Chesapeake In The Know

As the days get shorter and colder, you may notice your energy bills creeping higher and higher. There’s a lot you can do to save energy and, in turn, save money during the winter months.

The average home loses 15-35% of the energy used to heat air because of small holes and cracks in the homes. Do a home audit to find those spots that need caulking or insulating and make those repairs. 

Aim to keep your heat at 55 while you’re out of the house, 68 while you’re home, and 60 while you’re asleep. A programmable thermostat can help make this automatic.

Go easy on those hot showers. Lower your water heater’s max temperature to 120 degrees and you could save 7-11% on your water heating costs.

It’s dark out all the time now so keep those lights on guilt-free by swapping your incandescent bulbs with LEDs. While they may be more expensive initially, they’ll pay for themselves in less than a year and they’ll last much longer than regular bulbs.

For more tips and tricks on energy conservation, visit VirginiaEnergySense.com.