Homeowner Tips to Immediately To Save Money

https://recallchek.com/ShowImage?id=80651460Here is a list of a few things homeowners can do to save money:

Did you know there are a few tips that a homeowner can do to save money on their utility bills?  Here are a few great tips to get you started!

Lower the temperature of your water heater down to 120 degrees Fahrenheit

This is the optimum temperature for your hot water heater. Most people do not utilize water that’s hotter than that, and thus energy used to keep the water that hot isn’t effective. Lower the temperature, save some on your energy bill, and you’ll never skip a beat.

Toss a water heater blanket over that hot water heater as well

While most modern hot water heaters are well-insulated, some are insulated better than others and many older heaters aren’t insulated well at all. A small investment in a blanket for your water heater will slowly and gradually save you money on your heating bill over time by keeping the heat in the water instead of letting it spread slowly out into your utility closet.

Install ceiling fans in most rooms

Ceiling fans are a low-energy way to keep air moving in your home. Because of the air circulation effect, you can get away with keeping your thermostat a degree or two higher in summer and a degree or two lower in winter, netting a rather large savings. Most importantly, the air directly below the fan should be blowing down on you in the summer and should be pulled upwards away from you in the winter ? you can use the reversal switch on your fan to switch between the modes.

Install a programmable thermostat and learn how to use it

A programmable thermostat allows you to schedule automatic increases and decreases in your home’s temperature. This lets your house naturally warm (or cool in the winter) while you’re at work or asleep, saving quite a bit of energy use, and then when it comes time for you to actively use the house, the thermostat automatically adjusts the temperature of your home back to what you prefer. Such devices save money on cooling in the summer and heating in the winter.

Hang a clothes rack in your laundry room(or, better yet, an outdoor clothes line)

A clothes dryer can really eat up your energy costs, but it’s convenient for many people. Battle that convenience (and save money) by hanging a clothes rack from the wall in the laundry room and use it for some items like t-shirts and underwear that dry great on clothes racks. If you can hang up 20% of the clothes in a load on this rack, you can get away with running the dryer 20% less than before, saving you cash. Even better: if you can, install a clothes line outside where the wind can catch it and hang most of your clothes outside.

Maintenance Tip:

Water leaking from your toilet tank will not only cost you money when it comes to your utility bill, but it can also cause water damage to your bathroom floor and premature wear of your toilet’s internal workings. To find out whether your toilet tank is leaking, add some red food coloring to the water in the tank. Come back in about an hour and see if the water in the bowl is pink. If it is, you have a leaky tank.

If you find that your toilet is leaking from the tank to the bowl, the flapper needs to be replaced. To change your toilet’s flapper, first shut off the water supply to your toilet. To do this, simply turn the water valve located directly behind the toilet. Remove the tank lid and flush the toilet in order to empty the tank. Use a towel or sponge to mop out any excess water left in the tank. Remove the flush chain from the lever, and then slide the old flapper up off the overflow tube. Slide the new flapper in place over the overflow tube, reconnect the chain, and turn the water supply back on.

Do you have any other tips for saving money on your utility bills? If so, I would love to hear from you!

Content provided by:

Blueprint Building Inspections|www.blueprintbuildinginspections.com|