Shelia Lewis: Smith County Extension

Your dad was right. . . turn off the lights!

Shutting off the lights when you leave the room does save electricity and lowers energy bills. And it's just one of the simple, inexpensive ways to save energy and money.

Many things people can do to reduce energy consumption involves changing behavior, such as getting in the habit of turning off lights when leaving the room, or closing that closet door that has an automatic light switch. There are a lot of other things you can do that don't cost a lot of money.

Heating and cooling, on average, account for almost half of a home's energy usage - 44 percent - which means saving energy in those areas can really impact utility bills. For example, don't set the air conditioner so low. Just a 2-degree increase in the setting - say from 72 degrees to 74 degrees - can save $30 to $50 each month in the cost of cooling.

To maximize savings even further, make sure the building is sealed. Check for air leaks around doors, windows, fireplace dampers and recessed lighting. When these little leaks are sealed, the air conditioner doesn't have to come on as often because cooler air stays inside longer. (Likewise in winter, when the heater doesn't have to work so hard, more of the warmed air stays inside.)

And turn off ceiling fans if no one is in the room. Harris said ceiling fans stir the air and cause perspiration to evaporate off the skin - they don't actually lower the temperature of the air. If no one is in the room, keeping the ceiling fan on is just a waste of electricity.

Another 33 percent of a home's energy usage is caused by lighting, cooking and other appliances. One way to maximize energy savings is to replace ordinary incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescent ones. Initially, fluorescent light bulbs look expensive, but in the long run they are real money savers. A fluorescent light bulb has an average life span of 10 years and uses a lot less energy. Incandescent bulbs spend 90 percent of their energy giving off heat, and only 10 percent giving light; fluorescent bulbs are closer to 50 percent heat and 50 percent light. Plus, a fluorescent bulb of about 27 watts gives the same amount of light as a 100 watt incandescent bulb.

Using task lighting - for instance, over the sink or the desk, focusing on just the task at hand - instead of lighting up the whole room can also save energy dollars spent on lighting.

About 14 percent of a home's energy usage comes from heating water. One of the best ways to keep the not water heater running at its peak is to flush the tank at least every six months. Check the owner's manual or call a professional for advice on this process.

The Department of Energy also recommends:

Repairing leaky faucets quickly;

When buying any major appliance, check the energy usage label carefully. The most energy-efficient appliances will have labels with the usage arrow farther over to the left. And always buy appliances with the Energy Star label. This seal of approval was created by the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Lowering home energy costs doesn't have to be an expensive proposition. But a few simple steps can help save a bundle.

Programs of Texas AgriLife Extension serve people of all ages regardless of socioeconomic level, race, color, sex, religion, disability or national origin.

Shelia Lewis
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