HOW YOU CAN REDUCE ENERGY COSTS

Energy efficiency and lowering electricity costs are major issues on many homeowner's minds. Not only can you out some green back into your wallet, but you can also put some green back into the planet.

How can you lower the amount of energy that your home uses? Take a look at what you need to know about your home's energy so you can use the top tips for reducing your electrical consumption. With a little bit of knowledge and a few upgrades, you can change the way that your home uses electricity.

How much electricity do you use? Your electricity bill will show you. You might even get to see a graph that shows how much electricity you're using this year compared to last year.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration has some general statistics about energy use in most homes.

Home cooling costs account for 18 percent of all electricity consumption, putting it at the number one spot. Lighting follows, taking up nine percent of all electricity usage. Water heating is on the same percentage level as lighting, and refrigeration and spacing heating follow at seven percent each.

Other household electricity users include TV's (and similar devices), computers, clothes dryers, dishwasher and freezers. When you know where the energy costs are coming from, you can begin to reduce your bills.

With all the energy your home is using, it's no wonder that you want to reduce the costs. If you're looking for an easy way to lower your bills, start by using an advanced power strip.

All of those devices, gizmos and gadgets that you plug into your home's outlets can take up a sizable portion of your home's electric bill. An advanced power strip stops electronics that aren't in use from drawing energy to reduce your overall energy usage and lower your home's bills.

If using an advanced power strip isn't an option for you, simply pay more attention to when and how you're using your lights and other electrical devices. Turn off lights when you leave a room or unplug electronics if you aren't using them

Lights aren't all equal when it comes to energy usage. Older lights are often inefficient and will cost you money. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, switching out the most used light bulbs in your home with ones that have the ENERGY STAR label can help you to save up to $75 a year.

Halogen incandescent, LEDs (light emitting diodes) and CFLs (compact fluorescent lamps) are all lighting options that can lower your bills. These options use significantly less energy than your old incandescent bulbs do. Depending on the bulb, these newer, more efficient versions can use between 25 and 80 percent less energy.

You can either swap out old bulbs for new ones or hire a pro to put in new lighting. LED lights are a cost-saving option that can beautify your home and help you use much less energy than you already do. An electrical contractor can help you to upgrade your system.

Older appliances can also put a pinch on your electricity bill. You may need to spend money upfront on the cost of the new appliance, but from ceiling fans to your clothes dryer, choosing energy-efficient models can help you to save money in the long-run.

Do you need help making your home more energy-efficient? Langer Electric Service Co. can help.