Take Some of the Heat Off Your Utility Budget

Most people would love to shave a little off their ongoing household bills. Here’s a simple way to start saving soon and keep saving forever.

If you reduce the temperature in your home by only one degree during the cold months when the furnace is running and increase it only one degree during the hot months when the air conditioner is running, you will save between 3 and 5% of the monthly cost to heat and cool your home. Thats really quite amazing when you stop to think about it. Chances are that you won’t notice the difference in the temperature, but you should notice the difference in your bank account. So why not go change your thermostat right now and start saving today.

Once you are saving this utility expense, make sure you do something smart with the money. Here’s another idea to even further reduce your utility bills. Use your monthly savings from the one-degree differential explained above and buy a water tank to place between your water heater and your water supply in order to compound your savings long term. By installing this tank, you will provide for the cold water to enter your water heater only after resting and warming up a bit in the holding tank. While the water is waiting for its turn in the water heater, it will warm up a significant amount all on its own. The water in the tank will get warmer by bleeding off much of the cold as it sits in an environment that is already heated by both your heating system and the additional heat produced by the water heater while it works to increase the temperature of the water already in it. Its like sitting a glass of cold water on your kitchen counter and coming back later to a warm drink. Chances are that your furnace is in the same area and likewise the heat it produces will help “prewarm” the water in the tank. Obviously, you won’t want an insulated holding tank.

By using this warmer water from the holding tank instead of straight from the much colder typical supply, your water heater will have to work much less to bring the water up to temperature for use in your sinks, showers, washer, etc. You can see how if your water heater only had to increase the temperature of your water by 50 or 60 degrees instead of 80 or 90 degrees you would save big on utilities. Your water heater will also last longer, saving you even more over the long run. Give this some thought. It really works!

With these two ideas you can take a bite out of your utilities bill. This will free up more money for better spending elsewhere and help relieve a little of the budget pressure. Like most financial stuff, this is not brain surgery. It’s a simple little idea that can have a big effect for years and years to come. I hope you will benefit from these ideas. Remember, little by little one goes far. Over time these seemingly small changes will accumulate and you will enjoy a very big financial difference.