The opportunities for a residential homeowner to reduce their energy consumption and thus save money abound. Much can be accomplished with little or no cost. Investing a few dollars around the house will pay dividends to the environment as well as the monthly utility bill.

First and foremost is to reduce or eliminate blatant waste, such as heat escaping through windows that won't close all the way or under doors. Weatherproofing is perhaps the most overlooked solution to high monthly heating bills. How about replacing that old thermostat with a more modern programmable unit? We can then think about replacing our incandescent light bulbs with the significantly more efficient fluorescent styles. These few ideas are but the tip of the proverbial ice mountain.

Saving Energy at Home

How much does the average American homeowner pay each month to heat their home in the winter, and to cool it in the summer? How much of their total monthly budget is paid to the utility companies? The answer of course is different for everybody, so many variables you see. Each one of these homeowner's are paying move than they need to however. This is a fact. Every single person can do something to reduce their expenses. The question eventually becomes, will the proposed change be worth it? Nobody will spend $12.95 to save 5¢ per month. What about a $5.50 per month savings on your electric bill?

Every house, apartment, and condo leaks. Perhaps there is a one inch gap at the bottom of the front door. Maybe through the windows, or up through the flue and chimney. An investment of a little time and perhaps a few dollars to Home Depot for a little plastic strip could save many dollars. Go for a walk around your home, it is surprising what the application of a little common sense can produce. In most cities the good folks at the utility company will provide a free service to their customers to help you do just that. This free home energy analysis might just be the best kept secret in the entire natural gas retail distribution business. Take advantage as soon as possible.

Very few American consumers know about, or truly understand the differences between incandescent light bulbs the significantly more efficient fluorescent bulbs. The energy savings can be quite significant. First we look at the boring old light bulb that hasn't changed since your grandma first asked you to change one-in fact they ave little changed since Thomas Edison's time. The bulb burns hot and yellow. Most of the energy dissipates as heat, while producing a very un-natural light color. The fluorescent light bold doesn't get that warm while it provides a much more natural light. In addition, the bulb will last years, many times longer while using a fraction of the electricity. A 26W fluorescent bulb will provide the same amount of illumination as a 100W incandescent bulb. It should be mentioned that the incandescent bulbs cost less to buy, but not to own. $0.29 each versus $1.00. Four times as much for something that will last seven times as long, all the while saving you money and helping you to live a greener life. Your do the math.

A programmable thermostat will cost about $0.00 at Home Depot.