Conserve energy AND save money on your Cary and Raleigh NC home utilities!
YES! There are FREE ways to save money on utility expenses!
In yesterday's blog we discussed some home improvement techniques and one-time adjustments to living in Raleigh to help save money on utilities.
Today we wanted to follow up by adding to the list some easy habits to implement that will enhance those efforts. Over time it can really make a difference in how much energy a Raleigh area home will consume.
Good Habits:
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Turn off lights when you're leaving a room
- Winter: During the day, keep blinds open so that sunlight can radiate through the windows and help warm the house, at night close them to keep the chill from penetrating. Summer: Keep blinds closed during the day when you're not home to avoid solar heat gain
- Clean or replace your air filter monthly (reduces the energy your HVAC must exert to provide the same level of comfort)
- Reduce your dryers energy output by cleaning the lint filter between each load
- When the fireplace is not in use, keep the flue damper tightly closed to avoid conditioned air from escaping
- Unplug seldom used appliances
- When using your oven, every time the door opens the temperature decreases about 25 degrees. Open as few times as possible and for short durations
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Use cold or warm water instead of hot when possible (laundry, dishes, bathing, etc.). When not possible, try and find ways to conserve. Less hot water = Less energy needed to heat it
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Consider composting instead of using the kitchen disposal for food scraps (lots of cost saving opportunities with composting!)
Check out what your carbon footprint looks like; carbon footprint calculator it's available free - try comparing 2 months (input one month of usual habits and then compare to one month with your new improved energy saving habits).
The results are fascinating as it compares your footprint to the country average and then shows the world target. How are you doing on helping to conserve our natural resources?
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