Oregon Shepherd

(ARA) – With demand for electricity and natural gas rising along with energy costs, American homeowners can easily spend hundreds of dollars a month on utility bills.

“From air conditioning larger homes to powering today’s high-tech electronics, we are using more energy than ever and that is certainly hitting many homeowners in their pocketbooks,” says Victor Gonzalez-Maertens, an energy efficiency expert with Lennox Industries – a leading manufacturer of home heating and cooling equipment. “But there are ways to stretch your dollar further by evaluating how you spend money on energy and learning how to control those expenses.”

Gonzalez-Maertens explains that there are four key areas of energy consumption for the typical household: heating and air conditioning, appliances, water heating and lighting. Here is his advice for getting the most bang for your energy buck in these areas:

Heating and air conditioning

Heating and cooling accounts for about 46 percent of the average home’s utility bill and is typically the largest energy expense. To cut down on climate control costs, be sure to schedule annual routine maintenance on your heating and cooling system to ensure it’s running as efficiently as possible.

If the air conditioning system is more than 10 years old or the furnace is more than 15 years old – the average life spans of cooling and heating units – consider replacing them with a new, Energy Star-qualified system that will be more energy efficient and can help lower utility bills. For example, by replacing an old 10 SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) cooling system with a Lennox 21 SEER system, which is twice as efficient, homeowners can save more than $1,500 over a five-year period.

Programmable thermostats are another way to maximize energy efficiency. These devices automatically control the temperature to use less energy at certain hours of the day, such as nighttime or when homeowners are away from home.

Household appliances and electronics

Household appliances and electronics, such as refrigerators, clothes washers and computers, are responsible for about 28 percent of a home’s energy bill, according to Energy Star. Make sure appliances are clean and free of dust and lint to ensure proper ventilation and to increase their efficiency. In addition, check refrigerator and freezer doors to ensure they are sealed tight to prevent cool air from escaping.

When washing dishes, use the air-dry setting on automatic dishwashers rather than heated drying to conserve energy. Finally, be sure to unplug TVs and other digital devices when not in use, as they consume energy even when they’re turned off.

Water heating

Heating water is another major energy expenditure and accounts for about 14 percent of a household’s energy bill, according to Energy Star. Consider insulating the water heater with a water heater jacket that can be purchased at most hardware stores. Homeowners also can lower the temperature setting on the water heater to save energy. Some water heaters come from the factory already set at 140 degrees or higher, but a setting of 115 degrees can provide comfortable hot water for most uses. Finally, consider replacing a water heater if the existing one is more than 10 years old, as the average life span of a water heater is 10 to 15 years.

Lighting

Twelve percent of the energy budget for an average household goes to lighting, according to Energy Star. Switching out traditional incandescent lights with more efficient fluorescent lighting is a quick and easy way to save on utility bills. In fact, by replacing 25 percent of lights in high-use areas with fluorescents, the California Energy Commission says homeowners can save about 50 percent on lighting-related energy expenses. Energy Star-qualified fluorescent lamps also last six to 10 times longer. For exterior lighting, be sure to use compact fluorescent or high-pressure sodium fixtures – which are more efficient – and consider motion sensors that operate lights automatically.

For more information about how to stretch your energy dollar further, visit www.itpaystolivesmart.com, www.energystar.gov or www.lennox.com.

(ARA) – With warmer weather around the corner, it’s only natural that we start thinking about spring cleaning. In addition to organizing and cleaning this year, consider the following tips to change up your annual routine and make your home a little greener.

Green your supplies: Replace harsh household cleaning products with environmentally safe and natural solutions. Not only are they biodegradable and therefore better for the environment, but they contain no toxic chemicals. Plus, making cleaning solutions from items in your pantry such as vinegar, lemon juice and baking soda can help cut down on packaging waste. Many credible online resources offer recipes for alternative cleaning products.

Check for leaks: Leaks in the home, such as drafty windows and doors or dripping faucets, can lead to wasted money and resources. Check for air leaks in your house by inspecting areas around the windows and doors, as well as in the attic or crawlspace. Properly sealing those spaces can help you cut back on heating and cooling costs and increase comfort. Information on how to assess your home and determine how much insulation you need can be found at www.EnergyStar.gov. If you want to hire a professional, then Masco Home Services’ WellHome program provides performance assessments to help homeowners improve home energy-efficiency and comfort.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a leaky faucet dripping at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water per year. Want to know if you have any leaky fixtures around the house? Routinely monitor the water meter and keep a record of the numbers. Any reading that is higher than usual could indicate a problem.

