The Basics 4 simple, cheap energy-saving tricks
Simple, cheap energy tricks
While pondering the energy-mortgage plunge, consider a few interim savings tricks that even the most adamant 'can't-do-it-myselfer' can actually do.
Buy a programmable thermostat. This is especially helpful if a home is vacant during the brunt of the daytime hours, says Harry Misuriello, director of national programs for The Alliance to Save Energy. 'It's about 30 bucks in a blister pack at your home improvement center and most people can install it themselves,' he said. 'Set it to turn on a half-hour before the first person gets home. … It pays back pretty quickly.'
Add more energy-efficient insulation to your attic, preferably with a resistance rating of R-21 to R-30, Misuriello says. 'It's pretty easy to roll on.'
Caulk over cracks around windows. And invest in a few weatherstripping kits if you've got drafty doors, Misurielle said. A quarter-inch gap at the bottom of a standard door can equal the energy loss of a 3-inch-by-3-inch hole in the wall, energy experts say.
Change lighting. Lighting can be a drain. Compact fluorescent bulbs are much more energy-efficient than standard bulbs and usually last for years instead of months, said Dana Bres, research engineer for the Washington, D.C.-based Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.
'They cost more but typically produce the equivalent amount of light with about a fifth of the power,'' he said. 'At 12 to 15 watts, you get the equivalent of 60 watts, and they will last from 7,000 to 15,000 hours, consume little power and generate little heat, so you're not paying your air conditioner a lot of money to remove that heat.' (You should keep some standard bulbs around for reading to avoid eye strain.)
While pondering the energy-mortgage plunge, consider a few interim savings tricks that even the most adamant 'can't-do-it-myselfer' can actually do.
Buy a programmable thermostat. This is especially helpful if a home is vacant during the brunt of the daytime hours, says Harry Misuriello, director of national programs for The Alliance to Save Energy. 'It's about 30 bucks in a blister pack at your home improvement center and most people can install it themselves,' he said. 'Set it to turn on a half-hour before the first person gets home. … It pays back pretty quickly.'
Add more energy-efficient insulation to your attic, preferably with a resistance rating of R-21 to R-30, Misuriello says. 'It's pretty easy to roll on.'
Caulk over cracks around windows. And invest in a few weatherstripping kits if you've got drafty doors, Misurielle said. A quarter-inch gap at the bottom of a standard door can equal the energy loss of a 3-inch-by-3-inch hole in the wall, energy experts say.
Change lighting. Lighting can be a drain. Compact fluorescent bulbs are much more energy-efficient than standard bulbs and usually last for years instead of months, said Dana Bres, research engineer for the Washington, D.C.-based Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing.
'They cost more but typically produce the equivalent amount of light with about a fifth of the power,'' he said. 'At 12 to 15 watts, you get the equivalent of 60 watts, and they will last from 7,000 to 15,000 hours, consume little power and generate little heat, so you're not paying your air conditioner a lot of money to remove that heat.' (You should keep some standard bulbs around for reading to avoid eye strain.)
