tangledweb.tv

With the onset of winter looming overhead, it behooves most people to begin finding ways of saving money while comfortably heating their homes.

Start with the following are numerous energy-saving methods that are quick and simple to implement with negligible expense:

Change out  light bulbs. Lighting one’s residence accounts for about 20% of the electricity bill. Swapping out energy-starved incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs)  in just five most commonly used lights will yield savings of over $80 a year in energy costs.

Shut off computers and other electronic devices. If a household machine isn’t in use, such as a home PC, power it down or put it into sleep mode.

Install timers and sensors. These cheap gadgets can cut residential lighting costs by as much as 40% by deactivating lights in empty rooms or rarely-occupied areas.

Once the aforementioned basic recommendations have been fulfilled, consider the next two energy efficiency upgrades:

Add or repair your insulation. With properly installed insulation, a house will retain much more warmth, a definite boon during a frigid winter. Many houses with older insulation need to be checked for defects that develop over time such as gaps or voids that could allow cold air to permeate.

Add radiant barrier. A perfect complement to effective insulation, radiant barrier helps to create a seal that traps heat in and blocks out cold air.

The onslaught of winter doesn’t have to end up ravaging your residence with exorbitant electricity expenses. Click here to read more about energy efficient modifications for your home.

Nowadays, we are bombarded with propaganda about saving the environment, combating global warming, protecting the whales, trees, and all manner of wildlife and plantlife teetering precariously on the verge of extinction. All of this can be quite overwhelming and sometimes a bit sensational. However, if there were some measure of instant gratification in it for us, would we be more apt to participate?

Enter special “upgrades” you can economically perform on your home, such as fixing insulation, repairing leaky duct work, and installing solar panels and solar hot water heaters. The federal government is offering special tax credits on these approved renewable energy efficiency add-ons and renovations for residences. In addition, many utility companies are providing incentives for carrying out these upgrades.

In this time of economic blight, everyone is hard-pressed to save money where possible. We can be confident that reducing dependence on polluting fossil fuels by making our homes more energy efficient will not only put extra money in our pocket but help to protect the environment as well.

If you are interested in reading more, check out Custom Energy Design’s informative website.