Reduce Energy Consumption, Save Money, Help the Environment

 

	Replace pollutant filled HVAC air filters. Clogged filters make your HVAC system work harder, making it use more energy, ultimately producing more carbon and costing you more money. I replace my HVAC filters every four to six months.
	Programmable Thermostats can be used to schedule times to turn your furnace and air conditioner off at times where no one is home and automatically turn on to make your air nice and comfortable when you get home. You can save up to 30% on your utility bills just by setting the temperature back when you’re not home.  By doing this, you can save some extra cash and reduce carbon emissions by approximately 9% over the course of a year.
	Buy Energy Star appliances or find the most energy efficient appliance by comparing yellow Energy Guide labels. My wife and I used these labels to help our family go green!
	Replace your incandescent bulbs with Compact Florescent Light bulbs (CFL's). Energy Star CFL bubls use 75% less energy then incandescent ones and they last up to 10 times longer. We use these types of bulbs wherever we can.
	Dim your interior lights. Dimming your lights by 25% will save you approximately 20% on your electric bill as well as make your bulbs last up to four years longer. If your lighting is anything like mine, you might have multiple recessed lights controlled by one switch. Instead of having all of them turned on as bright as they can go, I dim them down. Doing this still provides plenty of light.
	Insulate your hot water heater with a water heater blanket and make sure the temperature is set no higher then 120 degrees. Doing this will cut energy costs and save approximately 1,550 lbs. of carbon from going into the atmosphere. This is so easy to do!
	HIGH EFFICIENCY FURNACE AND AIR CONDITIONER (95% EFFICIENCY) If you have a furnace that is 10 years old or older, it’s probably within the 60 to 70% efficiency range, which means you waste up to 40 cents out of every dollar on fuel.
	Solar-Powered Attic Fan - During hot summer months: Attic temperatures can exceed 160°, and small, passive roof vents are often unable to dissipate this heat, which drives temperatures and cooling costs through the roof. During cold winter months: The heat trapped in your attic can melt the snow that accumulates on your roof, which could then refreeze, leading to destructive and costly ice damming. And all year long: Moisture from everyday activities such as showering and cooking produce water vapor that migrates into the attic, and could lead to mold and mildew. And if it saturates your insulation, it could cause fungal decay and destruction of your roof frame and decking.