7 Ways to Save on Energy Costs

During the colder months, it is not unusual to watch heating bills skyrocket within a few days. If you are someone who can relate to this dilemma, follow the following tips & tricks to drop your heating bill up to 50%. Remember, though, that the more effort you put in to sealing off your house, the lower your bill will drop!

Image via www.energy.gov

1. Use the sun's heat - If there's a warm sun in the sky, let it in your house to help rise the temperature a bit. Having heavy, insulated curtains is a great start, but the sun's heat can really impact the temperature of your home if you utilize it at the right time of day.

2. Seal off cracks & crevices - Some people use plastic window insulation kits to seal off windows. This method is relatively cheap, and if done properly, it can save you a ton of money if you have poorly insulated or old windows. Quick tip: don't forget your chimney if it goes unused!

3. Add weatherstripping or caulking where necessary - This tip is one of the easier tips to navigate in your home. To find out what areas need weatherstripping or caulking, simply put your hand in front of door cracks, crevices, and in small crawlspaces. If there is airflow, cut that off by filling in gaps.

4. Turn down the temperature - When it's appropriate, turn down the temp. If you're going to be gone at work from early morning to early evening, knock down the temperature in your home from 68 to 64. A good rule of thumb is for every degree you drop your thermostat, your bill will drop 1%.

5. Invest in warm clothing - You don't need to bundle up like you're going to Alaska to save on your heating costs. Instead, approach this idea reasonably. Go out and get some nice, fuzzy slippers, a robe, or a plush blanket for the couch. Then, you can justify dropping your temperature a few degrees, and you'll still be comfortable.

6. Insulate your pipes - And, if you're a homeowner, insulate your hot water heater. On average, hot water takes up about 18% of most heating bills. As a result, insulating the source of your water heater makes perfect sense.

7. Cap the temperature on your hot water heater - If you cap your hot water heater at 120 degrees, you'll never burn your hands again, and you'll save on heating costs.

Sources

www.energy.gov

Light Up Your Kitchen

You can have the most beautiful kitchen in the world, but if it's poorly lit, you'd never know - what a shame! Avoid this common problem by installing appropriate lighting in your kitchen and dining area. There are two questions to ask yourself when you're adding lighting in to your kitchen: what kind of lighting will I choose, and where will I decide the lighting should be? Get some inspiration for your lights, below. Image via www.bestofdiyideas.com Image via www.homebunch.com Image via www.doctorkish.com Image via www.wayfair.com

Hamilton Building Services' Kitchen and Bath Department

Hamilton Building Services not only provides materials for new home construction projects, but we also have an in-house kitchen and bath designer. If you're looking for a renovation this spring, our designer can provide you with gorgeous photo-realistic renderings of your space. Selecting hard ward, lighting, plumbing, counter tops, and flooring is so easy when you have a complete, interactive 360 degree view of the space, which can be provided. Never has the design process for a kitchen or bath remodel been this easy. Gone are the days of hand drawing what you want yourself, and heading out to a big box store and hoping they have the exact thing you're looking for. Get exactly what you want by working with Hamilton Building Services and making the remodel process easier than ever.

Spotlight Saturday: Builder Conventions

This Saturday we are spotlighting two builder conventions you can visit us at this March! Are you a builder in the area looking for more information? Visit us at the JLC Live and ABC Conventions to speak with our team to help you get started! Visit us at JLC Live in Providence, Rhode Island at Booth #1207! We offer the total package to our Network of Independent Dealers including a complete line of building products and endless support via Sales and Marketing. Speak with Hamilton's Team to learn more about how Hamilton can help grow your success! Come to the Atlantic Builders Convention in Atlantic City, New Jersey at Booth #612! We are committed to building a network of Independent Dealers and want to bring you fresh and new ideas to help you achieve your business goals faster and easier! Visit the JLC and ABC websites to learn more about the Home Shows: http://ne.jlclive.com/ http://www.abconvention.com/

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