Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy
• Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in
the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label.
• Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn
the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby
mode still use several watts of power).
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking)
wastes gasoline.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products. ENERGY
STAR products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of
Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
Insulate your home when:
• If you have an older home and haven't added insulation. Only 20% of homes
built before 1980 are well insulated.
• You are uncomfortably cold in the winter or hot in the summer-adding insulation
creates a more uniform temperature and increases comfort.
• You build a new home, addition, or install new siding or roofing.
• You pay high-energy bills.
• You are bothered by noise from outside—insulation muffles sound.
Heating and Cooling Tips
• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is
comfortable in the summer.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make
sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
• Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt
about how to perform this task, call a professional.
• Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
• Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are
done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing
high-efficiency, low-noise models.
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing
windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home and closed
at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
• During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to
prevent solar gain.
Water Heating Tips
• Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short
period of time.
• Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come
from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides
comfortable hot water for most uses.
• Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the
thermostat. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
• Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover
the water heater's top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the
manufacturer's recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.
• Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water
heater.
• If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying
an efficient, water-saving ENERGY STAR model to reduce hot water use. See
Appliances for more information.
• Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat
loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
• Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment
that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of
water tank you have determines the steps to take, so follow the manufacturer's
advice.
• Although most water heaters last 10–15 years, it's best to start shopping now for
a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research before your
heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your
needs.
Cold-Climate Window Tips
• You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic
film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months.
Remember, the plastic must be sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce
infiltration.
• Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after
weatherizing.
• Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.
• Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter sun.
• Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce heat loss
through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have
weatherstripping at all movable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; and
have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more
energy.
• Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.
Warm-Climate Window Tips
• Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the
house.
• Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
• Install awnings on south- and west-facing windows. Apply sun-control or other
reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.
Home Electronics Tips
• Smart power strips help save wasted energy.
• Look for energy-saving ENERGY STAR labeled home electronics.
• Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are
switched off. These "phantom" loads occur in most appliances that use electricity,
such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. These
phantom loads can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip
and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
• Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are
not in use.
• Studies have shown that using rechargeable batteries for products like cordless
phones and PDAs is more cost effective than throwaway batteries. If you must use
throaways, check with your trash removal company about safe disposal options. |
