Household Conservation Makes Cents For You

Are you looking for some no cost or low cost ways to reduce your energy expenses? Now is an excellent time to make a few changes to reduce your energy bills as well as help to conserve our natural resources.

One way to monitor your home’s energy efficiency is by using a Thermal Leak Detector. You just scan across the area you want to inspect and the light changes to red for warmer spots and blue for cooler spots, detecting air leaks. An efficient home will stay warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer. Conservation Technician Serge Koenig noted, "I was able to find cold air leaking into our house through areas around our windows, doors, and sill plates. There is no easier method of finding these small air leaks than using this thermal detector. The air leaks were increasing our home energy use and reducing comfort. I have been systematically addressing the air leaks through insulation, caulking, and installing new gaskets." A Thermal Leak Detector is available for loan from the Land Resources and Environment Department.  A $10 deposit is required and will be returned to you upon return of the device.

Another great way to determine which appliances and electronics are costing you the most money is to get an energy meter. You can check out an energy meter called “Watts Up?” at your public library at no cost, just like you check out a book. An energy meter is an electronic tool that measures power (watts) used by appliance and electronics. When plugged into an electrical device, the meter displays the unit’s power consumption, counts the cumulative kilowatt-hour use, and calculates the cumulative cost of operating that device. It can help you determine if it makes sense to upgrade to a more energy efficient appliance or use the appliance less.  The LRE Department also loans out a similar device called Kill-A-Watt.  A $10 deposit is required and will be returned to you upon return of the device.

Many people may not be aware that even when a device is switched off, it may still consume electricity. Some of the biggest energy wasters are adapters for your iPod, phones, digital cameras and so on. Even when TVs, VCRs, DVD players, microwaves, and coffee makers are not being used, they are in a standby mode to power clock displays and remote controls. As long as they are plugged into an outlet, they are drawing power.

You may contact the LRE Department at 355-4842 or conservation@saukcountywi.gov for more information on saving energy in your home or call LRE to borrow either device at 355-3245.

Contact Information:

Land Resources and Environment Department
505 Broadway
Baraboo, WI 53913