The EPA-sponsored WaterSense program  aims to preserve water by supporting water-efficient products, programs and practices. Visit its website to learn different ways to save water, tips to help you identify and repair leaky fixtures and other fun facts.

Clean out your shower:  Before you start scrubbing your tub or shower, take inventory of all the items you keep in it. Consolidate where you can and consider using fragrance-free products and water-efficient fixtures. During a recent nationwide study conducted on behalf of Delta Faucet Company, 40 percent of respondents said they had never changed their showerhead. The EPA reports that if just one out of every 10 homes in the United States upgraded to WaterSense-labeled products, the combined savings would be more than 120 billion gallons of water and more than $800 million annually.

If you haven’t replaced your showerhead recently, then look into Delta’s WaterSense-labeled fixtures. They flow at a rate of no more than 2.0 gallons per minute (gpm) and help you save water in your daily routine.

“We’ve found that users want green products as long as they don’t have to sacrifice their experience with water,” says Paul Patton, senior product developer for Delta Faucet Company. “H2Okinetic Technology creates larger droplets to provide a drenching shower experience while improving water efficiency up to 40 percent compared to the industry standard.”

Responsibly dispose of unwanted items: Cleaning and organizing your closets can be refreshing. As you inventory your closet and dressers, categorize items into different piles: keep for now, store for later and donate. If you haven’t worn or used something in a year, then consider donating it. The Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries provide information on their websites for how to locate a donation center and identify what types of items are accepted. Both organizations accept clothing, furniture and general household items in various locations.

Go through the items in your garage and get rid of any chemicals, cleaners, or cans of paint that haven’t been used in awhile. Read the product labels for disposal instructions or check the manufacturer’s website for details. Earth911.org provides information about how to safely discard many toxic products.

Making your home more environmentally-friendly this spring can be easy and cost-effective. Not only could these eco-conscious tips help you save money, but they also provide you with the opportunity to give back to the community and support the environment at the same time.

(ARA) – If you’re like many Americans, you have recently made home improvements to lessen your impact on the environment. While you’ve already taken big strides toward saving energy – and money – you can conserve even more by making sure your new systems are running at peak efficiency.

Whether you recently outfitted your home with solar panels or invested in a new heating system or water heater, here are some tips to make sure you are saving energy at the highest capacity.

Solar panels

Solar panels capture free energy from the sun, but they can lose a lot of their capacity if they aren’t cleaned regularly.  Depending upon where you live and other variable conditions, you may need to clean panels as often as once a month. A dirty panel can reduce the efficiency of an entire array by up to 40 percent. Since panels can sometimes be hard to reach, you may want to consider investing in a cleaning system like Mr. LongArm’s Pro Curve Solar Cleaning Kit, which allows you to reach and clean difficult-to-access panels.

The system features two unique cleaning tools, a washer/squeegee that attaches to a curved extension pole as well as an extendable flow thru pole and cleaning brush that can be attached to a garden hose. To view videos on how to clean solar panels, visit www.mrlongarm.com.

Heating systems

A new energy-efficient heating system only gets you part of the way to optimal efficiency. Before the heating season starts each year, you should make sure your HVAC filters and vents are cleaned, as you will see an immediate loss in efficiency if there is any blockage.

Another aspect of heating efficiency has nothing to do with your heating system. Making sure your home is properly sealed and insulated can save you up to 20 percent on energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Star program.

Water heaters

No matter how large your home or your family, you can easily make your water heater more efficient by turning down the temperature on the unit to 120 degrees F. The lower temperature means the heater doesn’t work as hard, and your water will still be hot enough to take a bath or wash dishes.

You may also want to consider a tankless water heater, which only heats the water when it’s demanded. These systems also take up less space in your utility room by running the cold water through heated coils before it goes through the pipes to your sink or shower.

If you’ve already taken steps to become energy-efficient, you understand the benefits. By making your current systems even more effective and economical, you can see even greater rewards for going green.