Save Energy: Tips to Save Money While Lowering Your Carbon Footprint

Saving money is great, and it’s even better when it also benefits our planet. SCANA cares about protecting the environment, so we’ve come up with some ways to help you reduce your carbon footprint and save money while doing it. Make these seven changes and watch your savings grow.

Change your air filter regularly.

• Depending on your home, family, and pets, you may need to change it monthly. A dirty filter slows down the air and makes your HVAC system work harder and waste energy while heating or cooling your home. This is an easy way to save up to 15% on your natural gas bill. Plus, keeping the filter clean prevents damage from dirt buildup saving you money on expensive maintenance down the line.
  

Adjust your water heater.

• Lowering the temperature of your water heater is a quick and easy way to save. When set over 120 degrees, you waste both energy and money — up to $460 per year! Lowering the temperature on your water heater takes just a few minutes and will help you save year-round.

Optimize your thermostat.

• Raise or lower (depending on the season) your thermostat temperature when no one’s home. Reducing the difference between the temperature outdoors and inside your home will result in less energy being used to maintain the temperature. If it seems like a chore to remember, you may want to invest in a programmable thermostat. This will allow you to program the thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature, making it easy to keep your overall energy use down.

Invest in green water faucets.

• Install water-saving faucets and showerheads. These can decrease your water usage by 25–60%. You’ll not only save on your water bill, but you’ll also use less hot water and save on natural gas.

Check for leaks.

• Another great way to save on both your water and natural gas bills is to repair leaky faucets as soon as you notice a problem. Even a seemingly small drip can waste hundreds of gallons of water each year if it goes unfixed. Plus, decreasing your water usage is a great way to help the environment. The less water we use, the less energy we waste on treating, pumping, and heating it.

Change your lightbulbs.

• We know this won’t change your natural gas bill, but it is a good way to save on your other energy bills. Switch the lightbulbs in your home to LEDs, which use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. Not only do they use less energy, they also emit less heat and last 25 times longer. This means saving on your cooling bills and having to purchase less light bulbs going forward.

Put off the dishes.

• An energy saving tip that may be surprising is to use the dishwasher rather than doing dishes by hand. While it seems like a dishwasher puts your hot water heater through the ringer and runs forever, it actually uses 12% less energy and 30% less water than hand washing. By avoiding large amounts of hand washing and relying on your dishwasher, you’ll save more than 8,000 gallons of water each year. So, toss those dishes in the dishwasher and relax knowing you’re helping the environment.
  

A few simple changes can make a big difference for your home and for Georgia. Visit our blog for even more energy savings, plus valuable information on natural gas usage and bills.

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