Save Money by Saving Energy!!!

Why Save Energy?

It should be no surprise that energy costs are at an all-time high and they show no sign, whatsoever, that the prices will fall, ever. In fact, energy costs are on a steady incline with no sign of mercy for our bank accounts. Among the many reasons for this incline is the scarcity of oil and fossil fuels, and President Obama’s “war on coal”. This new campaign to enforce more regulations on coal plants will require coal processing energy plants across America to spend BILLIONS of dollars on new equipment and systems to help reduce pollution.

Now, I’m all about reducing pollution; in fact, for Mother Nature’s sake, I think it is a great idea. However, the rise in costs for the energy plants means that those costs will soon be trickling their way into our own electricity bills. Call it cutting back, going green, conserving energy, whatever – the fact of the matter is, we as consumers need to take some action to compensate for the rising costs, before we all end up having to take on extra jobs just to keep the lights on!

It’s no surprise that “going green” is one of the fastest growing trends out there, and it has been for a few years, now. Though many of the “green” products on the market today seem a little pricey – even like a luxury to some, becoming more eco-friendly has TONS of benefits, which, added all together, are well worth the cost. So, why go green? First of all, it will help to improve our overall health in our homes and communities, and if enough people get on board, it could start to provide a much more sustainable future not only for us, but for our children and our children’s children.

Of course, health and sustainability are not the only motivations for reducing our carbon footprint. The big, fat, obvious reason is MONEY! Think of how much money you pay to your electric company each year; is it really worth it? If we all take some simple steps to cut back our energy usage, we could all save THOUSANDS each year!

 

How to Save on Energy Costs

            There are lots of products out there on the market to help cut back on your energy usage, like nice and shiny (and expensive) “high efficiency” appliances, CFL bulbs or LED lighting, and all kinds of other items that promise to reduce the amount of energy your home consumes, but really don’t make any significant difference in your bill. However, there are some ways you can start cutting costs without spending a fortune on the latest gadgets and doodads. Check out these tips you can implement around your home that actually will have an impact on your bill. Some are pretty much common sense, but I feel they are still important, so I will leave them in there. I found this list of information on Wiki How….

1.)  Fix the drafts. In an average house, up to 50 percent of heat is lost through drafts. To test an area, simply hold the palm of your hand up against a door or window. If you feel cold air coming through, warm air is escaping. This is simple to fix and can save you hundreds on your yearly heating bill. Fit draft excluders around all exterior doors and interior if need. Fit draft excluders around all exterior doors and interior if need. Fill in any cracks or crevices on window frames, skirting boards or floors with a filler or sealant. Fill in any cracks or crevices on window frames, skirting boards or floors with a filler or sealant. Close the curtains or shutters after dark fall to trap in the warm air and prevent drafts. If your door has a large crack under it, consider covering it with something (some stores sell cute ‘door-crack blockers’)

2.)  Turn down the thermostat. Turn down the thermostat. Turning your thermostat down by just 1 degree can reduce your energy consumption by over 5 percent. You won’t even notice the difference in room temperature. On the same note, don’t heat rooms when you are not using them.

3.)  Decrease the hot water temperature. Decrease the hot water temperature. Your hot water thermostat needn’t be higher than 60 degrees centigrade (140 degrees Fahrenheit). Any higher and you will only be mixing it with cold water to cool it back down for use. Give your boiler regular check ups, especially if you have had it for a few years.

4.)  Turn off appliances and lighting. Turn off any appliances you are not using, especially by switching off lights when you leave the room. Don’t leave fridge or freezer doors open for longer than necessary, and don’t forget your freezer needs to be defrosted regularly for it to run efficiently. Don’t use the “standby” function on you TV, stereo and DVD player. Unplug these appliances, as well as your microwave, when you are not going to be using them for over half a day. Appliances left on standby mode can draw an average of 5-10 percent of household energy use! And if you need light during the day, open the curtains. let the sun shine in and use it as light. Turn off your computer Leaving the screen saver on will not save any energy. Screen savers can use more energy than when you are using the computer yourself, and can reduce the life of your monitor. Instead, enable the display blanking feature to automatically turn off the monitor when your computer is idle. You can save $50-$100 per year by enabling your computer to ‘sleep’ automatically when you are not using. Another way to reduce power while using computers is to reduce screen brightness. This will also increase the battery time for your laptop. Also replacing your CRT Monitor with an LCD monitor leads to 66% reduction in the energy consumed by CRT monitors

5.)    Wash economically. Only use the washing machine when you have collected a full load. Only use the washing machine when you have collected a full load. If you must wash a partial load, use the economy or half load setting. Also, modern washers work just as effectively at 40 degrees as they do at 60, but the difference in temperature will make a difference in terms of energy used. If you are in the market for a new washer, buy a front loader. These washers are used extensively in Europe and save considerable amounts of water and energy compared to top-loading washers.Tumble dryers use up a huge amount of energy. Tumble dryers use up a huge amount of energy. If possible, hang your clothes on a line instead. This is better for your clothes as well. Washing economically doesn’t just apply to your clothes. Washing economically doesn’t just apply to your clothes. Taking a shower instead of a bath uses around 50 percent less energy.

