There are all sorts of creative ways to save energy besides the more typical heating and air conditioner efficiency options. How about your home appliances as well?

Refrigerators account for approximately 5 to 20 percent of our monthly energy bills. Buying the right refrigerator and using it wisely can make a significant impact on our ecological footprint and our energy bills.

Even minor changes in family habit patterns of refrigerator use can result in surprising savings over the course of a year. Keep reading for 5 tips you can do for both.

1. Setting your refrigerator to the right temperature.

Ideally, your refrigerator’s thermostat should be set to anywhere between 37 and 40 degrees, and your freezer should be between 0 and 5 degrees. Setting your refrigerator a mere 10 degrees cooler can cost you as much as 25 percent more per month.

2. Invest in an Energy Star certified refrigerator.

While the initial cost of an energy efficient refrigerator will likely be higher than an uncertified model, you’ll make back the extra expense after just a few short years of dramatic savings on your utility bills.

Contemporary Energy Star certified refrigerators made today are over 150 percent more efficient than their 1980s counterparts. That means trading up can save major dollars.

3. Clean and maintain your refrigerator coils.

The back of a refrigerator is a magnet for dirt and dust. Those dirty coils stop your refrigerator from working at maximum efficiency and wind up costing you money. To clean you refrigerator coils, pull the fridge out from the wall and unplug it. Then, using the brush attachment on your vacuum cleaner, give the coils a thorough sweep.

When you’re done, remove the panel on the bottom front of your refrigerator (it should snap off) and clean those coils as well. Finish up by cleaning the floor under your refrigerator and rolling it back into place.

4. Seal your gaskets.

Your freezer and refrigerator doors have rubber gaskets on them that seal them and keep the cold air inside. If a gasket is damaged or worn out, your refrigerator has to work extra hard to keep the inner air cool. This costs you money.

To test the seals, close the door on a sheet of paper. When you pull the paper out, you should feel the gasket gripping on to it. If it slips out easily, you need to replace your gaskets.

5. Level your refrigerator.

A refrigerator works by using a compressor to pump refrigerant through its coils. If your fridge isn’t level, this takes more energy. While refrigerators are designed to tilt slightly backwards (to keep the door closed), they need to be level from side to side.

Replacing an old, single-setting thermostat with a programmable model is one of the easiest and quickest ways to save big energy dollars.

Such a replacement improves on the automatic temperature control of your home and keeps you from wasting valuable energy. It allows you to set different temperatures for different times of the day or week.

Keep reading to learn more, including how you can get the most out of your programmable thermostat and how to install it.

How does a programmable thermostat work?

A typical thermostat that can be programmed has one cycle for weekdays and another for weekends. For each cycle, the thermostat lets you set two to four time settings and temperatures that correspond to when you wake up, leave for work, return home and go to sleep.

Which type of programmable thermostat should I buy?

When buying a thermostat with the capability to program, look for one with a manual override and a hold temperature button. These features allow you to maintain a temperature that’s not specified in the programmed cycles.

This can be handy for vacations where you’re home during the day or out with long absences. Push another button and your thermostat returns to its regular cycle.

Will the programmable thermostat work with my heating system?

Yes, they are designed to work with most heating and air conditioning systems that have 2, 3, 4 or 5 wires connected to the thermostat. If your house has electric baseboard heating, don’t attempt to install the thermostat because it won’t work with the high voltage associated with baseboard heat.

Can I install it myself?

Yes, all programmable thermostats should come with a set of instructions that tell you step-by-step how to remove your existing thermostat and connect the new one. Before you begin the installation process, remember to turn off the power to the furnace at the breaker panel or fuse box.

When you remove the old thermostat from the wall, grab the wires that were connected to it and keep them outside the wall. Separate the new thermostat from its base and then run the wires through the base and attach it to the wall.

Once the base is mounted to the wall, consult your instructions to find out which colored wire should connect where on your new thermostat. Remember to install backup batteries to keep the thermostat from losing its program in case of a power outage.

When you’ve completed attaching the wires, affix the thermostat to the base, begin programming your heating and cooling cycles and start saving money!

The financial pressure is on to save energy any way we can. Helpful options can range from expensive projects like replacement windows or solar panels to inexpensive choices such as reusing water.

Recycling grey water isn’t just for efficiency experts or gung-ho environmentalists; it’s something that every family can and should do. Grey water is essentially the used, but not overly dirty (non sewage) water that your household consumes.

Think about all the water that goes down the drain when you run the shower or washing machine. That water can be re-used. Keep reading to learn 3 ways you can recycle your grey water and save money on your water bills.

1. Washing Machine to the Garden

Washing machine drain lines are some of the easiest to convert to a gray water system. Washing machines that run on porches, in mud rooms or in the garage are easy to drain through a simple gray water line because you won’t need to go through any major walls.

The proximity of the washing machine to your garden is another factor to consider. Also, because grey water lines flow by gravity, you need to have the used water receptacle lower than the appliance being drained.

With a washing machine, you can easily attach a hose to the drain line and store the water in simple, fifty gallon buckets. When you’re ready to use the water, move it to smaller buckets and then use it to water plants and trees on your property.

