Windows: Is cold air seeping in? Weather stripping or caulking could keep the winter winds at bay.
In the summer, windows are the number-one source of heat gain. That's why window tinting can screen
out heat and block out 99 percent of the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays.
Showerheads: Low flow doesn't have to mean low water pressure.
Install a low-flow aerator in your shower and you'll save both water and energy.
Low flow aerators reduce the water flow 50 percent and maintain a strong pressure because air is mixed into the water.
Sink: Drip. Drip. Drip. Drip. If your faucet does this twenty times in one minute, your money
could be going down the drain. Repair that drip and save almost 700 gallons of water per year.
Toilet: If you've already replaced aging toilets with low-flush versions, invite a friend
to dinner at your favorite restaurant. You'll be able to apply $75 towards dinner with the
money you saved on your water bill.
Now check and make sure that the toilet isn't leaking. A leaking toilet can waste several thousand gallons
of water per year. That's a lot of money down the drain.
To find out if your toilet is leaking, try this trick: Place a few drops of food coloring in your toilet
tank. (Red, green or blue works best.) Wait at least 20 minutes and then check your toilet bowl. If the
water is colored, that means your toilet is leaking.
Lights: How many family members does it take to change a light bulb? No, this isn't a setup
for a bad joke; it's a setup for saving money and energy. Compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL's) last up to ten times
longer than traditional bulbs and use about a quarter of the energy.
Get a bright idea! If you live in the South Bay, visit participating South Bay city halls. Commit to saving energy and provide your Southern California Edison account number and you'll be rewarded with a free CFL.