SOUTHWEST FLORIDA - How much energy are you using, and just as important how much energy are you wasting? Chances are it's costing you in more ways than one. We're going to show you how to save energy and money!

To start our energy audit we found two of the most energy conscious people around. Dell Jones and his wife Carol Newcomb Jones have spent the better half of their lives learning how to be more energy efficient. Dell is in the solar energy business and Carol is an environmentalist.

Carol's question to us, "How much energy do you really need to live a wonderful life?" For Carol and Dell it's much less than most of us, smaller home to conserve energy, matching his and her hybrids, solar panels, energy star appliances, they even have a toilet with a one two flush to save water.

"To live in an environmentally friendly way and an efficient way will save you money, how can you go wrong? It's a win win," says Carol.

So we took Dell, Carol, and their savvy green ways to Carly Schwartzel's house, a wife and working mother of two.

Her family uses twice the amount of power a typical homeowner uses and they pay for it, about $300 a month.

Carly says, "Really getting an idea of what can help me is what I'm hoping to get out of it."

Dell started with the water heater which uses between 20-25% of the energy in your home. "In most cases you really don't need the water heater set any higher than 120."

Carly's water heater is set much higher at 150 degrees. By turning it down Carol says, "It'll save 500 pounds of carbon a year & $40 on your heating bill."

What Dell says would make an even bigger difference a solar water heater. "Solar water heating for a growing family is just a good value," says Dell.

The cost is around $4,500, you can also get state and federal rebates.

"The pay back you get is in about four years...then from then on - it's free. Your hot water is free."

On to the thermostat. The Jones' advice, turn the temperature up a couple of degrees and keep the ceiling fans on when you are in the room.

"If you are able to raise the temperature 2 degrees Fahrenheit you've picked up a 16 percent savings on your air conditioning," says Dell. Carol adds, "It will save about 2,000 pounds of carbon and about $100 a year in air conditioning costs."

Dell says changing the filter for the air conditioner regularly also helps.

"If you are going to be gone more than four hours than turn the air conditioner off. It doesn't make sense to quote keep the house cool," and Dell says cleaning the screen underneath or behind the refrigerator where all of those dust bunnies collect, lets the heat escape and can save a few bucks.

"That can save $5 or $10 a month in operating costs," says Dell.

Our energy audit isn't over. Join us next time as our energy experts share a few more money saving tips for the kitchen and reveal what is one of the biggest energy hog in your house.

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Calculate your carbon footprint:
www.epa.gov/climatechange/emissions/ind_calculator.html

Energy Info
www.energy.gov/

Solar Rebate Information
www.dep.state.fl.us/energy/energyact/solar.htm