October 2007
Save hundreds on energy costs
10 things you can do now
Illustration by Harry Campbell
You want to save money as well as do your part to combat global warming. But what's the best way to get started? This special
section includes the results from our testing and advice from our experts on the products and programs that work to save energy
and those that promise more than they deliver.
CHANGE YOUR LIGHTS
Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) are required to meet certain standards, one of which is they have to save you at least $30 in energy costs over the bulb's roughly 7,500- to 10,000-hour life. While concerns about mercury content have raised questions about those more-efficient bulbs, they contain only a fraction of the mercury in an old-fashioned thermometer.
But the mercury inside CFLs means you should take them to a recycling center instead of throwing them in the trash. For buying advice on the types of CFLs and tips on the best places to use them, see Compact fluorescent lighting.
PROGRAM YOUR THERMOSTAT
Lowering your home's temperature 5 to 10 degrees at night and when no one is home to save energy can slash your heating costs by up to 20 percent per year. Programmable thermostats are supposed to make saving simpler. But confusing controls on some models might actually discourage savings. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 50 percent of homeowners don't change temperature settings at night. Check our report on thermostats for electronic setback thermostats that work best and have the friendliest controls and displays.
BOOST HEATING EFFICIENCY
A new furnace or boiler probably won't save you enough to recoup the $4,000 to $5,000 you'll spend to replace it. Instead, save energy by making your current system more efficient by sealing any cracks or gaps in ductwork and by insulating the ducts. Also caulk any holes in your walls, especially if they penetrate between floors to an unheated basement or attic. Those holes turn walls into pathways that can siphon heated or cooled air from your home. Those simple, low-cost steps can save you up to 40 percent on your annual energy bill now, and you will continue to save energy even if you replace your system later.
ADD INSULATION
Improving your home's insulation can save hundreds of dollars a year on your energy bills and pay for itself in as little as two years. Roughly 80 percent of older homes are underinsulated, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Start by sealing large gaps around chimneys, furnace flues, plumbing pipes, ductwork, light fixtures, and soffits in your attic to save energy. Then lay insulation between attic-floor joists and on the hatch or door, or add more if it's already there. Next, seal air leaks in the basement and insulate ceilings in unheated basements and around the walls in heated basements or unvented crawl spaces.
SAVE MONEY ON HOT WATER
Insulating hot-water pipes and lowering the temperature on your water heater from 130° to 120° can help you save up to 5 percent on your energy bills. If it's time for a new water heater, save energy by choosing a model with a 9- to 12-year warranty. Those typically have thicker insulation and more powerful burners or heating elements for faster heating than models with shorter warranties. Tankless water heaters claim to save money by heating water only when you turn on the faucet. But smaller, cheaper units probably won't produce enough hot water to serve a typical family. Larger, gas-fired units cost $1,000 or more and are expensive to install because they often require larger gas supply lines and special venting.
USE SPACE HEATERS WISELY
Portable heaters could save you money--if you're willing to keep most of your house much chillier and use the heater in just one room to supplement your regular heating. Otherwise, as we say in our space heater report, you're likely to spend more on electricity for several heaters than you would to run your furnace. What's more, open floor plans can make sealing off just one room to save energy impossible.
Kerosene and natural-gas heaters don't use electricity, but they do bring added fire risks and fumes. We recommend limiting their use to camping and emergency heat during a blackout.
REPLACE WORN-OUT WINDOWS
If your windows are beyond simple repairs such as caulking and weather stripping, new windows can save you between 10 and 25 percent on your heating bill. But because you'll pay anywhere from $7,000 to $20,000 to replace all the windows in an average house, amortizing their cost can take more than 20 years. Replacing your windows to save energy if they're rotting, don't work, or are ugly is a sensible excuse to reap the energy savings that today's models offer. To learn more, see our report on windows.
UNDERSTAND ENERGY STAR
Energy Star appliances are typically more efficient than others and will generally cost less to run. But like the miles-per-gallon ratings for cars, you have to take the energy-use estimates on the label with a grain of salt. Refrigerator lighting and icemakers are among the hidden energy drains not factored into energy-use figures. And special settings, such as the pots- and-pans cycle on dishwashers, often use more energy than the regular settings used to estimate energy use.
USE FIRES FOR AMBIENCE
Wood-burning fireplaces might look romantic and feel toasty and appear to save energy when you're near them, but they actually suck the heat in your home up and out the chimney. Glass doors improve the situation only slightly. Ventless fireplaces can be good heat sources, but they reduce the amount of oxygen in your home and release pollutants into the air. Wood- and pellet-burning stoves provide more heat because they're not tucked away in the wall and less heat escapes up the flue. But unless you get your fuel free, you'll probably end up paying more to heat your home.
AVOID ENERGY SCAMS
Beware of pitches from door-to-door salespeople or unsolicited letters and phone callers that promise to save energy and big bucks on your heating bill. You could sign up only to find that your monthly bill is even higher due to hidden charges such as switching, service, late, and cancellation fees. So check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. But unless you use lots of energy, those alternative power suppliers are unlikely to save you much money. And even if the offer is legit, read all the fine print.
