What savings have you been able to reach?

[Ashmck]

My wife and I where tired of our $80+/ month electric bill, especially during months we did not run the central air at ALL, just windows open and fans.

Well, after some VERY small changes not only did we get our bill down to about 32 bucks we where saving on allot of other things like trash bags and other home essentials.

1. bought 2 6 pack CFL boxes for 10 bucks each, replaced every light.
they paid for themselves in just 2 billing cycles

2. Cleaned built up lint inside clothes dryer and was able to run it on half the heat, and air dried towels and jeans. Cost NOTHING and made the biggest dent in power use.

3. Turned water heater down, which is now at a much SAFER temperature.

4. Run clothes washer on cold, and use cold water tide, Also wash hands with cold water, it takes too long to get hot water from the tank and any hot water through the lines just gets cooled down, and makes the heater come on for no reason.

5. Turned Fridge to 5 instead of 10! was tired of milk freezing lol

6. I turn off my Monitor and put my comp in standby mode when Im not on it.

Most of these things didn't cost me a PENNY, and I have alot more around the house I want to do:

7. Unplug 600W DVR if nothings going to be recording when Im gone.

8. Wrap water heater with special blanket and insulate any exposed hot water pipes

9. Trade in 400W computer and 85W monitor for 75W Laptop.

10. Seal windows with plastic film during this winter.

11. Put dryer vent in a bowl of water behind it to use the otherwise wasted heat circulate in my house. and seal off outside vent.

12. Buy 29.00 PROGRAMMABLE thermostat

13. Cook more in my Microwave instead of oven/range

[JanGeo]

In the process of shutting down my office I did the last couple of things with only the fridge running now and the occasional 100 watt light bulb when I stop in for a visit. Last bill was 18kwh at a wopping $9.45!!! The Bose Wave radio and 200watt APC Battery backup and float charger on the electric scooter was adding a bit to the bill last month was 22kwh. This brings the bill down to .6kwh a day for the fridge in a 60 degree office which is about what I thought it took when I measured the power use with the Killawatt meter. I just didn't think the several APC battery backups and a laptop and cell phone charger and a smart power strip could use SO MUCH power. Prior bill was to that was 26kwh.

Winter time energy use all results in heat adding to the home so if you want to hand wash in Hot water it is ok just let teh water cool in the sink/bucket as it soaks and you loose the heat to the house anyway.

[civic94]

good savings! also try unplugging your tv set and vcr, dvd player, etc. those use electricity as well when its not on.


im curious to how much window film would cost for 1 window thats 3x5 feet? would home depot carry it?


also can i reuse it teh next year?

[GasSavers_BIBI]

Originally Posted by civic94

good savings! also try unplugging your tv set and vcr, dvd player, etc. those use electricity as well when its not on.


im curious to how much window film would cost for 1 window thats 3x5 feet? would home depot carry it?


also can i reuse it teh next year?

Less then 25 $, you can leave it all year long, in summer it block the uv light.

http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/s...k=P_PartNumber

[GasSavers_BIBI]

Glad to ear about your saving, and a PROGRAMMABLE thermostat, for 29, is the real deal if you have cold wheater, because you cut (50F) during the day (if you work), and all night long, you just leave your room warm. Also, you can set it up at 1 hour before you arrive so you still got confort. For 30 box, you will RAPIDLY regain all your money, and the saving will be significant.

[GasSavers_JoeBob]

Bought a programmable thermostat...never use the programmable part because my wife is home all day. When I did use the programmable feature, I had it turning on when I woke up, but I really don't care as much about the heat, just set it low at night.

Went to CFLs years ago, back when they were still expensive. They paid for themselves within a couple months.

A DVR draws 600 watts? EGADS! Another reason I'm glad I don't have one!

If you're running your dryer vent into a bowl, rather than venting outside, I hope you have an electric dryer. If it is a gas dryer, sounds like a carbon monoxide risk to me...I don't think "bonging" the vent would affect CO much...

When adjusting the fridge, remember to keep it below 40 degrees F, no sense spending the money you save in electricity to replace spoiled food, or spending your time on the john w/the runs...

I still keep my water heater turned up high...doesn't take much (gas bills under $20.00 in the summer and usually under $100.00 in the winter) and I'd much rather kill any bacteria on my dishes when I wash them than save a few pennies.

Good ways to save some more energy...

1. Plastic over windows in the winter...especially if you live in an ancient house like mine with single pane windows

2. Evaporative cooler in the summer....if you live in a dry climate. I live in the Mojave Desert, so it works well for me. If you live in Atlanta, your mileage may vary.

3. Turn off the pilot light on your furnace during warm months. That pilot takes about $10.00 worth of gas a month. The only reason I haven't replaced my 52 year old furnace is because (a.) the cost of replacement, along with my asbestos-wrapped ducts would be so expensive it would take decades to pay for itself, and (b.) the gas man inspected it and said it was probably good enough to last another 52 years.

4. Turn off unnecessary lights.

5. Fix drippy faucets. One leaky shower valve repaired saved me about 25% of my water bill, and about 10% of my gas bill!

[Ashmck]

My home is all electric, no gas.

Also with my dishwasher I use a bleach based cleaner that takes care of any germs/bacteria.

Also I think it heats the water its self because when you open it the steam almost scalds your skin off lol.

[8307c4]

Great, couple of things thou...

On my dishwasher it also self-heats water, however it recommends in the instructions to run the kitchen faucet until hot water starts to come out before turning the dishwasher on... It claims the dishwasher will use more energy than the hot water heater would, so get a head start this way.

Granted, hand washing dishes would likely be best, but I just can't do it anymore

Originally Posted by Ashmck

11. Put dryer vent in a bowl of water behind it to use the otherwise wasted heat circulate in my house. and seal off outside vent.

12. Buy 29.00 PROGRAMMABLE thermostat

13. Cook more in my Microwave instead of oven/range

11. I found the humidity from recycling clothes dryer heat too much, I did it for a while but mold and mildew wanted to form so I stopped doing that. It did help heat the house a little, but I was rather unimpressed, you'd think it would really get things toasty but at least for me it never did that... Maybe 1-2 degrees for an hour or so, and all humid.
Worse yet, there's still some lint in that air, too.
Oh absolutely DO hang clothes outside to dry from spring-fall.

12. ehhh mine cost me closer to $80 and DIY but it is worth it.
Yes, for the programmable ones, regular digital ones are around 30'ish.
Looking back at this issue I think regular digital ones are as good, I have not seen any savings from programming it... Maybe it saves a little in the summer but I didn't see it, now in the winter I am sure it doesn't because with the programmable when the temperature has to go back UP it likes to kick on the EM Heat so that by now I'm best off leaving it set on one temperature.

13. Cook more in winter, eat more cold foods in summer.
> Works out great, harvest your cooking heat AND eat warm foods in the colder part of the season to help keep you warm, then vice-versa for summer.
Yes, unfortunately this rules out eating ice cream in January and home-made brownies in July, but the other way around still works.