When you’re recycling household wash water, you also need to be careful about what kind of detergents you’re using. You don’t want chemicals seeping into your land and plants, especially if it’s an edible garden.

2. Recycling Dishwasher Water

The most basic way to recycle dish water is to wash your dishes in a small basin, carry that water outside once you’re done and dump it on the garden. It’s easy and thrifty.

If you use an electric dishwasher, you can still drain the water. Like clothing washers, dishwashers are drained through a special hosing that keeps the cleaner water separate from any sewage. This water can then be used on your property for watering plants or washing your exterior walls.

3. From the Shower to the Toilet

Believe it or not, you can use your grey shower or bath water to flush your toilet. This simple method can be a fully automated process that involves a special grey water collection installation, or you can simply collect the water and fill your toilet’s tank with it manually.

You can also install grey water collection systems that funnel your shower water to an outside water basin that can then be used for watering your property.

Utility bills often consume a large sum of your household budget every month. It’s no fun when there are other, apparently more important things to spend money on. That’s why it helps to know the strategies of reducing your utility bills.

Home insulation methods begin with inspecting the entire house. When you do this, you will see that you have many options for reducing your recurring utility bills. Audit your household, taking particular notice of the insulation. Alter anything that you can to make energy use in your household more efficient. This will unquestionably help your family in more ways than you can imagine.

Audit Insulation

You need to look at the different factors that contribute to energy loss when auditing insulation. Making sure that you have only the proper insulation installed at home will increase your savings as you reduce your energy consumption. If you own an older home, some walls may not be well-suited to be insulated, but remodeling them can make these areas easier to get to. Only make sure you use proper insulation on the reconstructed area.

Windows and Doors

Windows and doors are usually the most difficult areas of your home. They should be double checked for leaks. Leaks in these areas, if not instantly mended, would lead to your heating or cooling system expending more energy than needed. Check these leaks by testing the temperature in the areas outside of your home. Better yet, a contractor can perform tests for other possible leaks which you may not know about. Leaks can also be discovered in the basements and crawlspaces, so you have to remember these areas as well.

Crevices and cracks around your windows and doors aren’t very useful when you are trying to preserve the air temperature inside your home. While holes and small spaces where air can escape can’t be avoided, filling in these cracks will regulate temperature and airflow inside the house.

This is what weather stripping is for. Weather stripping fills in gaps connecting windows and doors. Nowadays, you can put in weather stripping on your own. There are ready made ones that can be easily installed. You only need to attach or paste it on the holes that need patching up.

You may also find air leaks in other places, such as around electrical switches, outlets, pipes and bathtubs and shower stalls. Make sure not to overlook these so you can be sure to have better installation and increase energy savings.

Attics

Attics play a big part in making sure your household is energy efficient. Placing vents in this part of the house will preserve good circulation. However if circulation is good enough, insulation may not be needed in this area. Holes in the ceiling allow air to escape the attic, so make sure to seal them to save on your energy consumption.

Fireplaces

Fireplaces may be useful to heat your home during cold seasons, but can also be problematic when not in use. The fireplace may leak out the heat your heating system produces and as a result, more energy will be required to heat your home. To ensure that you are really lowering your utility bills, check that your flue is always closed when not in use.

Window coverings

Windows easily let in the heat from the outside. Even if the cooling system is operating and the windows are shut, heat can still come through the window as radiation. This is why you need to make use of window coverings, which you can make or buy. Curtains and blinds are excellent window coverings. They function well, keeping the radiation flow minimized, which will maximize the energy efficiency of your cooling system.

Audit Insulation Needs

Home insulation methods can lower your monthly utility bills and save money if you properly audit the insulation system in your home. Moreover, the installed heating or cooling system in your home should be optimized and not put to waste as it functions to better make the family comfortable at home.

There are insulation products on the market that you could use to retain heat in your home. These products can be bought to seal areas where heat is likely to escape. A professional contractor, however may be consulted to do the inspection. By doing this you will get professional advice on how much insulation your home needs in order to lower your utility bills. Residential solar power and wind power are also attractive options for greatly reducing your energy bills.

If you prefer to try some home insulation methods yourself, there are many insulation books that you could use as a guide. There is also online information on where to properly insulate and the recommended R-values for the specific area of the household. The recommended R-value for the area of your home may vary from a home in a different region. For this, your electric company or your gas company can assist you best. They can recommend according to your zip code and your area which R-value is most appropriate.

Conclusion

It pays to ensure that your house has proper insulation. You can have a professional audit your insulation or you can do it yourself. This is one useful way to use energy efficiently, live comfortably at home and save a lot for the needs of your family.

For more tips for saving energy and money at home, see Four Guidelines For Buying Proficient Appliance Brands That Save Money.

Protection is possibly the worlds most dire need. People today are living in fear of environmental disasters, terrorist plots, wars and plagues. How can our governments fully protect everyone? We are in the end-times before Jesus second coming. The Bible is full of prophesies describing the events and calamities leading up to it. We are feeling the effects right now. No government, bulletproof clothing, or gas mask can stop this process. Go to point of sale for more information.

