With bills rising, tips on saving energy

In light of the recent community outrage over utility bills, energy conservation specialists are urging residents to look at their current consumption and identify ways to better conserve their energy usage.
Florida Public Utilities officials recommend residents have an energy management plan. This plan should help each household monitor their monthly usage and in turn, monitor their bill.
Store manager Bob Parker of Lowe’s home improvement store in Marianna says there are many inexpensive ways to conserve energy and lower utility bills.
“I’ve heard the horror stories of people in this community struggling to pay their utility bills,” Parker said.
Parker said two easy ways to achieve quick energy savings are CFL bulbs and hot-water heater timers.
According to an ENERGY STAR report, a compact fluorescent light bulb, or CFL, will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about six months. It uses 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb.
“Four CFL bulbs use 52 watts of electricity whereas one (standard) bulb uses 60 watts,” Parker said. “So you can have four lights on and still use less energy than one (incandescent) bulb.
“Replacing just one light in your home with a CFL probably wouldn’t show much of a difference, but replacing all your bulbs with CFLs would show a definite difference,” Parker said. “Best thing about the CF’s is they also produce less heat, making it easier to cool your home in the summer time.”
The CFL bulbs have decreased in price. According to Parker, these bulbs were once very expensive, but are now less than $2 a bulb.
Another inexpensive purchase homeowners could invest in are hot-water heater timers. These run for about $50, but are crucial in the energy conservation process.
According to an FPU report on conservation, water heaters pull the most energy among electrical appliances in the home, typically using 3,800 watts, with a clothes dryer trailing at 3,500 watts. The estimated cost per hour for its use is about 57, cents according to the report.
With that, Parker suggested that instead of having the water heater running 24 hours a day — costing in the neighborhood of $14 daily — purchase a timer to have it on when home and using it.
“There is a definite 10 to 16 hour period when people are more than likely not using their water heater,” Parkers said. “The hours we sleep, we don’t need the heaters going, and the eight hours at work as well.”
Parker explained that with timers, residents could set the heaters to come on about an hour before waking up to ensure warm water, and then shut them off during the work day. The same can be for nightly usage, shutting down the water heater overnight.
Along with Parker suggestions, FPU officials recommend the following tips for energy conservation. They have been divided into tree categories — no-cost options, low-cost options and investment earning options.

No-cost options
• Schedule a free energy survey with a FPU energy conservation representative, in order to determine what areas of the home are consuming the most energy.
• Air-dry dishes instead of using the heat option on the dishwasher.
• Turn off the computer when not in use.
• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into powerstrips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
• Don’t place lamps or TV sets near the air conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
• Don’t keep the refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator, and 5 degrees for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0 degrees.
• Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
• Wash clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.

Low-cost options
• Switch to all CFL bulbs, indoors and out.
• Install a timer on the hot water heater to eliminate a 24 hour pull on electricity.
• Install a programmable thermostat that is compatible with the heating and cooling system, and utilize the set-back feature to maximize energy efficiency when no one is home.
• Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows that leak air.
• Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, duct work or electrical wiring penetrates through exterior walls, floors and ceilings.
• Install rubber gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on exterior walls.
• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Insulate the electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
• Consider installing timers, photocells or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time the lights are on.
The following are the investment earning options. These are higher-cost tips, but could save plenty of money down the road. FPU officials recommend these following adjustments after implementing all other low-cost options.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products when purchasing them. ENERGY STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
• Increase the level of insulation in the home. The U.S. Department of Energy recommends Florida residents to insulate attics with R-38 grade insulation, and walls with R-13.
• Consider natural gas or propane on-demand or tankless water heaters. Research has found savings can be up to 30 percent compared with a standard storage tank water heater.
• When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when clothes are dry.
• When shopping for new windows, look for the National Fenestration Rating Council’s label; it means the window’s performance is certified. Select windows with air leakage ratings of 0.3 cubic feet per minute or less. Double-paned glass windows are also more efficient by keeping the cool or warm air in or out.
• An ENERGY STAR computer uses 70 percent less electricity than computers without this designation. If left inactive, ENERGY STAR computers enter a low-power mode and use 15 watts or less.