We love holidays, here at SunRun, especially ones that save you energy and money.  That’s why yesterday, on January 10th, 2010, we celebrated National Cut Your Energy Costs Day!  There are so many ways to reduce energy usage and costs around your home, from long-term investments, such as installing new heating and cooling systems, to easy fixes, such as unplugging your television.

Here are five quick tips to cut costs and save energy this holiday.

1. Power Strips: Plug your TV, computer, and other home electronics into power strips and flip the switch when they’re not in use.  Even when appliances are turned off, they’re still running on phantom energy.  If you don’t use power strips, remember to unplug your appliances when you’re done with them.
2. CFLs: Switch out your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs.  CFLs last up to 10 times longer than and use about one-fourth the energy of incandescents.
3. Solar Panels: Reduce your electricity costs by installing solar panels in your home.  You use the same amount of energy but pay less for it, because you can lock in a rate with solar, rather than be subject to your utility’s rate increases.
4. Sleep mode: Set your computers to sleep mode, rather than screen saver mode, when not in use.  It takes about 100 Watts/hour to run a screen saver on your graphics card.  Cut energy costs by letting your screen go black.
5. Air sealing: Seal cracks and openings to prevent outside air from otherwise entering your house.  Paired with proper insulation, air sealing can increase energy efficiency and drastically reduce your heating and cooling costs.

Posted by: Nami Sung on January 10, 2010.