The country of Egypt went through nine consecutive devastating plagues. The people had absolutely no protection from their government except for the Israelites, who were spared by God. As if that was not enough, pharaoh brought on a tenth plague by ordering all the firstborns to be murdered. But God gave Moses instructions for the Israelites to escape this horrendous disaster. There were a number of specific directives they had to follow. The most important of these was for each household to kill an unblemished firstborn male lamb on the evening the slaughter of the children was to take place. Then they were told to apply its blood on the left, right and upper door posts of their houses. The blood was for a sign on their houses for God to pass over them and spare them from the plague that night! (Ex. 5-12)

Imagine having to go through an elaborate ritual of sprinkling lamb

Have you recently decided to remodel your bathroom? If so, have you decide what you would like to get done? Whether you are only interested in changing your bathroom cabinets or if you want to remodel every inch of your bathroom, you will need supplies. The supplies that you need will all depend on the type of remodeling that you plan on doing. Despite the fact that your bathroom remodeling supplies will vary, you can commonly purchase them all from the same place. As previously mentioned, the type of bathroom remodeling you plan on doing will have an impact on which supplies you will need. For example, if you are planning on replacing your bathroom vanity mirror, you will need to find new cabinets to install. The same can be said for bathroom flooring, lighting, and countertops. If you need to purchase a fairly large number of bathroom remodeling supplies, say if you are planning on remodeling all or the majority of your bathroom, you may want to shop at one of your local home improvement stores. Most home improvement stores have a fairly large selection of home remodeling supplies and materials, including laminate countertops, floor tiles, ceiling tiles, light fixtures, and cabinets. Purchasing all of your remodeling supplies at once will help to save you time.

Although it may be a good idea to shop at one of your local home improvement stores, you may not want to. If this is the case, you should examine the internet and what it has to offer. There are a number of online retailers that would be willing to deliver their bathroom sink vanity remodeling supplies directly to your door. In addition to traditional retailers, you can also find other individuals and companies who specialize in producing quality, customized products, such as bathroom cabinets. Whether you can’t find what you are looking for locally or if you want to have something, such as your bathroom cabinets, custom designed, you are advised to look online. A simple internet search should return the results that you were looking for.

When it comes to home improvement projects, it is important that you get the items or materials that you need, such as floor tiles or light fixtures, but you cannot complete a home improvement project on your bathroom cabinet vanity without the right tools. If you do have some home improvement experience, there is a good chance that you may already have most of the tools that you need. If you need additional tools or if you don’t have any at all, you will need to purchase yourself some. The tools that you need will all depend on the remodeling that you are doing, that is why it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with project instructions, as well as the tools that are needed before you get started. If you are purchasing your remodeling materials from a home improvement store, it may be a good idea to save yourself an extra trip and buy your tools at the same time.

Go Green In Your Home – And Save Money Too

If you want to go green in your home, and start to save money at the same time,it’s never been easier. As the planet faces an uncertain future of global warming, which is believed to be the result of us all burning
fossil fuels indiscriminately, we all have a duty to do the best we can to redress the balance. Here are some vital tips and useful information to help you get started…

Your home is where you spend a lot of your income, so it makes sense to be spending it as efficiently as possible. You can start to go green in your home by insulating the house. Loft insulation, wall cavity insulation, double or even triple glazing – it will all make a tremendous difference. Yes, there is the issue of an investment to consider, but you will make savings in the longer term, and actually save a lot too.

We all use too much water. go green in the home by cutting back as
much as you can. We could all, collectively, save one billion gallons of water a year by changing our old flush toilet cisterns. The older models use three and a half gallons every flush and the more modern high-efficiency ones use just over one and a quarter gallon. It makes a vast difference! If you did only this one thing to go green in the home you would be saving 20,000 gallons of water every single year, and be paying a lot less in water bills.

The standard light bulbs that most homes have are very inefficient. Compact fluorescent light bulbs burn around 5% of the old bulbs and they last 10 times onger. They may cost slightly more to buy initially, but this is an obvious way to go green in the home and save a bundle in the long run. But you can do even better, The new LED lights are almost twice as efficient as even the compact fluorescent light bulbs, and they will last even longer too.

Heat leaks out of a house in winter and into the house in summer. More efficient insulation all round is a perfect way to go green in the home. Take a look at your loft, your wall cavities and your windows and even doors. Sort out all of these and you can go green in the home and really save too.

Home utilities can be a drain on energy. Are you aware that modern washing powders are actually so good that they don’t really need hot water? your washing machine uses most of its energy just in heating the water, so just wash your clothes cold. They will clean just great while you go green in the home. You may likely think your dishwasher is also an energy drain, but strangely, it isn’t. If you use it fully filled it uses less resources than if you wash by hand. Once you know these little tips and tricks, it’s easy to go green in the home.

Author and Publisher Rob Watson
Rob Watson Publishes about-global-warming.com
dedicated to promoting issues associated with
Going Green and Global Warming

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