April is a month dedicated to the earth; the United States observes National Garden Month and Keep America Beautiful Month, as well as, Earth Day on April 22nd.  Earth Day is meant to make us aware of what we can do to further the health of our home!  Little do we know or consider is that making "greener" choices, however inconvenient they seem, can save not only our planet, but our wallets too!  Energy efficiency not only improves the health of our planet, but the health of our homes by getting the most use out of each unit of energy we purchase, using this energy wisely, and eliminating the ways our home wastes energy.
We benefit from energy efficiency, because it makes our homes more comfortable and safer.

In 2005, An average US family spent almost $2,000 a year running their households; just imagine how much that bill is now!  Wonder where that money goes?

The Water Bill counts, unfortunately counts for 13% of your energy bill, making the water heater the 2nd largest energy user in your home.  Why?  We use a lot of water!  We clean our clothes, our dishes, ourselves daily, and that uses quite a bit.  Another reason, we pay double for water: the use of the actual water and the cost to heat that water.  So, just imagine how much money you could save by reducing the use of this costly necessity.  Here are some tips for saving on water.

Set the Thermostat on Your Water Heater to 120 Degrees Fahrenheit. Water is usually set on 140 degrees, so turning it down will save you between 6-10% on your energy bill.  The temperature change will also prevent scalding and slow mineral buildup in your water heater and pipes.

If you have an older dishwasher, this temperature reduction might not be the best idea.  Older dishwashers do not have booster heaters, so consult your owner's manual or call the manufacturer to see if yours does.

If you plan to leave for several days - perhaps on a vacation - then you can turn your thermostat down even lower or off completely (if there's no risk of freezing weather)!

Buy a Water Heater that Fits Your Needs.  If you buy too large a heater, you will spend money on heating water you aren't using; a waste of energy and money.

Install Low-Flow Showerheads.  They use 1/3 to 1/2 less water than regular ones do.

Take Shorter Showers, limit baths.  You use a lot less hot water in a shower than a bath.

Fix Leaky Water Faucets.  Thirty drops of water can waste up to 50 gallons of water per month.

Install Low-Flow Aerators on the Faucets.  They reduce the amount of water that flows from your faucet, saving both water and energy.



The City of Houston constantly makes initiatives to make our city a cleaner place to live.  Visit their website for more details.  Keep watching our blog, The Puryear Team will have a new set of energy-savers each week for the next 11 weeks!