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HELPFUL TIPS - ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS |
These tips should help you save on your electric bill. S denotes
summer, W denotes winter, and Y denotes year-round.
Y Keep windows and doors closed when cooling and heating
equipment is operating.
S If possible, locate air conditioning units on the shady side of
the house; clean filters regularly.
S Make use of portable fans, ceiling fans or attic fans.
S Install awnings or other shading devices over windows exposed
to direct sunlight.
Y Make sure you have the proper R-value of insulation in your
walls and ceilings.
Y Be sure you have no air leakage around doors and windows; if
so, caulk and insulate.
Y Make sure your heat pump or air conditioner doesn’t become a
“catch-all” for objects in the yard.
Y Keep the coils of your unit clean.
S Tinted or insulated glass will cut down on heat incurrence in
summer and heat loss in winter.
S Don’t heat up; use appliances that generate a lot of heat
during cooler times of the day; plan meals that don’t require a lot of
cooking; use oven sparingly.
S Never run attic or window fans when air conditioning is on.
S Light colored drapes and curtains reflect sun and heat outward.
Keep drapes closed in periods of bright sun.
S Exhaust fans reduce heat and moisture in bathrooms. Use them
during baths and showers.
Y Proper attic ventilation is important. Check with your building
supply for proper amount.
Y A PC requires 300-500 watts of electricity; three PC’s left
running continuously for a day will consume 7.2 - 12 kilowatt hours of
energy.
Y Every degree a thermostat is changed from 68 degrees for
heating and 78 degrees for cooling can change electrical cost by 3% to
5%.
Y Replacing filters on air conditioners and heating systems will
increase the unit’s efficiency.
Y Water heating accounts for about 13% of home electrical usage.
Recommended setting: 110 degrees, unless there is a dishwasher.
Y Close chimney damper when the fireplace is not in use to
prevent heating and cooling loss.
S Shade trees around a house will keep it cooler.
Y Save energy by cooking several dishes at once in the oven, only
preheating if necessary. Cover the pots.
Y Save hot water: take showers(and limit them to 5 minutes)
instead of baths.
Y Arrange furniture to allow free air flow from ducts and vents.
Use drapes to block drafts.
Y Wrap the water heater with a blanket of insulation to retain
heat.
Y Replacing existing shower heads with water-
saving models can save hot water usage by 50%.
Y Cover hot-water pipes with insulation where they run through
unheated basements, attics and crawl spaces.
Y Keep the refrigerator condenser coils clean for greater
efficiency.
W Install insulation behind the plates of electrical outlets on
outside walls to prevent cold air from entering during winter.
Y If an entire room is to be lit, one high-wattage bulb is
cheaper to operate than several low-wattage ones.
Y Changing from hot to cold water for washing clothes will save
approximately 17 gallons of hot water.
Y Locate thermostats on inside walls to provide even and
economical heating and cooling.
Y A half-empty refrigerator or freezer uses more energy, because
air is harder to keep cold than chilled foods and liquids. Not enough
food? Fill in spaces with empty boxes, leaving space for air
circulation.
S Insulating air conditioner ducts with 1 1/2” of fibrous
insulation prevents loss of cool air before it’s delivered to living
space.
Y Load washing machines to capacity(but don’t overload). A
half-load wastes hot water and energy.
Y Frost buildup of more than 1/4” in a refrigerator or freezer
causes cooling units to work harder...using more energy and wearing out
faster.
W Lower your thermostat to 55 degrees if everyone is out of the
house for more than 4 hours UNLESS you have a heat pump. Heat pumps work
more efficiently if left at one setting.
W Open drapes and shades to absorb heat from sunlight.
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