Harrisburg, Pa. - At a place like Lowe's on Union Deposit Road, people shop for all sorts of ways to save on their electricity bills.

"Energy saving bulbs make a big difference," said shopper Brent Woodcock of Halifax. "Putting a jacket on your hot water heater, every little bit will help."

One of the best electric savers in the store is a $50 timer for electric hot water tanks, which could pay for itself in months.

"It's a mechanical timer," said John Matjasic, operations manager of Lowe's. "It's used to regulate the on and off times of your water heater."

The timer shuts off the electric hot water tank while you're at work and then turns it on before you get home.

"Otherwise, it's a waste of energy," said Matjasic. "You're not using the water. It's just sitting there and burning up electricity."

You can get rid of your electric hot water tank altogether if there's natural gas where you live.

"My electric water heater is the only thing I'm changing," said shopper John Reitzel of Colonial Park. "I'm switching to gas."

You can save more with motion-detecting light switches, a programmable thermostat and energy efficient bulbs.

"I'm concerned about the electric hike," said Rodman Barton of Harrisburg as he moved through the store. "They said 34 to 37 percent. Our house is part gas and part electric."

There are also inexpensive meters on the market now to help you see how much power a device in your home uses. One such unit, costing about $25, is called the Kill A Watt. Consumer Reports just tested two brands of the meters and said they work.

"Both devices show you how much electricity your appliances and electronics use," said Jim Nanni of Consumer Reports. "So certainly if that encourages you to use devices less, all the better."

You can also save on power by unplugging electronics such as TV's and computers that use power, even when not turned on.

 

 Email To Friend