How You Can Save Energy One Room at a Time - WSET.com - ABC13

Lynchburg, VA - Appalachian Power says if you do your homework, you can save a lot on your energy bill. ABC 13's Rachel Schaerr went room by room to show you how.

The doorbell rings and Tom Woodford with Appalachian Power arrives.

He starts by asking a series of questions: What year was the home built? How many square feet does it have? How many people live in it?

Then, we went from room to room. Woodford says about 12 % of your electric bill during the summer is from A/C. During the winter, that jumps up to about 30 percent for your heating.

He recommends making sure your HVAC systems are working properly. It's the biggest step you can take to reduce your power bill.

Don't forget about those air filters; You want to change them once every 30 days and even more often if you have animals because dog hair collects quickly.

Next, we head down to the basement and the second biggest culprit: the water heater.

You should keep it set no higher than 120 degrees.

"We recommend wrapping your water heater with insulation when it's in an unfinished basement," Woodford explained.

The key here is to use barriers like insulation, curtains, or weatherstripping to keep energy inside your home.

When it comes to the kitchen, college students have it right. Microwaves use about 50 % less energy than ovens.

In bedrooms, unplug appliances, turn off the lights and turn on those ceiling fans.

"Because air blowing over you is gonna make you feel cooler anyway," Woodford explained.

With the tour finished, it's time for my energy grade.

"From what I've seen of your house, you're not using a tremendous amount of electricity anyway, you're pretty efficient," he said.

Appalachian Power has more information on ways you can save on your power bill.