How to Starve Home Energy Hogs!
February 20, 2018
With shorter, colder, and darker days this season, it’s tempting to just hunker down in your house and NOT think about how you could change the way you, your family and your HOUSE consume energy.
But winter is no time to coast!
You can cut your energy bills and reduce your energy footprint with these five easy and economical winter energy saving tips that help correct mistakes and starve those home-energy hogs!
Schedule a Low-Cost Energy Audit
What you don’t know about your home’s energy efficiency could cost you—in the form of higher utility bills. But if you schedule a home energy audit through Xcel Energy, you’ll find out the quickest and simplest ways to optimize your home’s efficiency and start to lowering energy bills.
First find a registered Xcel Energy participating contractor. You pay the contractor the total cost of the audit – upfront – then Xcel will rebate 60 percent of the audit price up to $200.
An audit should take about two hours, scheduled at your convenience, and you could save five to 30 percent by making recommended changes, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. If you have questions or want to get started, call Xcel Energy at 1-800-895-4999.
Let the Sun Shine In
Did you know the Southshore community enjoys an average of 245 sunny days a year? Even when it’s chilly outside, you can use Colorado’s blue skies and sunshine to help heat your home. You can keep your house warmer if you open your curtains, shutters and shades during the day to let in the heat of the sun in, then close them at sundown to keep out the cold.
Use a Programmable Thermostats
Did you know you can save as much as 10 percent a year on your heating costs by lowering your thermostat just 10 degrees for eight hours a day? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, it’s better to adjust the inside air temp than to “set it and forget it”! The easiest way to do this is with a programmable thermostat like Nest’s, set to run at a lower temperature when no one is at home or everyone’s in bed. And if you don’t yet have a programmable thermostat, make 2018 the year you buy one!
Use Safe Gadgets to Save
Some people mistakenly rely on space heaters to cut costs. While this may be effective if you’re trying to heat one small room, like a bedroom or home office, running several space heaters at once won’t save you money. And there are safety concerns associated with space heaters that shouldn’t be ignored.
Business Insider has at least a dozen gadgets that can help you cut your energy bill and reduce your environmental impact without sacrificing convenience. Products like energy-saving power switches that draw zero energy when flipped off, solar patio lights and smart-sensor LED lights are all aimed at energy efficiency.
Energy Efficiency in Southshore
Home builders in the master-planned community of Southshore are conscientious about saving energy and using products and systems in each new home to help you do the same. Visit the stunning models from Toll Brothers, Richmond American Homes and Century Communities to explore all the energy efficiencies built into each new home – both ranch and two-story designs. Priced between the upper $300s and the $700s, builders’ reps are ready to show you around, today!