This realization has sent me searching for any way to save a few dollars by finding the most efficient ways to conserve electricity and water.  Hopefully, I can enlighten you all on some tips that I have learned along the way. 

 So let’s examine room-by-room to see what can be done.

1. Kitchen

This is probably one of the easiest and hardest rooms to deal with depending on your situation.  For us, most of the appliances are already located in the house.  Refrigerator, stove, microwave, and dishwasher are all included.  HOWEVER, the refrigerator looks like it belongs in an 1980’s sitcom.  It is old and most likely NOT an Energy-Star Qualified appliance.  If you don’t know what that is we will explore it more later.  Basically, it’s a fancy phrase for an energy efficient appliance.  A typical 1980’s refrigerator will cost approx. $269 a year to run while a qualified Energy Star Refrigerator will cost approx. $56. That’s a savings of over $200 a year which is amazing if you ask me.  **Fun Fact** (or not so fun if you have an old refrigerator) If your current refrigerator was made before 1993, it uses twice the amount of energy used by newer models.  Luckily for me, I don’t have to go out and buy a new refrigerator because my parents have an extra one in their garage from the last time I moved out that IS Energy Star Qualified. WoooHoooo!  For those of you looking to invest, this would be a great option.  Most electric companies also offer a rebate if you donate your old refrigerator PLUS Energy Star also offers a rebate for new purchases.  Do some research!

Next, the stove… This is a tough one for us, we are moving into a place that is ALL run on electricity.  That means no gas at all.  Learning this was a big bummer for us because gas is typically less expensive.  Sooooo we must look at the alternatives.  Using the right size pots on our burners is one way to save energy.  What sense does it make using a 6” pot on an 8” burner.  Look how much energy we are paying for but not utilizing.  Also, by covering pots it helps to keep heat in.  For us, just by using the correct size burner, we can save about $36 dollars a year!

Dishwasher.. Personally I am not a big fan of dishwashers.  Operator error the first few times I used one (lets just say a lot of soap suds… EVERYWHERE), but they are a better alternative to hand washing dishes.  Anyways, best practice for using a dishwasher is to not pre-rinse your dishes.  Instead, just scrape food off.  Also, don’t start a cycle until you have a FULL dishwasher and DO NOT use the heated dry option.  Experiment time – try out these tips and see if your energy bill decreases.

Microwave – Use only to reheat or cook small portions.  You can reduce up to 80% of your cooking energy when using for small portions instead of using the oven or stove.

Sinks – Fix any and all leaks, a simple way to save water and electricity.  **Did you know? Hot water leaking at a rate of one drip per second can waste up to 1,661 gallons of water and $35 in electricity or natural gas a year? 

2. Garage/Laundry

Again, this whole “having-electricity-only-and-still-being-slightly-disappointed” means we must look into getting an electric dryer.  If you aren’t careful with these, you will likely be paying quite a lot of money to your electricity provider every month.  Besides looking for an Energy Star Qualified (we have to purchase one) there are other things that we can do to save some electricity.  Making sure we don’t over dry clothes as well as cleaning out the lint trap regularly, will ensure that we are utilizing all the energy in which we are paying.  Consider drying clothes for a short amount of time, then letting them hang dry.

The washing machine is a little easier- Make sure you are washing full loads, or if you aren’t, adjust the amount of water being used accordingly.  Additionally, look into washing your loads with cold water.  About 90% of the energy your washer uses goes to heating the water.  By switching to cold water, the average household can save more than $40 a year with an electric water heater or more than $30 a year with a gas water heater.

Slightly side note since we are talking garages right now: another way we are looking to save some money is by carpooling to work.  Three of us work within 4 miles of each other.  If we all drove together just twice a week (instead of three separate cars) we not only save on gas, but we also save 3,180 lbs of greenhouse gas emissions a year!

3. Other Rooms (Bed, Bath, Living, Dining, Family, and Office)

Lighting! Anywhere you can put a light bulb, look into putting a Compact Fluorescent Lightbulb (CFL).  Did you know: Replacing the 5 most-used lighting fixtures in the house can save $70 a year in energy costs?  And that’s only 5!  Imagine if you swapped them ALL! In addition to saving energy, they also last up to 10 times longer than regular incandescent light bulbs.  Worried about the costs of replacing all your lights in the house? Besides the all the future savings, you can usually find CFL’s that have manufacturer coupons and/or rebates.  When we purchased new CFL, we actually found them for only 98 cents for a pack of 4 with a manufactures rebate.  It is doable!  Remember to replace all lights, including porch lights, bathroom, hallway, kitchen, and desk lamps with these CFL.

Electrical outlets… Did you know, even when electrical equipment is turned off, a small amount of electricity is still being used?  US Households spend around $100 a year more than they have to because of this.  Consider investing in power strips.  They allow you to completely disconnect from power and avoid this extra consumption, plus you get added outlets!

Fireplace – Make sure when not in use, the fireplace is closed off or covered.  In the winter months this will help keep the warm air in and cold air out.  The same is true in the summer months for keeping cool air in and warm air out.  

A/C – If your place doesn’t come with air conditioning and you aren’t looking to make a lot of changes to the residence, look into Energy Star Qualified window A/C units.  Make sure the unit fits tightly so that outside air cannot seep in, and your nice cool air can’t seep out.

 4. The Lawn

In winter months, cut down watering the lawn to a couple times a week.  And do so when the sun not out (dawn or dusk) to cut down on evaporation.  Drip irrigation for planters is the way to go if you have the option.  And always make sure your sprinklers are on a timer!

If my calculations are correct… It looks to me like I can save $500+ a year by making the changes listed above (and thats not even the full potential!)

This is again, a work in progress.  We are continually looking for more ways to save some energy and lower our costs. If you have any tips, please feel free to share in the comment section below. And stay tuned for a water conservation blog soon!

  A big thank you to www.energystar.org & www.epa.gov for the fabulous facts

Please check out the links below for more information and helpful tips:

 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.es_at_home_tips

 http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/

 And for a full list of Energy Star Qualified products, check out:

 http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_find_es_products