ENERGY BASICS

APPLYING ENERGY BASICS TO YOUR HOME & BUSINESS

Understanding energy basics is pretty simple, and it just takes a little time to get familiar with the subject of energy conservation. The average energy bill for an American family home is over $2,000 per year, and about half comes from the heating and cooling alone. Simple improvements in the weatherization of a home or business can go a long ways in keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer, while keeping monthly energy bills low. The remaining cost comes from a hot-water heater and all of the large and small appliances, lighting, and electronics throughout your home and business.

SIMPLE WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY

The following tips will take little time and effort, and will not cost you anything. These tips on energy basics only require you to slightly change your daily habits. With minimal effort, the new habits will soon be second nature.

Here are 5 energy saving ideas to remember:

• Turn off all lights when you are leaving a room.
• Don't run hot water if you're not using it. Heating the water in your hot-water heater uses a lot of energy, so avoid wasting it.
• Turn down the temperature of your hot-water heater by adjusting the control thermostat to 120 degrees F. This act alone will serve to greatly decrease your energy bill.
• Unplug appliances when you are away from home. Better yet, completely turn off the power strips that they're plugged in to. If appliances are left plugged in, they might still draw power when turned off - this is called phantom power.
• Completely close all the blinds in your windows and glass doors. This will block direct sunlight in the summer and keep the cold out during the winter nights.

THE TOP 10 LIST OF ENERGY BASICS

• Turn Off the Lights When Not in Use
• Generate Your Own Electricity from the Sun
• Lower Your Water Heater Temperature to 120-125F
• Insulate and Weatherize Your Home Properly
• Switch to Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) or LEDs
• Switch to a Programmable Thermostat
• Buy ENERGY STAR appliances whenever possible
• Use Smart Power Strips to Power Off Electronics
• Update to Double-Pane Windows (or Use Plastic Sheeting)
• Educate Yourself and Spread the Word!

WE UNDERSTAND YOUR PRIORITIES AND HELP YOU HAVE IT ALL!

When it comes to energy basics, we have a simple goal - and that is to help you reduce your home electric bill and save in the future. We will help you get the facts about cost-effective ways to save energy, get free advice, receive free estimates, and find the latest products available in your area.

Save Money

Your home use a lot energy, and every month you receive a bill and continue to pay the high price. We can't avoid energy expenses, but we can certainly pay less by simply keeping fundamental energy basics in mind during our daily routines at home and work.

Increase the Value of Your Home

You can improve the value of your home while reducing your utility bills at the same time. Studies show that homes equipped with energy saving devices, such as solar panels, help to reduce energy substantially and improve the home's value. The best part: the government and major utility companies will help foot the bill. When you're ready to buy solar, our expert partners are available to get you started.

ENERGY BASICS IS ENERGY CONSERVATION - IT'S A WIN FOR EVERYONE!

You can start saving today and even more down the road. So why act now? Because you're paying for energy every month! The home improvements that you make today will permanently decrease the amount of energy you use - and will pay you back in the years to come. If you're on a strict budget, start with small improvements...for example, change to energy efficient light bulbs or try a programmable thermostat. These cost very little and will show a significant cost savings within one year. Larger improvements will give you more bang for the buck in the long run. Cutting costs on energy is easier than you think, and we want to show you all the ways you can do this.