Improve the Efficiency of Your Home

Energy Efficient Lighting

		Simply Switch Light Bulbs We may sound like a broken record, but this is the easiest way to reduce your energy costs and the toll on the environment. If every American home replaced just one light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL), we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 80,000 cars. Each CFL: Saves $30 or more in energy costs over its lifetime and it should last 10 times longer or 5-8 years Saves about 3/4 of the energy used by a conventional bulb Cuts air conditioning bills -- each bulb generates 70% less heat, and they are safer to operate.
Be Energy Conscious at Home Turn off the lights when you are not using them. It is just a matter of changing a habit. Also, turn off appliances like computers and televisions when they are not in use. Utilize Natural Light Invite warmth into your home by opening the blinds during the day and closing them at night. Conversely, to cool your home during warm weather keep the blinds closed during the day. Be sure to consider skylights and energy efficient windows when renovating and building.

Efficient Appliances

ENERGY STAR is the government-backed program that helps us all to save money and protect our environment with energy-efficient products and practices. There are over 50 ENERGY STAR qualified product types available for both the home and business. These products are the same or better than standard products and they use less energy, save money, and help protect the environment. ENERGY STAR qualified products must meet strict energy efficiency criteria set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency or the U.S. Department of Energy.

Efficient Heat and Cooling

Programmable Thermostat
Save money and resources with a programmable thermostat. For a limited time, Kansas City Power & Light is giving them away for FREE and providing FREE installation, a value of $300, plus all the savings on your energy bill. Find out if you qualify

Weatherize your Home
Find and stop leaking air and save up to 30% in energy costs. Here's some things to look for:

• Check for drafts through windows, doors, baseboards, air ducts, fireplace dampers, and attic hatches. Be sure to plug leaks with weather stripping, caulk or other appropriate material.
• Check and replace furnace filters as needed
• Inspect insulation levels in walls and the attic. Install more installation as necessary.

Johnson County Human Services and Aging offers free weatherization for qualifying residents.
Find out if you qualify.

For those that don't quality for this service, you can call the KC Home Performance with Energy Star program at (816) 835-7593 or visit their website where you can find out about home energy audits, weatherization, and possible rebates from your utility company.

Do a Home Energy Audit

Do you really know why your house is uncomfortable or expensive to heat and cool? Would you rather not guess when trying to make the right decision about which product to buy, how much insulation you should have or any of the other potentially expensive improvements you may need to make? Your house is a complicated system that deserves more than guesswork to make it perform at its energy efficient peak. Seriously consider getting a home energy audit before buying an expensive fix to your home. You can learn more about home energy audits from the US Department of Energy.
 

Go Green!

Let Eight Kansas City Area Utility Companies Help You

The Heartland Utilities for Energy Efficiency (HUEE) is a partnership between eight area utility companies with a common goal: to help homeowners make their homes more energy efficient. You can also download the Department of Energy's ENERGY SAVER$ booklet in English and Spanish from their website.

Get a Tax Credit for Saving Energy

There are state and federal tax credits for saving energy. Here are two sites that explain what is available:

Energy Star
US Department of Energy