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Many homeowners are cutting back this year in an effort to save cash. But a few simple improvements to make your home more energy efficient can provide enormous return on your investment.
"If you could invest a few dollars and save $100, you'd do that, right? That's what you're doing when you invest in making your home more energy efficient," said Michael Chenard, director of environmental affairs at Lowe's. "An inexpensive air filter replaced at recommended intervals can save you $100 or more on your heating and cooling bills. Making your home more energy efficient saves you real money."
Chenard recommends checking out Lowes.com/BuildYourSavings, to answer a few questions about your home and receive a list of recommended home improvements along with your estimated cost savings.
He also suggests several ways to save money in your home.
For a little closer perspective on this, I stopped into the Lowe's on Bouquet Canyon Road and spoke to Todd Brandt, the department manager of appliances.
Utility savings
Toilets: Replace an old, inefficient toilet with a WaterSense-labeled model and you can save up to $90 per year off your water bill, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
Light bulbs: When you replace your five most-used incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star-qualified compact fluorescent bulbs, you can save up to $70 a year.
According to the EPA, the average cost of a CFL bulb is between $4 and $9, but they pay for themselves quickly in savings on your utility bill.
"I've replaced the flood lights in the cans (recessed lighting) throughout my home and I've noticed a big difference in my energy bill," Brandt said.
Programmable thermostats: As little as $30 and an hour or two is all it takes to save up to $500 a year, according to a 2008 article in Money magazine.
Energy Star-qualified thermostats with pre-programmed settings are intended to deliver savings without sacrificing comfort.
For instance, your thermostat can automatically adjust the home's temperature during sleeping hours or when no one is home, achieving significant savings.
The EPA recommends raising your thermostat four degrees in the summer and lowering it seven in the winter. Savings may vary, depending on where in the country you live.
Brandt said, "You can save at least $180 a year when you use a programmable thermostat correctly for changing the temperature for when you are working or on vacation."
Dishwashers/Washing machines
Brandt said that Energy Star-rated dishwashers not only save on energy consumption but save on water consumption as well. And washing machines do likewise.
"Your best bet is a front-loader (washing machine)," he said. "Typically they save you 18 to 25 gallons of water per load - up to 7,000 gallons per household per year."
And he added that these will do a lot better job of cleaning your clothes when used with HE (High Efficiency) soaps.
Refrigerators
"The French door style refrigerators seem to be popular nowadays," Brandt said.
And he explained that current Energy Star-rated rated refrigerators run on about the same amount of power as at 75 watt light bulb.
Compared to a 10-year-old refrigerator, one of these can save $35 a year or more.
"I had an old refrigerator that I switched out. My utility bill dropped dramatically," he said.
Ceiling fans
Brandt explained that using ceiling fans can save energy, especially if they are used correctly.
That means in the winter, set them to low and to turn clockwise to pull warm air from the ceiling back toward the floor. In the summer set them to turn counter-clockwise to keep the air moving.
"Energy Star-rated fans circulate air up to 20 percent more efficiently than conventional models," Brandt said. And you should use fans in conjunction with space heaters and Energy Star-qualified humidifiers and dehumidifiers.
Tax credits
Windows - Replacing 300 square feet of old, single-pane windows with more energy-efficient Energy Star-qualified windows can save more than $460 every year in energy costs, according to the EPA. You'll notice a difference in the summer when you don't need to run your air conditioner as often and in the winter when your heater can rest more often.
Sealing and insulation - If you have less than 15 inches of insulation in your attic you can save money by adding more and also use expanding foam insulation to seal cracks and gaps where air seeps in and gets out and you can save up to $500 in annual energy costs, according to a 2008 Money magazine article.
"In addition to the savings you'll see in your monthly bills through energy-efficient improvements, you may be able to take advantage of the tax credits in the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act," said Chenard. "Certain energy-efficient improvements to residential properties, like replacement windows, are eligible for up to 30 percent of the cost of improvements (up to $1,500) in tax credits under the Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit."
Brandt gave me a Build Your Savings guide from Lowe's that helps you track your tax credits from home improvements. If you use your Lowe's credit card for such purposes, you will get a year-end summary of your "Tax Credit Eligible" purchases. It's all figured out for you.
"If we all do our part," Brandt said. "We can save money, save our environment and still enjoy the comforts of our homes."
For more information and additional energy saving ideas, visit www.Lowes.com/BuildYourSavings. The Saugus Lowe's is located at 26415 Bouquet Canyon Road and the phone number is (661) 297-1400.
