Take Control of Your Energy Use
Appliances & Electronics
Cooking
Cooking, combined with lighting and the energy use of other appliances accounts
for about 33% of a home's energy bill.
Cooking on gas
barbeque grills in the summer is much more efficient than using a conventional
stove. Gas grills use no electricity at all and do not release heat into the
kitchen forcing your refrigerator and other cooling systems to work harder and
use more energy. Microwaves, toaster ovens and slow cookers can use 75% less
energy than a large electric oven.
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator's energy use can be reduced.
Make sure
refrigerator and freezer seals fit tightly when doors close. Keep outside coils
clean. Dirty coils make your refrigerator compressor work longer to remove heat.
Setting your
freezer below 0? uses extra energy. Setting your refrigerator below 37? uses
extra energy.
Dryers
Drying clothes can use a fair amount of energy.
Don't over-dry
your clothes. If 50 minutes works, don't set it to 70 minutes. Make sure to
clean the inside lint filter before each drying cycle. Periodically check your
flexible metal dryer vent hose to ensure it is still tightly connected and not
kinked.
Electronics
Almost every home is equipped with computers, several televisions, answering
machines, microwaves, and the like.
Electronic
appliances can draw power even when they are turned off. Turn off computers and
other office equipment when they're not being used, especially overnight, on
weekends and when you go on vacation. Avoid leaking energy by unplugging your
appliances or turning off the switch on the power strip. Energy saving circuits
that have a hard off switch can save 90% of the potentially lost energy.
Outside
Don't forget about the energy you're using outside of your home.
Motors in
fountains and water features can draw a surprisingly high amount of energy.
Don't forget to consider the cost of running these items when you calculate the
price of installation and maintenance. Consider replacing pool pumps and motors
with updated, more efficient equipment. Set your hot tub heater thermostat to
102? F, which is the temperature recommended by most health departments for
adults and children. Some hot tubs have been factory set to heat water to 104?
F. Turn down the thermostat while you're on vacation. Insulated covers will help
more efficiently maintain pool and hot tub water temperatures.
Heating & Air Conditioning
Heating and air conditioning account for more than 55% of your home energy dollar. Keep your system running "lean and mean."
HVAC systems
should be checked to verify they are moving the correct amount of air. An HVAC
technician can tell you if it is. Heat pump and air conditioning systems should
be checked annually to verify they are properly charged, strictly in accordance
with manufacturers' guidelines. Inside and outside coils should be kept clean
and free of debris. Consider replacing your old air conditioner with a new heat
pump. A heat pump will cool your home in the summer just like an air conditioner
and also heat your home in the winter-reducing your gas heating expenses.
Insulate your duct work. Even ducts that do not appear to be leaking are
conducting conditioned air and wasting energy. Insulating your duct work can
help you save 20-30% on heating and cooling expenses.
Lighting
Take a look at the lights you burn. Consider these points:
A 100-watt lamp
costs roughly a penny an hour to operate. Consider replacing incandescent
lighting with energy-saving compact fluorescent lamps. They use a fraction of
the wattage, last much longer and give off less heat. When you finish cooking,
turn off the kitchen lighting and the range exhaust fan. Leaving unnecessary
lights on increases energy costs.
Seasonal Energy Use
You spend 55% of your annual energy expenses heating and cooling your home, so doing it more efficiently can really impact your bottom line. Here are some tips for our extreme seasons that will help you keep your costs down.
Heating Efficiently
It's common to blame holiday lighting for an increase in your electric bill during the winter months, but many other factors, including heating your home, affect your monthly bill. Here are some tips to keep energy use down during the heating season:
Carefully monitor
your energy use as you spend more time at home around the holidays and turn off
electronics that are not being used. Use an electric heat pump to warm your home
when it is as cold as 40? outside. You'll extend the life of your gas furnace
and save on gas heating expenses. Insulate your duct work. Even ducts that do
not appear to be leaking are conducting conditioned air and wasting energy.
Insulating your duct work can help you save 20-30% on heating and cooling
expenses.
