Sioux Falls Real Estate Blog

    Everyone is trying to be more environmentally aware these days by going green.  We thought it might be a good idea to share some ideas on how to save a little money on your utilities and do your part to help the Earth at the same time.

         An energy efficient house can save up to 40 percent on energy bills compared to the average house.  Since hot water, heating, and major household appliances use up most of a homes energy, you might want to concentrate on finding ways in which you can reduce their use.  Other things that use up energy are cooling systems and lighting.

Hot Water:

·  Repair leaky faucets

·  Install low-flow showerheads

·  Add an insulating blanket on your water heater

·  Use the appropriate water level when washing clothes

Heating:

·  Turn down the temperature 10 degrees at night

·  Close doors on unused rooms; close the shades and drapes at night

·  Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows

·  Close the fireplace damper

·  Replace furnace filters once a month

Appliances:

·  Use toaster ovens or microwave ovens for small meals

·  Run dishwasher with full loads only

·  Air dry dishes in dishwasher

·  Shut down computers when not in use

Cooling:

·  Close the shades on West facing windows

·  Use a fan to draw in cool air at night

·  Plant shades trees on the West side of your house

·  Regularly change out air conditioning filters

Lighting:

·  Replace old bulbs with energy efficient ones

·  Turn off lights in rooms not being used