Print Version
E-mail This StoryNow more than ever, saving energy in households is something that many local businesses and citizens are trying to encourage.
With gas prices soaring to near $4 a gallon for regular unleaded gas, it’s becoming more and more critical that people make efforts to conserve energy in the places they live to reduce electric bills.
Since summer is notoriously hot in Texas, reducing energy consumption can sometimes be a tough feat, but there are many simple things people can do to conserve.
According to Entergy Texas Inc., there are five tips that homeowners should live by in order to keep energy costs low.
The first tip is to seal all ductwork. In southern households, the number one culprit in wasting energy is leaky ducts. To reduce energy loss, Entergy suggests making sure all ductwork is airtight, by using mastic of foil tape.
People can conserve energy by installing compact fluorescent light bulbs. Although these types of light bulbs are more expensive, they last much longer, and they end up paying for themselves with the amount of energy they save.
For homeowners, sufficient insulation in attics is also recommended. The least that should be installed is six inches of insulation. Anything less than that would be insufficient and would allow more energy than necessary to be used.
According to Entergy, the most cost-effective improvement that homeowners can make is to insulate their water heaters and the pipes that lead to it. Water heater jackets can be purchased for as little as $10, and are easily installed by the owner.
Although it requires the most investigative work of the five tips, homeowners search their homes for any areas that are not airtight, including bricking in fireplaces, attic entrances, door entrances and windows. Leaving these areas unsealed can cause a drafty home, which in turn overworks heating and air conditioning systems.
But, these are only a few of many tips for conserving energy. The following are some of the more basic tips to cut energy costs:
* Turn off all unnecessary lights. Not only are they wasting energy, but they add more heat to the home.
* Reserve activities that require hot water, such washing dishes or clothes for in the early morning or late evening.
* Use ceiling and portable fans to circulate air throughout the house, keeping it cooler.
* Keep curtains closed during the hottest parts of the day to block out heat.
* Make sure that window air conditioners are the correct size for the home. If they are too small, they will not cool down the home sufficiently, and if they are too big, they will use more energy than needed.
* Keep all filters to air conditioning units clean.
* Do not turn the air conditioner on and off several times during the day. Instead, keep air conditioners at a comfortable temperature.
* Replace regular showerheads with low flow showerheads.
* Install outdoor solar lighting.
* Repair leaky or dripping faucets.
* Install low flow toilets.