More cooking and
baking around the holidays can increase your electric bill. Use smaller
appliances whenever possible. Use small pots on small burners and avoid wasting
energy by frequently opening the oven to check your baked goods. In the winter,
lighting use increases due to shorter daylight hours. Leaving unnecessary lights
on increases energy costs. On sunny days, open blinds and drapes and let the sun
warm your rooms. At night, close blinds and drapes to keep the heat in. Hang
heavier clothing to dry to avoid longer drying cycles.
Cooling Efficiently
During the hot summer months, your air conditioner can be your main energy user. Here are ways to efficiently keep your home cool and keep energy costs low:
Keep your drapes
and shades closed during the day to keep unwanted heat out of your home.
Ventilate when it's cool outside. Cut your cooling costs by opening windows when
it's cooler outside than inside. Insulate your duct work. Even ducts that do not
appear to be leaking are conducting conditioned air and wasting energy.
Insulating your duct work can help you
save 20-30% on heating and cooling expenses.
Whole house fans
help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm
air through the attic. They are effective when operated at night and when the
outside air is cooler than the inside. To air condition your home, consider
installing a heat pump that will work year-round to cool your home in the summer
and heat your home in the winter. Use microwave ovens and gas barbeques to
prepare meals. Not only do they use less energy, but they won't warm up the
inside of your home, forcing your air conditioner and refrigerator to work
over-time.
Thermostats & Duct Insulation
Installing a programmable thermostat and insulating your duct work are two of the best strategies to keep your heating and cooling costs in check.
Un-insulated
ducts in unconditioned spaces such as attics and crawl spaces can contribute to
a loss of 10-30% of the energy used to heat and cool your home. Save 20-30% on
your heating and cooling expenses by insulating your duct work. This is an easy
'do-it-yourself' project that requires little to no carpentry skills. Keep your
heat set at 68? in the winter and your air conditioning at 78? in the summer to
see significant energy savings. For every 3? that you adjust your thermostat,
expect to pay 10% more on your energy bill. By installing a programmable
thermostat, energy settings are easier to maintain and the thermostat will
automatically turn back the temperature while you're asleep or away.
Insulate your ductwork and start saving on
your energy bill today.
Air Leaks
A considerable amount of air transfers in and out of homes through leaky windows, and cracks, crevices and holes. This can increase your energy consumption. Here are some helpful tips to avoid air infiltration:
Seal around pipe
penetration coming through walls. During hot and cold weather, ensure windows
are closed tightly and locked. Ensure weather-stripping around doors and windows
is tight. When your fireplace is not operating, its flue should be closed
tightly, with a sign hanging from the flue handle warning it is closed. Check
the ceiling behind the cornice of built-in bookshelves for holes cut during
construction. Drop-down, disappearing stairways should fit tightly into the
ceiling and be carefully weather-stripped. Whole-house attic fans should be
sealed tightly during the winter.
Make sure your
outside dryer vent door closes when the dryer is not in use. This requires
cleaning away lint accumulation periodically. Tighten and weather-strip your old
windows and then add storm windows. When it's time to replace old windows,
consider new double-glazed windows. Coatings such as "low-e" on glass can help
reduce heat loss through windows.
Water Heating
Your water heater works with many of your home's other systems.
Make sure your
water heater is set at the lowest point. Try setting it to 120?. Check for water
leaks around your water heater and faucets. A constant drip that may feel cold
could actually be hot water that has cooled by the time it reaches the faucet.
Hot water leaks can waste hundreds of dollars per year in energy costs. Wash
clothes with cold water. Many new detergents are made specifically for cold
water washing. Overfilling your washer can increase your energy use. Taking
extra long showers runs up the water heating (and water/sewer) bills. Reduce
shower time and install low flow showerheads. You'll be surprised how much this
simple device can cut your hot water costs. If your water heater is located in
an unconditioned space, consider installing a thermal wrap around it. Take care
to install it in accordance with the tank and wrap manufacturers' instructions.