October Is Energy Action Month!

The month of October is Energy Action Month, this is the month to start doing all those things you promised yourself and your pocketbook you would start doing in order to conserve energy. To honor this month we are doing a series of blog posts for the month to educate the public on what they can do at home and in their businesses to conserve energy and increase their sustainability. This week we will focus on what you can do in your home to take action for energy and water conservation.

An often overlooked practice that you can cut out of your dishwashing routine can save you tons. That drying cycle you use after every cycle your dishwasher goes through uses a substantial amount of energy. After your dishes are clean in lieu of using the drying cycle open the dishwasher drawer and let them air dry. This can cut your dishwasher energy use by up to 15%.

Hot water heaters are one of the last appliances people consider when trying to save money on energy consumption. According to energy.gov having your hot water temperature set too high or at 140° F, you could be loosing anywhere from $36 to $61 annually on wasted energy. Every 10° reduction in the temperature saves you 3-5%. Another tip to consider, when traveling and you intend on being away from your house longer than 3 days, its a good idea to set the temperature to its lowest setting to conserve as much energy as possible.

Energy conservation goes hand in hand with water conservation, think about replacing old toilets and old shower heads. Replacing an old toilet can save up to 4 gallons of water PER FLUSH! Low flow showerheads still give you enough pressure to enjoy your shower but save up to 2 gallons of water PER MINUTE! These two items are something that contributes to major water waste because of the amount they are used daily, making this change saves you money and ensures our planet is healthy for future generations.

One of the products we always recommend to our clients in their businesses and their homes are our programmable thermostats. They don’t have to be as fancy as the nest or even cost as much as one either. These thermostats can you save you money by allowing you to set schedules for away and home temperatures. Your house will be set to a higher temperature when you are away saving you money on energy consumption and cool itself down for when you arrive back home. Turning your thermostat back 10°-15° for 8 hours can save you 5%-15% annually on your energy bill.

We all know that all of the little things we do to conserve energy can be added up to great savings. Things, like reducing your shower time and adding aerators to your facets in the house, save a substantial amount of water annually. Clean your dryer lint trap before every use, this ensures your dryer is running as efficiently as possible. Electronic devices that can go into a “hibernate” or “sleep” mode can cost you $30 annually per device, simply turning them off instead of letting them “sleep” can save you a bundle.