For more information on Earth Day and greener living, visit our Earth Day Guide.
| 1 |
Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) are required to meet certain standards, one of which is they have to save you at least $30 in energy costs over the bulb's roughly 7,500- to 10,000-hour life. While concerns about mercury content have raised questions about those more-efficient bulbs, they contain only a fraction of the mercury in an old-fashioned thermometer.
But the mercury inside CFLs means you should take them to a recycling center instead of throwing them in the trash. For buying advice on the types of CFLs and tips on the best places to use them, see Compact fluorescent lighting.
| 2 |
Lowering your home's temperature 5 to 10 degrees at night and when no one is home to save energy can slash your heating costs by up to 20 percent per year. Programmable thermostats are supposed to make saving simpler. But confusing controls on some models might actually discourage savings. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, roughly 50 percent of homeowners don't change temperature settings at night. Check our report on thermostats for electronic setback thermostats that work best and have the friendliest controls and displays.
| 3 |
A new furnace or boiler probably won't save you enough to recoup the $4,000 to $5,000 you'll spend to replace it. Instead, save energy by making your current system more efficient by sealing any cracks or gaps in ductwork and by insulating the ducts. Also caulk any holes in your walls, especially if they penetrate between floors to an unheated basement or attic. Those holes turn walls into pathways that can siphon heated or cooled air from your home. Those simple, low-cost steps can save you up to 40 percent on your annual energy bill now, and you will continue to save energy even if you replace your system later.
| 4 |
Improving your home's insulation can save hundreds of dollars a year on your energy bills and pay for itself in as little as two years. Roughly 80 percent of older homes are underinsulated, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Start by sealing large gaps around chimneys, furnace flues, plumbing pipes, ductwork, light fixtures, and soffits in your attic to save energy. Then lay insulation between attic-floor joists and on the hatch or door, or add more if it's already there. Next, seal air leaks in the basement and insulate ceilings in unheated basements and around the walls in heated basements or unvented crawl spaces.
| 5 |
Insulating hot-water pipes and lowering the temperature on your water heater from 130° to 120° can help you save up to 5 percent on your energy bills. If it's time for a new water heater, save energy by choosing a model with a 9- to 12-year warranty. Those typically have thicker insulation and more powerful burners or heating elements for faster heating than models with shorter warranties. Tankless water heaters claim to save money by heating water only when you turn on the faucet. But smaller, cheaper units probably won't produce enough hot water to serve a typical family. Larger, gas-fired units cost $1,000 or more and are expensive to install because they often require larger gas supply lines and special venting.
| 6 |
Portable heaters could save you money--if you're willing to keep most of your house much chillier and use the heater in just one room to supplement your regular heating. Otherwise, as we say in our space heater report, you're likely to spend more on electricity for several heaters than you would to run your furnace. What's more, open floor plans can make sealing off just one room to save energy impossible.
Kerosene and natural-gas heaters don't use electricity, but they do bring added fire risks and fumes. We recommend limiting their use to camping and emergency heat during a blackout.
| 7 |
If your windows are beyond simple repairs such as caulking and weather stripping, new windows can save you between 10 and 25 percent on your heating bill. But because you'll pay anywhere from $7,000 to $20,000 to replace all the windows in an average house, amortizing their cost can take more than 20 years. Replacing your windows to save energy if they're rotting, don't work, or are ugly is a sensible excuse to reap the energy savings that today's models offer. To learn more, see our report on windows.
| 8 |
Energy Star appliances are typically more efficient than others and will generally cost less to run. But like the miles-per-gallon ratings for cars, you have to take the energy-use estimates on the label with a grain of salt. Refrigerator lighting and icemakers are among the hidden energy drains not factored into energy-use figures. And special settings, such as the pots- and-pans cycle on dishwashers, often use more energy than the regular settings used to estimate energy use.
| 9 |
Wood-burning fireplaces might look romantic and feel toasty and appear to save energy when you're near them, but they actually suck the heat in your home up and out the chimney. Glass doors improve the situation only slightly. Ventless fireplaces can be good heat sources, but they reduce the amount of oxygen in your home and release pollutants into the air. Wood- and pellet-burning stoves provide more heat because they're not tucked away in the wall and less heat escapes up the flue. But unless you get your fuel free, you'll probably end up paying more to heat your home.
| 10 |
Beware of pitches from door-to-door salespeople or unsolicited letters and phone callers that promise to save energy and big bucks on your heating bill. You could sign up only to find that your monthly bill is even higher due to hidden charges such as switching, service, late, and cancellation fees. So check out the company with the Better Business Bureau. But unless you use lots of energy, those alternative power suppliers are unlikely to save you much money. And even if the offer is legit, read all the fine print.
For more information on Earth Day and greener living, visit our Earth Day Guide.
