Different ways to save energy

Different Ways to Save Energy
By Andre Jones

Finding ways to conserve energy is a life-changing process. Not only will saving energy help improve the environment, it also helps reduce your monthly energy bills. The best place to start conserving energy is in your home. Basic cost-effective tips and easy do-it-yourself projects will help you get started on saving energy in your home. 

1. Fill Air Spaces Between Windows and Doors
   • A cost-effective way to save energy in your home is to fill the air spaces between windows and doors, called weather-stripping or caulking. To weather-strip, place a narrow strip of metal, wood or rubber between a door or window sash and its frame to prevent air from seeping through. Caulking is the process in which you spread caulking material in between doors and windows to fill space. According to "Big Green Purse," if every gas-heated home were properly caulked or window-stripped, enough natural gas is saved to heat more than 4 million homes a year.
     
     
   Install Low-Flow Showerheads
   • Save energy and money in your home by using low-flow showerheads that reduce the amount of water your shower uses. You could save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide for electrically heated water or 80 pounds of carbon dioxide for gas-heated water per year, reports Eco Mall.
     
     
   Install Storm Windows and Doors
   • A convenient way to save energy in your home is to install storm, double- or even triple-paned windows and doors. In moderate temperatures, you can easily open your windows and doors to ventilate your home to save the expense of using your air conditioner or heating unit. If buying new windows and doors is not in your budget, "Big Green Purse" reports that you should buy thermal draperies to reduce heat loss by at least 50 percent.
     
     
   Insulation
   • Save energy in your home by installing insulation. Insulating your attic or top floor ceiling along with the exterior walls and basement floors and ceilings can save energy by 20 to 30 percent, reports "Big Green Purse."
     
     
   Replace Lightbulbs
   • Replace your current lights with energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs, which use 1/4 the energy of an ordinary incandescent bulb, according to Eco Mall. In addition, compact fluorescent bulbs last eight to 12 times longer.