Lighting and Other Appliances

Energy for lighting accounts for about 10 percent of your electric bill. Examine the wattage size of the light bulbs in your house. You might have 100 watt (or larger) bulbs where 60 or 40 W would do. You should also consider compact fluorescent lamps for areas whereas lights are on for hours at a time. Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption, along with refrigerators and washing machines at the top of the consumption list.

While shopping for appliances, think of two price tags. The first one covers the purchase price - think of it as a down payment. A second price tag is a cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime. You would be paying on which second price tag every month along with your electricity bill for the next 10 to 20 years that depending on the appliance. Refrigerators last an average of 20 years; room air conditioners and dishwashers, about 10 years every; washing machines about 14 years. Go for modern energy efficient appliances.

Another option for energy audit is to get the advice of a professional. For a fee, a professional contractor will analyse how your home's energy systems work together (as a system) and compare the analysis against your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras, and surface thermometers to find inefficiencies which cannot be detected through a visual inspection. At last, they will provide you a list of recommendations for cost-effective energy improvements and enhanced comfort and safety. Once an energy audit is done, you will require acting on the information you have acquired.