Share the love (and energy savings) this Mother’s Day

Mother’s Day is just around the corner and what better way to show your love and appreciation by helping her save time, money and energy. Here’s a list of energy saving and conservation-friendly gift ideas that are sure to be mother-approved:

• Light up her life with LEDs Perhaps the easiest and least expensive fix for annual electricity costs is as easy as changing a light bulb. Swapping out costly and inefficient incandescent light bulbs in the home for LED or CFL bulbs can save as much as 75–80 percent a year on lighting costs. Replacing just 15 inefficient incandescent bulbs in your home with energy-saving bulbs could save you about $50 per year. (Source: energy.gov)
• Upgrade her electronics If your mom isn’t tech savvy and still living with outdated technology, help her out by upgrading her devices. You can start byswitching out her old thermostats for either a programmable variety or a smart thermostat. By converting to automated ones, she won’t have to worry about adjusting the temperature whenever she leaves the house. You can also trade out her regular power strips for smart strips. These have timers and sensors which power off appliances when they aren’t being used. These gifts will save her time and money on her power bill.
• Ensure her HVAC system is summer-ready Temperatures are rising and the oppressive summer heat will be beating down on us before you know it. Give mom a gift she can enjoy not just right now, but for months and years to come. Sign her up for a free home energy assessment through Wake Electric to ensure her HVAC system is running at peak efficiency. A leaky system will have her overpaying on energy bills.
• Plant a tree Believe it or not, a little landscaping duty can save a home energy costs in the long run by adding shade. Get creative and plant your mom a tree for this Mother’s Day and in five years she could be shading her home, saving cooling costs during the summer months.