The Blog

January 10 was cut energy cost day. With a tough economy and government shut-down, now more than ever people are looking for ways to cut costs and save money. In Louisiana, the average monthly residential electricity bill is $105, which puts us 26^th in the U.S. To help you spend less on electricity and more on what you love to do, here is a list of ideas to help you cut energy cost.

Air Vents

It is important to make sure all the vents in your home are open and clean. You may think, “Why would my vents be closed?” Well in some central air conditioning and/or heating, there can be closed vents. By opening all the vents, it will help you save energy cost. It is a myth that closing your vents will save energy cost. Click here to learn more!

Airflow

Proper airflow in your home will keep a steady temperature throughout your house. Fans allow you to move the air around. By plugging in or turning on your ceiling fan, the temperature will be more even distributed throughout your home. This will allow your heating/cooling system to do less work. Two tips to know for using fans: 1) If it is hot, the fan should spin counter clockwise to push hot. 2) If it is cold, the fan should spin clockwise to keep hot air in.

Use a Smart Thermostat

The Nest is a new thermostat that learns how you adjust your temperature in your home. The Nest Leaf is a leaf that appears on your nest when you are saving energy. This feature helps you to save cost. The Home/Away Assist can help you save energy and cost when no one is home. The Nest also has an Energy History so you can build better energy saving practices. This new product will help you save and improve your energy cost.

Pulling the Plug

Video game systems, television sets, and desktop computers need to be completely turned off to save energy cost. The process of shutting down electronics can be frustrating. I suggest attaching some electronics to a power strip so you can easily turn off the power strip. To avoid more frustration, you can schedule a startup and shutdown time for your desktop computer so it can handle the work for you.

Lighting 

Lighting is a huge energy drain in your house and can be up to 20% of your electricity bill. To cut costs, replace inefficient incandescent bulbs with new energy efficient ones. Remember to turn off your lights or consider using smart plugs to make the process even easier. Also, make use of natural lighting where you can. If you are designing a new home or renovation, consider the directions your windows face to allow the most efficient light to enter your home. A study conducted by the Energy Center of Wisconsin in Ankeny, Iowa proved that adding more natural light can save you money on your electric bill. To view more detailed results, click save.

Regardless of the options chosen, our wallets and our environment benefit when we become more energy aware.

© 2019 Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC

Kevin Harris, Architect, LLC designs custom homes to satisfy, support and sustain our client’s best life, to be an authentic expression of their site, lifestyle and culture, while remaining rooted in history and expressive of the times. For more information on Kevin or the firm go to www.kevinharrisarchitect.com.