Simple Steps Can Save Energy at Home

DECATUR, Ga. - All summer we've been feeling the heat outside with record high temperatures happening across the country.

And along with the high temperatures, high energy bills are most likely making your wallet a lot lighter. But experts say some small energy-saving tips could make a big difference on your bills.

Do you cringe when you hear your air conditioning unit constantly running? Just trying to get your home comfortable is costing you by the hundreds every month. But an energy expert tells us small changes can make a big difference.

Tamara Jones can now enjoy a room she previously couldn't even go in. It was one of two in her Decatur home that were off limits.

"In the winter, they were too cold and in the summer they were too hot," said homeowner Tamara Jones.

And energy experts showed her just why her bills were high.

"They actually did a test on our house and the house and our was very leaky. We were losing a third of our heating and air conditioning in the crawl space because of the duct system was so leaky," said Jones.

"People don't realize how big of a chunk of the budget that their energy use is and how they can help buy that down with just some simple, easy tips," said Kateri Callahan, President of Alliance to Save Energy.

Reggie Lopes of WellHome, a company specializing in making homes more energy efficient, says to see an immediate change in your home's temperature, start where a lot of your air escapes, in the attic.

"Your attic gets really hot. It's typically about 130-140 degrees in your attic on a 90 degree day outside. So you want to cap it, air seal those and then after that you want to go ahead and blow some insulation," said Reggie Lopes of WellHome.

Do the same in the basement by sealing all the ductwork. He says it's also worth investing about $25 in a programmable thermostat.

"This is huge because it's going to allow the system to shut down when you're not home or drop a temperature or raise a temperature when you're not actually in the house," said Lopes.

A lot of people use these just for the light, but don't forget about your ceiling fan - keep it going in the summertime. Chances are if it's going, you can increase your thermostat by one or two degrees.

And speaking of lights, a simple change from incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs could also make a positive affect on your bill. CFL bulbs put off half the heat of traditional ones.

There are all tips Jones took to heart and she says she has the lower energy bills to prove it.

"In March, you can see what our bill was, around $422. And March 2011, you can see its down to $209. It was quite dramatic and it was wonderful.

"We can't control the weather, we can't control how much gasoline costs, but what we can control is how much we spend on energy in our daily lives," said Callahan.

Many of the tips cost very little, but there is money out there for more in depth changes around your home.

For more information on saving energy in your home, visit the following sites: www.ase.org , www.seea.org , www.seewise.org , and www.wellhome.com .