Costs are climbing for just about everything (including energy) as inflation continues to assault the nation's economy.
You probably have been paying the most attention to prices on gasoline and diesel so far, but your home utility bills are getting more expensive, too, as temperatures hit record highs this summer.
There are many ways you can invest in your home to make it more energy efficient, saving on utility bills over time, and we've put together several that range from quick, easy and affordable; to more-dramatic upgrades to your home.
We ranked them in order of up-front costs to you, the consumer, though it's important to keep in mind some of the more expensive investments provide the largest savings in the long term.
Take advantage of the free services, including air conditioning tune-ups offered by utilities
You're already paying a monthly utility bill, so you might as well take advantage of the free services many utility providers offer.
In Oklahoma, utility providers like Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co., Public Service Co. of Oklahoma and others offer a variety of services to their customers ranging from free inspections to air conditioning tune-ups to new lightbulbs. Some services are offered to all customers, while others are provided to households that meet certain income requirements (more on all of this in later sections).
Customers also can enroll in programs provided by utilities that incentivize the conservation of energy during peak hours. Both OG&E and PSO offer a variety of options, and information about those programs can be found at each company's website.
Change your lightbulbs
One of the cheapest options for improving your home's energy efficiency is to swap out incandescent lightbulbs with more energy-efficient, LED replacements.
LED bulbs range in price from $11 for a four-pack of dimmable 60W bulbs to $32 for an eight-pack of dimmable 75W bulbs, depending on the brand and retailer specials. But those bulbs can last up to 25 times longer and use far less power than traditional lightbulbs.
You'll find a variety of estimates on how much you can save on your energy costs, which depends heavily on how much energy rates are where you live. According to PSO, a typical residential customer in Oklahoma can save up to $45 or more per year by replacing just five of his or her home’s most used lights with ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs.
And in case you forgot the first bit of advice in this story, take advantage of the free stuff, you should know there are currently some programs in place by both OG&E and PSO to provide customers with some free LED bulbs.
OG&E offers bulbs through a free home energy assessment it offers its customers once every 10 years. Participating retailers in PSO's service territory offer up to $2 in instant rebates per bulb.
Change your power strips
Another easy and cheap change is to replace power strips throughout your house, especially ones used for heavy power users like TVs and computers.
"Advanced" power strips, which can cost anywhere from $20 to $40 (or more, depending upon your needs) reduce power usage by shutting off power to products whenever they go into a standby mode.
Experts say standby power consumption in an average home ranges from 5% to 10%, and the Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory estimates that can account for about 1% of worldwide carbon dioxide emissions.
You can cash in on some freebies if you're an OG&E customer who partakes in its energy assessment evaluation, while PSO offers its customers a rebate of up to $22 on each advanced power strip a customer buys.
Inspect and repair your home's weatherization upgrades
Weatherization upgrades that could help boost a home's energy efficiency include weather stripping around doors, sealing leaky ducts, adding attic insulation and caulking around windows/doors/light fixtures.
According to homeadvisor.com, weather stripping around doors can cost an average of $275, depending on the numbers of doors that are being sealed, while it can cost a person an average of $5 to $18 per linear foot of caulking that could be used to seal a home's window frames, plus labor costs if someone is hired to do the work.
Get the full list of tips on The Oklahoman.
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If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.
