There are several easy ways for animal shelters to cut utility costs. Below we explore five such ways in the hope that you’ll reduce your bills while helping the environment.
1. Investing in fluorescent light bulbs will save your organization plenty of money. Although a fluorescent light bulb costs more money than a regular light bulb, it will save you on energy costs. Fluorescent light bulbs also last longer than traditional bulbs. Sometimes they will last an entire year. Instead of buying the regular fluorescent light bulbs, opt for the warm white style which will provide bright illumination. You can get by with one large warm white fluorescent light bulb instead of a bunch of small or medium sized bulbs. You’ll use twenty five percent less energy and obtain more light.
2. Warm and cold air escapes through windows, doorframes, cracks in walls and holes where pipes enter the home. Seal these areas with foam and caulk. These materials are inexpensive and can be found at any local hardware store
3. A building with a white roof will spend less on air conditioning. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Heat Island Group conducted a study in 1999 that proved that buildings in sunny climates with white rooftops used 40 percent less energy for cooling purposes compared to buildings with black rooftops. This represents a savings of hundreds of dollars per year. Painting a roof white is not an expensive or time consuming ordeal. Hardware stores carry affordable elastomeric paints that combine polymers that are waterproof and will last for years if not decades. Pick up this special paint, some heavy duty paint rollers and a couple paint roller frames.
4. You should change the filters on your air conditioning and heating systems at least once per year. If you wait a long time in between changes, your heating and cooling systems will collect dirt, dust and grime resulting in poor efficiency. This will cause an increase in electricity costs. If the filters collect enough dirt, they can even cause the heating and cooling systems to break down and cause a temporary or permanent malfunction.
5. Always double check your utility bills. Utility employees are fallible human beings. They are notorious for making mistakes when reading meters. These mistakes can be quite costly for you. Check your facility’s meter to make sure that your usage matches the amount on the bill.