Have you ever noticed that your monthly electrical bill peaks twice a year?  If you’re like most Charleston homeowners, your energy bill is at it’s highest in June – August and again in December – February.  Don’t worry, you’re not alone.  In fact, statistics show that you would share that in common with most of the country.

At Sustainable Energy Solutions, we care about the environment.  We want to let you know about some simple things you can do on your own to be environmentally friendly while lowering your monthly energy costs.

Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks

Checking your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to use a whole-house approach to reduce energy waste and make the most of your energy dollars.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 43% of your utility bill goes for heating and cooling. What’s more, heating and cooling systems in the United States together emit 150 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year.

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.

Water Heating

Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. Depending on the number of people in your home and the heating fuel (electricity or gas), water heating accounts for 10 to 25 percent of your home’s utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.

Those are just a few.  We would highly encourage you to explore the benefits of installing a solar water heater in your home.  More than 1.5 million homes and businesses in the United States have invested in solar water heating systems, and surveys indicate that more than 94% of these customers consider the systems a good investment.  In addition to saving you money, during a 20-year period, one solar water heater can avoid more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions!  Sounds like a win win. We’d also love to come out to your home or business and do a FREE Solar Site inspection, <—-click the link find out more!

What do you do around the house to decrease your electric bill?  We want to know!  Tell us your tips or about how your solar water heater has affected you.