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| How you can save energy |
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- Don't use electrical appliances for things you can easily do by hand.
- Set your water heater at 130 degrees Fahrenheit / 54.4 Centigrade. Buy an inexpensive insulating blanket at your local hardware store and install it on your hot water heater.
- Always wait until you have a full load before using the washing machine.
- Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Use the energy-saving setting to dry the dishes. Don't use heat when drying.
- Turn the heat down and wear a sweater.
- Use cold water in the washer unless it's really necessary to use warm or hot.
- Clean or replace air filters as recommended. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5% of the energy used.
- Keep the fireplace damper tightly closed when not in use.
- In the summer, a five degree higher temperature setting conserves energy when you're away during the day.
- Make sure your refrigerator is not set colder than it necessary. If it is set just 5 degrees Fahrenheit / 2.8 Centigrade too cold, that will use 25% more electricity than necessary.
- Turn the lights and TV off when you're out of the room.
- In the winter, turn down the heat and turn off the water heater before you go on vacation.
- Use low wattage light bulbs where possible. The lower the wattage, the less energy used.
- Reduce your energy consumption by insulating better and supplementing your power source with alternatives such as solar and wind generators.
- Burn only seasoned wood in your woodstove or fireplace.
- When light bulbs burn out, replace them with compact fluorescents. They use one-fourth the energy and keep half a ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
- Forty percent of home energy use is for heat. Get that furnace tuned up so it burns more efficiently. It may be wasting up to 50 percent of the fuel it requires. And, be sure your home is well insulated.
- Ask your utility company for a home energy audit to find out where your home is poorly insulated or energy-inefficient.
- Purchase appliances with the "Energy Star" rating from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They're more efficient and will cost you less to operate. A full listing of these appliances is available on the EPA's Energy Star website.
- With cooler temperatures just around the corner, now's the time to look for ways your windows can help you stay warm and reduce heating bills both at home and in the office. Insulate windows with thick curtains or blinds to reduce heat loss. Thermal draperies, made with a thick, fiber-filled backing to fit snugly against the entire window frame, can reduce heat loss by as much as 50 percent and save you $15 per window.
- Keep windows near your thermostat tightly closed. Otherwise, your thermostat will keep working even after the rest of the room has reached a comfortable temperature.
- Install storm windows for an extra layer of insulation. If you can't install storm windows, apply a sheet of heavy-duty clear plastic over each window. Easy-to-install window insulation kits are available at most hardware stores.
- Replace leaky windows with energy-efficient ones. Because energy-efficient windows save energy, they also help reduce global warming and air pollution.
A variety of double- and triple-paned energy-saving windows are available from hardware stores and window suppliers.
- Plant trees next to your home and paint your home a light color if you live in a warm climate, or a dark color in a cold climate.
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