There are many energy-saving things you can do to your home or automobile that are not only environmentally friendly, but will reduce your costs.
Energy-Saving Tips for Your Home
1. Install a programmable thermostat. Save up to 10% on energy costs when you set your thermostat to lower the temperature when you’re sleeping or away. You may even get an energy-saving rebate from your utility company. Learn more about programmable thermostats.
2. Add heat-blocking window coverings. Keep heat in during winter and out during summer when you replace sheer curtains with heavier drapes or blinds.
3. Reduce your water heater’s temperature setting. Use a kitchen thermometer to test the temperature of the hot water coming out of your tap. To prevent scalding injuries, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends 120 degrees at the faucet (your water heater may need to be set slightly higher than 120 since water can lose heat as it travels through the system). If you can decrease your tank’s temperature from where it’s set now, you’ll save energy and reduce water-heating costs.
A word of caution: Don’t be tempted to turn down your water heater too much. That could allow dangerous bacteria like Legionella to grow. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends tank temperatures of 140 degrees, at least for multifamily residences.
4. Switch to modern showerheads. Federal regulations limit showerhead flow to 2.5 gallons per minute (gpm) or less. Many showerheads made before 1992 had flow rates of 5.5 gpm, so if that’s what you have, installing new, efficient showerheads could reduce your water use by half!
5. Insulate the attic and crawlspace. Know your insulation’s R-values (short for “thermal resistance”) and if it’s lacking, beef it up to recommendations for your area. Check R-value maps from the U.S. Department of Energy.
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Energy Saving Tips for Your Car
1. Turn ignition off instead of idling. Why burn gasoline and pump exhaust into the air when you’re going nowhere? Turn off your engine when you’re delayed by road construction or waiting in a long ferry line. Some newer cars even shut themselves off at stoplights.
2. Don’t warm up the car. At least not if you drive a modern fuel-injected car. Their sensors adjust the gasoline and air mix to account for cold temperatures, unlike their carbureted predecessors that did need a warm-up on frosty mornings.
3. Inflate tires to manufacturers’ specifications. Underinflated tires take more energy to roll, cutting fuel economy. Here are more reasons to watch your tires’ inflation.
4. Use cruise control. The consistent speed boosts mileage and saves fuel. Don’t use cruise control in the rain or snow, though, it can make driving dangerous. (Keep this in mind: If wipers on, cruise control off.)
5. Reduce weight in the trunk. Added weight (like sports equipment you won’t use until spring) reduces gas mileage, sending you to the pumps more often. However, if you have a front-wheel-drive auto it’s a good idea to add weight over the back tires in snowy or icy weather. This improves traction.
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Source: PEMCO Insurance Co.
