Energy Saving Tips

Upon receipt of my electric bill, I noticed there was a graph showing my utility charges for the past 12 months. During the summer months of the past, I realized it had really skyrocketed.Although summer was still some months away, I decided there were some things I could do about this now. So I took a look around the house.

I noticed around the windows on the outside of my home there were small cracks. It was then and there that I started making my list. The cracks could easily be sealed with some inexpensive silicone to be purchased at the local hardware store for only about $2.50 a tube. Filling the cracks would help keep the cool air in and the warm air out of my home.

Upon inspection the seals around the doors of the home were quite dried and cracked. Another item for my list. These seals can easily be replaced in a matter of minutes. I'll just pull of the old seals. Remove the adhesive with some liquid adhesive remover. Then replace them with a new seal.

My next inspection included a trip to the attic with a simple measuring tape. The insulation in our area should be 15 inches deep. By purchasing an insulation blanket I can finish this project in just a couple of hours.

Another thing to check while I was in the attic was ventilation. There were vents on each end of the house, but I also decided it is a good idea to consider putting in some fans. I will need to call in an expert for their opinion and get at least 3 quotes before making a final decision on this project.

Keeping the blinds down on the west side of my home when the sun is setting will also help keep the cool air in to some extent.

Thoughts that followed were why stop with the electric bill. As I stepped into the shower I realized all the water I had wasted while waiting for the water to warm. I decided I could catch the water in a bucket and use it to water the plants later. This will also help the water shortages they are having in some areas of the country.

I took note as I looked around the neighborhood at other homes. Two easily noticeable aspects were storm doors and awnings around windows. Now although I wasn't sure how the awnings would look over the windows of my home, I thought the storm doors would make a significant improvement. Even though they are called storm doors they have many other uses. In the evenings when it is cool you can put in the screens and enjoy the breeze throughout the home without running th air conditioning. The will also help to keep the cool air in and the warm air out of the house. As for the awnings, they will provide a shade over the windows all summer long.

Another observance was shade trees. Shade trees put in the right place around my home will not only add to the landscaping and environment, but they will also add shade to help keep my home cool all summer long.

Now I will finish of my list and head to the hardware store.