It's one thing for someone to encourage you to green your home and it's another to know how much you will have to spend to eventually start saving.
Below are the stats on how much it will cost to be more energy efficient that could save you hundreds of dollars annually if you use your electricity wisely.
* Laundry - cost to green: free to $20
Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water. Eight-five per cent to 90 per cent of the energy used is for hot water. Run full dryer loads, use the moisture-sensing setting and clean the lint filtre after every load. A clogged filtre will increase energy use.
Using an outdoor clothesline in the warmer weather will significantly reduce your energy costs for drying. ($20)
* Bathroom - cost to green: $5 to $20
Install a low-flow shower head. It restricts water flow, which reduces the amount of energy needed for hot water heating and pumping hot water to the bathroom.
* Hot water - cost to green: $5
Starting at your hot-water heater, install pipe insulation around the first couple metres of the hot water copper pipes.
* Refrigerator - cost to green: free
Set the temperature of your refrigerator at about 3 C (37 F) and the freezer at -18 C (0 F). A colder setting only wastes electricity.
* Kitchen appliances - cost to green: about $750
A new Energy Star qualified refrigerator uses 70 per cent less electricity than one made in 1984. The electricity cost savings will more than pay for the new one over its service life.
* Home appliances - cost to green: varies
When purchasing new appliances, think about the second price tag - operating costs. Choose an Energy-Star qualified model to get the most of electricity savings over the life of your appliance.
* Lighting - cost to green: $20 to $50
Motion sensors are ideal for rooms where you may forget to turn off the lights. ($30)
Replace your high-use incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use up to 75 per cent less electricity and last up to 10 times longer. ($20 to $50)
Replace your existing fluorescent workshop and garage lighting with slimmer T8 tubes and electronic ballasts. ($25 plus)
* Home Office - cost to green: up to $20
Eliminate phantom power by purchasing a power bar to turn off computers and other office electronics. Shut down your home workstation when not in use. Even in sleep mode your workstation consumes electricity.
* Kitchen - cost to green: $150 plus
Using a microwave oven can save up to 75 per cent in energy costs compared to an oven or stove.
* Home heating - cost to green: $50 to $100
Comprehensive draft proofing can reduce your heating bill by 20 per cent. Apply caulking and weather stripping around drafty doors and windows to keep the cold out. No drafts mean a more comfortable home.
* Home heating and cooling maintenance - cost to go green: $10 to $1,500
Maintain your heating and central air conditioning year round. A properly running furnace and air conditioner will save energy. ($100)
Replace your air conditioner air filters on a monthly basis. Dirty filtres can restrict air flow and reduce your system's efficiency. ($10)
Shade the south and west sides of your home with awnings, solar screens or leaf-bearing trees. ($100 to $500 plus)
Install Energy-Star qualified fans as a cool alternative to air conditioners. In the summer, make sure the blades rotate downward to help produce a cooling breeze and upward in the winter to help disperse the warm air that tends to accumulate at the ceiling. ($40 to $200 plus)
Replace your older model room air conditioner with an Energy-star qualified model and save at least 10 per cent on your cooling bill. ($200 to $500)
A properly set programmable thermostat can reduce costs by up to 10 per cent. In the summer set your central air conditioner for 25 C when you are home and 28 C when you are away. In the winter set your thermostat at 20 C when you are home and 18 C when sleeping or away. ($40 to $100)
Installing and setting a programmable thermostat for electric baseboard heaters puts you in control and can produce significant electricity savings. ($30 to $60)
Replace your older model central air conditioner with an Energy-Star qualified model. ($1,500 plus)
* Getting rid of old appliances - cost to go green: free
Get rid of that old, inefficient fridge or freezer in the basement. You could be saving from $120 to $150 per year in electricity costs. The Ontario Power Authority has a program called The Great Refrigerator Roundup where they will collect these items for free and recycle them in an environmental way.
* Pools and spas, timers - cost to go green: $30 plus
Putting your hot tub or swimming pool pump on a timer can save energy and costs. Also consider setting your timer so it's off during the peak periods of noon to 8 p.m.
* Energy-efficient Christmas lights - cost to go green: $7 plus
Replacing your old Christmas incandescent lights with LED lights can bring holiday cheer to your electricity bill. They use up to 90 per cent less electricity. Look for Energy Star qualified light strings.
Other tips:
* Run your appliances such as the dishwasher and laundry machine in the evening hours when energy costs are lower. Electricity costs are the highest from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., and cheapest from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m.
For more information on peak energy saving hours, visit the Ontario Power Authority's website at www.powerauthority.on.ca
There is a lot of information about energy savings to be found there.
* The provincial government's Home Energy Savings Program (http://www.mei.gov.on.ca/en/energy/conservation/homeenergyon/?page=ohesp1) and the Canadian government's Renovation Tax Rebate ($1,350 of tax credit for home renovations before Feb. 10) encourages homeowners to make their homes energy efficient. You can get up to tens of thousands of dollars worth of rebates if you renovate your home and make it more energy efficient.
To get the home improvements rebates, you need to call an energy advisor before you start to improve your home.