5 Tips for Energy Efficiency : Rooftop Views

Rooftop Views

5 Tips for Energy Efficiency

Our friends at Lowe's offer these 5 tips to make your home more energy efficient - and save you money!

Check windows and doors.

An inexpensive method of weatherizing windows involves attaching thin, clear plastic film to the window trim inside of the house using two-sided tape. The film is then stretched taut using heat from a blow dryer to remove wrinkles and creases.

Decorate your windows with efficiency — closed shutters, window shades, blinds, curtains and lined draperies. All contribute to energy savings by helping to insulate windows. For a long-range solution, consider installing efficient replacement windows, or storm windows and doors.

Heat lost through windows and doors represents a significant chunk of most heating bills. Some sources estimate that loss through windows alone could account for up to 35 percent of heating bills. If you are tired of watching your hard earned money slip through the cracks, there are things that you can do:Check around windows and doors with a candle or a light piece of thread on a windy day to determine where drafts are. This will reveal problem areas in need of immediate attention. Remove and replace damaged caulk and weather-stripping. Self-stick foam and rolled rubber weather-stripping are easy to install, and can contribute greatly to your home’s efficiency.Conserve with ENERGY STAR.® By choosing ENERGY STAR for every application in your home, you can save up to 20 percent or about $400 per year on your energy bills. Appliances account for about 20 percent of your household’s energy consumption, with the refrigerator and clothes dryer being the biggest culprits. A typical household does nearly 400 loads of laundry per year, using about 40 gallons of water per full load with a conventional washer. An ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer uses 18-25 gallons per load, saving you 7,000 gallons of water! An ENERGY STAR refrigerator uses less energy than a 75-watt bulb, saving you between $30-$70 a year.See the light. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL) are the most energy-efficient of all light bulbs. They use 67 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs and last longer: They cost more, but last up to sixteen times longer than incandescent bulbs.Programmable thermostats help reduce energy costs by lowering energy use during those times when you do not need it. A programmable thermostat can tell your home’s heating system to gear up for your arrival after work, or to knock off a bit until an hour or so before you get up in the morning.Turn down your water heater to 120° F and save up to 50 percent of a household’s hot water costs. Electric heaters benefit most from this approach to saving energy. Timers are also available which allow you to make the water heater conform to your water usage schedule. They prevent the water heater from trying to maintain hot water during periods when it is never used.