How to Save Energy: 7 Urban Myths

May 10, 2010 | Energy Efficiency

Bombarded by energy saving suggestions? WattzOn has worked with hundreds of households, and here's our list of what does not work in most homes. Save time and money, just don't do it!

If your water heater is less than 10 years old, it was made with quite a bit of insulation. Adding a water heater blanket is nearly useless. When the water heater is cool to your touch, it is well insulated. Water heaters last 9 - 12 years, so most of us don't need a blanket.

No need to reach down under the fridge and clean the dust bunnies for energy savings. You might enjoy a cleaner house, but there is no evidence that doing this on-the-floor job saves money.

A common energy habit we've seen in a lot of homes is to turn the ceiling fan on in the bedroom several hours before bedtime, to pre-cool the room. Unfortunately, this just wastes energy. Although ceiling fans do make you feel cooler when you are in the room, they do nothing to cool the air. We advise people to keep the fan on only when they are in the room.

A new fridges uses less than half the energy of an older unit. Watch your electricity bill drop with a new fridge. Don't repair an old box, replace it. Learn about the latest rebates here.

New washers use a fraction of the water as old ones. Also, new washers take more water out during the spin cycle, so your drying time goes down. Don't repair an old washer; replace it. There are some great rebates available from water and energy utilities.

Space heaters are a great alternative to running an old furnace through a drafty house. When you don't want to spend money on a large home improvement, consider running a space heater to heat the room you're in. Use a carpet to keep your toes off the cold floor, and an oil-filled space heater to deliver stable temperatures. Don't use both space heater and your furnace, that's a real waste of energy, and a call to action for home improvement. And, if you do use a space heater, check your bills after a month to make sure this tip is right for you.

The climate is warming up and you're supposed the save the planet by turning off lights or turning down the thermostat. How could this small stuff possibly matter? But it does! About half of the energy used in our homes is wasted, and often habits and easy changes can add up to sizeable savings. When we change how we live in our homes, we demand the same from our community and businesses. Save at home, and take that energy savings attitude out the front door. This is how revolutions begin.

Here's something that's NOT a myth: many homes can save hundreds of dollars on their energy bills with little to no investiment. Want to find out how you can save? Sign up for a FREE WattzOn account, then schedule a free phone consultation. We'll analyze your bills, compare your usage to other local homes, ask you questions to identify your home's energy hogs, and give you lots of free advice. We aren't selling anything. If you need a professional to help you implement energy efficiency upgrades, we can refer you to our list of vetted local contractors.