When I first created this series, pre-pandemic, I couldn’t have seen how wild the topic of energy would become. Trying to cover the varying aspects of “eco-nomical” living, as they pertain to home energy use, quickly grew into something requiring multiple posts. This post covers cost-saving measures at the home (micro) level. One on the broader (macro) level will be a separate post.
Every household’s mix of budget, energy sources, rent vs. own, etc. may differ considerably. However, our need for balancing costs is pretty universal. Options are available to help shave these down. Some require upfront investment to reap those savings, however. Something to bear in mind when determining what will work best for your specific situation. Also, if DIYing these solutions, please check with experts to ensure safety.
Free to Low-Cost ($0-100) Solutions:
Surprisingly a lot can be done to save on home energy costs, even on a tight or non-existent budget. A home energy audit is one place to start. Spotting the specific areas that are spiking your bill means you can mitigate them to push it back down.
If your income level qualifies, there are programs to assist. In my area, we have Community Action Organization (CAO) branches and Corporation of Ohio Appalachian Development (COAD). There may be others but these two, for certain, provide free home energy audits. They can also help with implementing cost-saving measures, such as weatherstripping/caulking, insulation, energy-efficient appliances, etc.
NOTE: These assistance programs are often funded by the same federal program, the Home Weatherization Assistance Program. So, if one group assists you, you likely won’t qualify for another that uses the same funding.
If your income doesn’t qualify for programs like these, you prefer a more DIY approach, or just want to do everything you can to reduce costs, implementing the following adjustments can help nudge that bill down. The little things really do matter, especially when doing several.
- Heating and Cooling
- Adjust your thermostat.
- Simple adjustments of 7-10 degrees when you aren’t home, or are asleep, can single-handedly save 8-10% a year!
- Go up in summer (76-78 degrees F) and down in winter (68 degrees F). Use clothing/blankets and/or fans (see below) to adjust personal temps for optimal efficiency.
- Use window shades and curtains strategically to stabilize temperatures in your home.
- This helps minimize heat loss in the winter and solar heat gain in the summer.
- Adjust your thermostat.
- Lighting and Devices
- Turn off lights in rooms when not in use.
- Switch to LED bulbs. They use roughly 85% less energy, are much cooler to the touch than incandescent, last far longer than incandescent or CFL bulbs, and are safer than CFLs.
- Unplug electric devices when not in use.
- Use a power strip to control/stop energy pull from items like TVs, computers, device chargers, game consoles, small kitchen appliances, lamps, etc. These days, SMART power strips and whole-room automation are possible, making this routine easier to maintain.
- Turn off lights in rooms when not in use.
- Water Heater and Appliance Usage
- Wash (all but the gnarliest) clothes in cold water.
- This reduces a washer’s energy output by up to 90% per load and clothes still come clean.
- Turn down your water heater to 120 degrees F.
- This can help reduce standby heat loss. It also helps prevent scalds.
- Clean the dryer filter after each use, to keep it running at peak efficiency.
- This can also reduce fire risk, as dryer lint is highly flammable.
- Resist opening the oven door continually.
- This reduces internal temp by 25-75 degrees F each time, making it work too hard reheating to the set temp. Use a timer instead.
- Check the gasket around your refrigerator door. Replace if needed.
- Also, clean your fridge’s condenser coils.
- Keep your freezer full, to help retain the cold temp.
- If it’s not well-stocked with food, throw in some water bottles to freeze.
- Run the dishwasher only when it’s full and use the air-dry feature.
- Scrape your dishes clean and give them a quick rinse before adding to the machine.
- Wash (all but the gnarliest) clothes in cold water.
- General Home Maintenance
- Seal up air ducts.
- If unattached from the framing, reattach with nails and use sealant tape to close any remaining gaps before putting the register cover back on.
- Replace HVAC/furnace filters and clean AC unit filters regularly.
- This can help reduce drag in your home’s air systems and keep the air cleaner.
- Aim for once every 1-2 months for optimal service.
- Fill in gaps around window and door frames with caulk.
- Install stopgaps or weatherstripping around doors and anywhere else gaps are too large for just caulk.
- Insulate outlet covers.
- Foam insulators are available to install, then put your outlet cover back on.
