The Real Estate Insider May 2014 | Page 4

Coldwell Banker Holman Premier Realty 3815 S. 6th Street, Ste 110 Klamath Falls, OR 97603 Volume 1, Issue 4 | May 2014 TOP 10 HOME ENERGY SAVING TIPS Being eco-concious doesn’t have to mean outfitting your home with pricey solar panels. Many key improvements can be made for cheap or even free. #1 Monitor your energy use You can reduce your monthly electric expenses — typically by as much as 15 percent, according to a recent IBM study — by knowing how much power you’re actually using and where you can most effectively cut back. Add a plug load monitor ($25 and up) to any outlet where you plug in an appliance or device; the monitor will display how much energy the device is consuming and when, Part 1. Goodhousekeeping.com helping you decide which ones should be turned off and at what time. Some models are programmable, to cut power automatically. #2 Install dimmer switches Not yet ready to say buhbye to incandescent bulbs? Then consider that simply dimming a light by 10 percent more than doubles the bulb’s life — and switches only cost about $10. #3 Add a motion sensor Add motion sensor to your outdoor lighting fixtures. One of these little helpers (around $20 each) turns off the light when nobody’s present. The gizmos are great for the seldom-used CC Liscensed by Flikr User Ian Muttoo areas of your home, like the basement and guest room. #4 Set a programmable thermostat This handy item — widely available for about $50 — can help you save almost $200 a year by turning down the heat at certain times of day or night. For every degree you lower your thermostat for an eight-hour period, you cut energy use by about 1 percent. So, if you set it back 10 degrees overnight, you can save 10 percent. Part 2, June 2014.