As we get our taste of winter this week in Connecticut, our electric bills will feel it too making finding ways to save money this winter important. Tower Equipment is here to help you do just that, save. Here are some easy tips to get started with cutting costs this winter.

Start with the basics

• Turn off all lights when there is no one in your home
• Turn the thermostat down at night or when no one is home – this can reduce your heating bill as much as five percent!
• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact florescent light bulbs – this can save you about $60 per year by replacing just five light bulbs.
• Take shorter showers.
• Unplug DVD players, battery chargers, TV, and computers when not in use- They use energy constantly, in fact 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are actually turned off.
• Close fire place damper when not in use to prevent cold air from entering the house.

If you find your bill is still raising you can try:

• Fixing air leaks around windows, doors, electrical outlets and where pipes and wires enter the home in the walls and attic. Use foam inserts, weather stripping, and caulk to seal air leaks – this will keep your hot air in and keep the cold air out.
• Install storm windows and doors or put up plastic sheeting to reduce heat loss.
• Insulate attics exterior walls under floors heat ducts and hot water pipes.
• Install an energy star qualified programmable thermostat and set it to lower heat when you’re gone or sleeping