behind switch plates.

To see if you have air flowing through your outlets or switch plates, light a stick of incense, hold it in front and watch for the smoke to be disrupted. You can find special sealing kits for outlets and switch plates for about $2.

And don’t forget about applying weather stripping around your attic hatch or pull-down stairs. You also might want to install an insulator box to place over the opening. A kit costs around $40.

Sealing these cracks can save you around $200 a year, according to TogetherWeSave.com. The website, operated by Touchstone Energy Cooperatives, shows how little changes add up to big savings.

Programmable Thermostat

Beginning at $40, a programmable thermostat becomes a larger investment, but you could save $180 a year with the proper settings. For the biggest impact, program your thermostat to raise the temperature during summer and lower it in the winter while you are out of the house. You also can program it to dip lower at night while sleeping. The thermostat can be set to automatically revert to a comfortable setting shortly before you arrive home or wake up.

While programmable thermostats are helpful, they are not for everyone. These gadgets are best for people who are away from home for extended periods throughout the week.

Sealing Ductwork

More than 40 percent of your home’s energy use goes for heating and cooling, so it is important to keep that air in the home. Leaky ductwork remains one of the main culprits of hot and cold air loss.

If your home’s ducts are exposed, inspect them for leaks and seal them. Look for holes and joints that have separated, and then seal them with foil-backed tape, about $6 a roll, or mastic, a type of sealant that costs about $12 a tub.

You can apply the mastic with a regular paintbrush. Make sure the tape is marked with the Underwriters Laboratories UL symbol, which means it has been independently tested for safety.

Properly sealing ductwork can save about $170 a year, according to TogetherWeSave.com.

Water Heater Insulation

Blankets are not just for keeping people warm. A water heater blanket can save you 4 percent to 9 percent in water heating costs—a big ticket item because 12 percent of your home’s energy use goes toward water heating.

How do you know if your water heater needs more insulation? Touch it. If it is warm, wrap it. Choose a blanket with an insulating value of at least R-8, which runs about $20.

TogetherWeSave.com also reports that you can also save more than $70 a year by keeping your water heater’s thermostat set at 120 F.

Larger Projects

If you want to make larger investments in your home, adding insulation or upgrading appliances are great starters. For more information on insulation, visit http://www.EnergySavers.gov. To learn about the most energy-efficient appliances, visit http://www.energystar.gov.

Magen Howard writes on consumer and cooperative affairs for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.