NCEC, Inc - Energy Savers

Keep Your Energy Bill Out of Hot Water
                                    Water heating can be expensive, but there are a number of ways to lower
                                    your costs. One way is to use less water. Repair leaky faucets immediately
                                    and use low-flow shower heads. (A family of four, each showering for five
                                    minutes a day, uses 700 gallons of water a week; you can cut that amount
                                    in half by using low-flow aerating shower heads.) Insulate your hot-water
                                    storage tank and pipes, and drain a quart of water from your water tan
                                    every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and
                                    lowers the efficiency of your heater (follow the manufacturer's instructions).
                                    Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees; water heaters
                                    come from the factory with higher temperature settings than are necessary.
                                    When buying a new water heater, compare energy guide labels to find an
                                    energy efficient model. Check out Water Heating for more tips.
                                    (U.S. Department of Energy)

Lower Your Indoor Lighting Costs
Increasing your lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your
electricity bills. Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider
installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of
time your lights are on. Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire
room, focus the light where you need it.   For example, use fluorescent
under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and counter tops under cabinets.
Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when
brighter light is not necessary. Finally, use compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs);
they are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 6 to 10 times
longer. CFLs are more expensive than incandescent bulbs, but they pay for
themselves by saving energy over their lifetime.
(U.S. Department of Energy)

Save On Outdoor Lighting

Make Those Summer Bills Cool Down
Did you know that space cooling is the biggest user of energy in the summer? It’s true! There are,
however, many ways you can reduce energy costs while keeping your summer cool. By simply turning
your thermostat back ten to 15 degrees for eight hours each day, you can save as much as ten percent
a year on your heating and cooling bills. Many thermostats come with an automatic setting. When using
a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the air conditioner according to a
preset schedule. Here are other money saving tips designed to keep cooling costs down.

Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature. Keep your house warmer when you
aren’t home during the day, but cooler when you come home at night.
Keep the outside air conditioner unit free of air flow obstructions and trim back trees and shrubs at
least two feet.
Check filters on air conditioners at least twice a month; change as necessary. For central air
units, the filters are part of the furnace. For window units, they are behind the grill. Dirty filters
limit airflow and force equipment to work harder and use more energy.
Keep cooled air inside the home. Caulk and weatherstrip around doors and windows, close the
fireplace damper and fill holes and gaps where wiring and pipes enter the house.
Do laundry, wash dishes, shower, and mop floors in the late evening or early morning to decrease
humidity during the hottest parts of the day.
Make sure your clothes dryer and attic are well ventilated.
Another long-term way to make your home cooler is to plant shade trees on the south and west
side of your home.

Energy Savers

Many homeowners use outdoor lighting for decoration and security. When
shopping for outdoor lights, you will find a variety of products, from low-voltage
pathway lighting to motion-detector floodlights. Some stores also carry lights
powered by small photo voltaic (PV) modules that convert sunlight directly into
electricity; consider PV-powered lights for areas that are not close to an existing
power supply line. (U.S. Department of Energy)

Click the above picture
to use a light bulb
energy saver
calculator.