- I tracked our gas and electric expenses for 13 months.
Here's the cool part if you all haven't done that . Your energy providers do it automatically for you and all you have to do is log into their websites to find your account and view your records.
My audit shows that our home is using less energy than the average home that is the same size. I feel pretty good about that as our home was built in 1934! And the audit shows me where we can make some improvements that can save us more energy and more $$$. There are a couple we can implement right away for a low investment and yield a high return. YIPPEE!
Our average use of natural gas therms is less than 100 therms a month and electric is less than 1100 kilowatt hours a month. My goal is to lower electricity and gas use by 10%. So far we have lowered electricity use by 7%. With gas I need to track another winter before I can know if that has improved.
So roughly figuring our electricity expense at $0.1091 per kWh, we have saved $255.33 in electricity costs January through June or about $42.54 a month on average. Over a year, that's $510. BONUS!
Actually these changes were pretty painless to make and low in cost. Some were actually free, just a change in habit. I like the results and will keep going after that 10% goal. Hmmm, makes me feel good knowing we are doing something. I bet you can do it, too!
- We switched out lights to CFLs, unplugged anything on autopilot as far as appliances, stereo, tvs when we weren't using them..
- Turned down thermostat at night in winter; turned off a/c during the daytime in summer when it was bearable to do so.
- No lights left behind.
- Bubble wrapped skylights and basement windows.
- Vented the dryer into basement in winter, outdoors for summer.
My audit shows that our home is using less energy than the average home that is the same size. I feel pretty good about that as our home was built in 1934! And the audit shows me where we can make some improvements that can save us more energy and more $$$. There are a couple we can implement right away for a low investment and yield a high return. YIPPEE!
Our average use of natural gas therms is less than 100 therms a month and electric is less than 1100 kilowatt hours a month. My goal is to lower electricity and gas use by 10%. So far we have lowered electricity use by 7%. With gas I need to track another winter before I can know if that has improved.
So roughly figuring our electricity expense at $0.1091 per kWh, we have saved $255.33 in electricity costs January through June or about $42.54 a month on average. Over a year, that's $510. BONUS!
Actually these changes were pretty painless to make and low in cost. Some were actually free, just a change in habit. I like the results and will keep going after that 10% goal. Hmmm, makes me feel good knowing we are doing something. I bet you can do it, too!
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