6.)  Insulate. Up to a third of your home heating escapes through the roof. Prevent this by insulating. Not only is it simple to do, but it’s also the most cost efficient energy saving measure you can make. If you don’t already have it, invest in cavity wall insulation. This will prevent another third of your heat escaping. Another options is to have a professional install radiant barrier in your attic. Radiant barrier acts as a barrier from the suns radiant heat. By reducing the radiant heat in your attic it causes it to be cooler making your heat load less and your cooling system will run less. It also makes your cooling system last longer.Radiant barrier works well in the winter (most areas)as well. It keeps the radiant heat in the home.

7.)    Reuse water which comes out of the tap that would drain otherwise. When you turn up the hot water on a tap, put a container under the tap until the water is warm enough. Then use the water in the container to water plants or use for other purposes. This saves a surprising amount of water. Reuse water which comes out of the tap that would drain otherwise. Look for grants available to help make your home energy efficient. Saving energy is such a vital issue that grants are now becoming more readily available to help you make the necessary home improvements. In many parts of the world, energy suppliers, the government and your local council all offer help in paying for energy saving measures. Check out their websites or telephone a local official for further information.

 

8.)  Use energy efficient appliances. Use energy efficient appliances. From light bulbs to kitchen goods to home entertainment equipment – there are a plethora of energy efficient appliances now on the market. Amazingly, they can use 50 percent less than other models, and up to a quarter less for light bulbs. Have a look at the energy saving trusts website to see their product recommendations.

9.)  Switch to eco-friendly energy. Switch to eco-friendly energy. Many energy suppliers are now offering power from renewable sources rather than polluting fossil fuels. Do your research to find out which company in your area is offering green energy. The US Department of Energy provides a map that makes it easy if you live in the US. It won’t take long to fill out the forms but the consequences will last lifetimes.

Let’s take a look at that last one, especially. Switching to renewable energy should have been at the top of the list, if you ask me. In fact, it is the number one way to reduce your carbon footprint, and save tons of money. However, it can also be the most expensive. In fact, most basic alternative energy set-ups(like solar panels) will cost you anywhere from fifteen to twenty THOUSAND dollars! There are alternative energy companies out there making one hell of a profit to help people “go green”. The only thing going green there, is the wallets of those companies, and the faces of the ones paying for it. They are charging an arm and a leg to help people “escape” their monthly electric bills, but instead, most of their customers are paying just as much a month, if not- more just to have the systems installed! It’s highway robbery, and at the rate these companies are charging for their products, the customers are saving no money at all. I stumbled across a couple systems that claim to be able to provide you with enough energy to not only get out from under your electric company, but to have them begin to PAY YOU for providing more energy than your home uses!

Hojomotor.com was the first one I came across, and it sounds promising, except that their site seems to be full of crap. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve heard of the Howard Johnson motor before, and the logic seems valid. It basically consists of an electric motor that drives a powerful generator, which puts out enough power to keep the motor running and then some; a process called over-unity. I have seen working versions of this, and I believe in the idea. However, I do not believe all that the site advertises. I remember a few years ago, coming across a similar ad, in fact it may have been the same one. The ad at that time said the same thing about the price: that first it was $200 for the building plans, then $100, then $89, but now you can get it at the low price of just 47$…

In other words, they are full of crap about that. Second, I know from experience that those plans that they claim are so easy, anybody can do it – aren’t. To build a  real working Howard Johnson motor, you need to have a high aptitude and skill level for mechanical engineering, even with comprehensive instructions. The site also says you can build it entirely out of items from your local hardware store and that the parts needed are cheap – and that’s another load of crap. Anything that has a motor and a generator included in its parts list will cost you more than just a couple hundred dollars.

I would recommend this site to the DIY-er with a high skill level in mechanics and electricity, and even then, you must be willing to fork out some cash for all the parts you will need to make it work. However, to those ambitious enough, it would serve as a fun project that could actually save you some money in the long run.

The better of the two things I found, and the one I will most likely be spending my own hard earned cash on, is Earth 4 Energy. With a solid price of $49.97, and a 60 day 100% money back guarantee, it seems like a safer bet financially, right from the get-go. The pitch video has lots of good information in it that I generally agree with. Earth 4 Energy is a company that gives you complete and comprehensive instructions with videos and PDF files that show you how to build your own professional grade solar panels at a fraction of what you would pay to have them made and installed.

It comes with everything you will need except for the physical materials you will need. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that building a solar panel is MUCH easier than trying to put together a complex motor/generator system; and it certainly does not require as many parts and/or know-how. Instead of investing thousands to convert your house to solar energy, this package will take you through the step-by-step process including what materials you will need, where to find the materials at the best price, how to assemble the parts with professional quality, and most importantly, how to install them in your home safely, and professionally. And without any moving parts like the Hojo motor, you won’t have to worry about things getting worn out or burned up from over use.

Without a doubt, this seems like the best investment you can possibly make for your home, your family, and also your wallet! I am an avid Do-It-Yourself-er, and I will be getting started on my own solar panels with this instruction manual as soon as I can; and I highly recommend that anybody that wants to stop paying outrageous electric bills, help the environment, and reduce your carbon foot print does the same! Depending on the size of your home, and how much energy you require, you could go completely off-grid for less than $1000 total investment, and it starts with the $50 instruction manual. Even if you aren’t interested in going completely off-grid, but just want to save some cash on your bills in the long run, it only costs as much as $100-$300 to make a single panel, which is a heck of a lot less than you would pay a professional, and it could start instantly saving you 50-75$ a month – with just one panel!

Don’t take my word for it, though, go check out Earth 4 Energy for yourself, and see what you think.

Thank you!