- Perform a rodent/pest check
- Rodents and pests can get into your home via cracks and crevices to do major damage. A periodic check can make the difference between catching it early or having to deal with costly repairs and increased energy costs.
- Seal up air ducts.
Mid-range ($100-500) Cost Solutions:
Several swaps can be made here, if the budget allows. Many of the things mentioned above also fall into this mid-range category, if implemented across the entire house, rather than as spot-treating.
- Heating and Cooling
- Install a SMART thermostat.
- These can save roughly 8% a year on heating and cooling costs, and can be programmed to adjust the temperature at specific times, automating the routine.
- Get a maintenance check for your HVAC system.
- Having an expert tune-up your system once or twice a year can help increase its longevity and efficiency. HVAC companies often provide this on a one-annual-payment/twice-annual-service basis.
- Install ceiling fans.
- These use about 1-3% of the energy it takes to run just the AC, per year, and allow for up to a 4 degrees F adjustment of your thermostat without losing comfort.
- Run clockwise in winter on a low speed, to pull up cool air and push warmed air back down into the room.
- Run counter-clockwise in summer on a higher speed, to pull warm air up and circulate cooled air throughout the room.
- Install a SMART thermostat.
- Lighting and Devices
- Install a whole-house automated power strip system.
- This essentially takes the tip in the previous section and implements it throughout your home at once. If you run multiple devices and electronic set-ups in several rooms, as many of us do these days, this can make sense.
- Install LED with dimmer switches.
- These involve replacing fixtures to more efficient LED lighting with dimmable controls. Some of the lower cost options fall into this mid-range.
- Install a whole-house automated power strip system.
- General Home Maintenance/Repairs
- Professional Home Energy Audit.
- These typically run about $200-300. If the budget can bear it, getting a professional audit provides you a full rundown of the necessary cost-saving measures to implement.
- Professional Home Energy Audit.
High Dollar ($500+) Solutions:
The average American budget won’t cover these without significant hardship. But, I’d be remiss if I didn’t include this section in the discussion.
Possibly you’ve saved for, or can feasibly finance, these. If so, your investment will pay off in significant cost reduction and peace of mind, knowing your home can hold its own. It’s great for a home’s resale value too, especially these days.
- Heating and Cooling
- Replace the furnace/HVAC system.
- This typically is a full swap-out of the furnace unit or a swap-out of both the furnace and outside AC units, in the case of central HVAC systems.
- Sometimes, it also involves replacing the ductwork throughout the home.
- Replace the furnace/HVAC system.
- Lighting
- Install a whole-house LED conversion with dimmable control.
- This is the higher dollar version of the suggestion above. It involves full retrofit and even replacement of your home’s built-in fixtures and Bluetooth integration for convenient control of the system.
- Install a whole-house LED conversion with dimmable control.
- Water Heater/Appliances
- Replace water heater.
- Upgrading to an energy efficient model can reduce your costs going forward.
- Replace old appliances with EnergyStar versions.
- Old appliances are a huge drain on a home’s energy, using 25-100% more than newer models.
- Replace water heater.
- General Home Repair/Replacement
- Upgrade your home’s air-seal or insulation.
- Costs vary by the attic, crawlspace, and/or walls (as with blown-in insulation) getting the upgrades, but this can ensure whole-house energy efficiency going forward.
- Replace old, drafty windows.
- This can be done by the room but, if budget allows, full-house replacement optimizes comfort levels and cost savings.
- Replace/optimize your roof.
- If your roof needs replaced anyway, choose a color and material that helps your home maintain comfortable temperatures.
- If your roof is fine, but you want to increase its energy efficiency, consider adding a “cool roof” coating to it.
- Upgrade your home’s air-seal or insulation.
Summary/Closer:
These are some ways to save on your home’s energy usage. It’s by no means a complete list. Just tips to implement, or consider for implementation when feasible, and options to look over for your own research. What works for one person’s situation may not work for another’s. We’re all out here just doing the best we can maintaining our homes and budgets. With that, I hope this post wasn’t too overwhelming. I tried to keep it to an overview, without missing too much relevant info y’all may find helpful.
What ways have you reduced energy costs? Got tips that may be helpful to fellow readers? Feel free to put it in the comments. It takes a village, y’all, truly 🙂 Be well!
