HOME OWNER TIPS
1) Water Heater burns cold hard cash.
Water heating is the second largest chunk of your home’s energy bills. Keep the temperature low and you can lower your bills: The thermostat can go as high as 140 degrees, but we recommend 120 degrees.
2) Give your AC a breath of fresh air.
The hotter the summer the longer and harder your AC unit has to work. A clean air filter can help your AC unit work more efficiently, which helps you save money. You change it out every month. If you have pets then do it more frequently.
3) Defunk the Disposal.
An easy way to clean your garbage disposal is to run cold water while sending ice cubes down the drain. If you make the ice cubes out of vinegar, it will also deodorize your disposal.
4) Flush it in a flash.
Flushing your water heater once a year can double its life. With the water and the power off, hook a hose to this drain valve and place the other end where it’s safe to purge hot water. With the pressure valve open, flip the drain valve and let the water flow. Reverse the steps and turn everything on again.
5) Garbage Disposal vs hot or cold water.
Run cold water before, during and after turning on your garbage disposal. It will carry food down the drain, and the cold water will help fat and grease solidify so it doesn’t coat the blades.
6) Out think the Heat.
A smart thermostat can help cut down on your electric bills. It monitors your home activity, then programs itself to accommodate your heating habits while shaving down bills at the same time.
7) Stop the drop.
A leaky faucet like this can cost up to 10,000 wasted gallons of water per year in a single household. That’s the equivalent of 270 loads of laundry. Usually all it takes is to tighten a lose screw or a new rubber washer.
8) Unexplained jump in your water bill.
If your water bill is running unusually high you could have a water leak. Try this to see: turn off all the appliances that use water. Make sure nobody is taking a shower, is using the sink or flushes the toilet for an hour. Now go out to your water meter and look at the dial. If the water meter keeps ticking anyway, you’ve got a leak on your hands.
