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Energy Saving Tips
Heating
* Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting and leave it alone
* Insulate and weatherize your home properly, including doors and windows
* Check your furnace filter regularly and replace it when necessary
* Close curtains at night and on cloudy days
* Set your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting and leave it alone
* Insulate and weatherize your home properly, including doors and windows
* Check your furnace filter regularly and replace it when necessary
* Close curtains at night and on cloudy days
Water Heater
* Repair leaky faucets
* Wash full loads of clothes and use cold water when possible; always rinse in cold water
* Take showers rather than baths
* If you are building or remodeling, place the water heater nearest the point of greatest hot water use
* Repair leaky faucets
* Wash full loads of clothes and use cold water when possible; always rinse in cold water
* Take showers rather than baths
* If you are building or remodeling, place the water heater nearest the point of greatest hot water use
While there is little we can do to control the unpredictable prices of world
commodities, we can control what happens in our own home. We can save
hundreds of dollars each year by following a few simple principles. Here are
a few ideas to help you meet the never-ending challenges of staying
comfortable and while saving money.
Energy Saving Tips for Winter
• During the heating season change the filter on your furnace monthly. A dirty filter can decrease the efficiency of your furnace increasing your energy consumption.
• Install a programmable thermostat, which can help you save 15% or more on your annual energy bills. These thermostats can raise and lower the temperature settings automatically several times a day.
Fireplace
• Consider a gas fireplace as an alternative to a wood-burning one. Propane fireplaces are much more efficient, distribute the heat more evenly and can cost significantly less to use.
• Repair drafts by caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows. These can be some of the largest energy wasters in your home.
Energy Saving Tips for Heating Water
Use a gas water heater. A gas water heater heats your water twice as fast as an electric unit for less energy costs. A large electric water heater may be replaced by a smaller, cost efficient gas unit without sacrificing performance.
• Turning down your water heater thermostat to 115 degrees can save an additional 10%.
• With low flow showerheads you can reduce the amount of hot water consumed in the shower by 40% without effecting shower water pressure.
• When using the dishwasher or washing machine be sure you have a full load. A washing machine uses an average of 45-50 gallons per cycle. This can add up quickly.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save up to 9 gallons each morning.
• Fix any dripping faucets. One dripping faucet can waste 350 gallons of water or more in just one month! Over a year that can add up to $180 or more.
Energy Saving Tips for the Kitchen
• Cook with gas. A gas range can cost significantly less to use than an electric range.
• Select a gas range with electronic pilotless ignition. This can use 40% less energy than a range with a standing pilot light.
• Check the seal on your oven door. Gaps or tears in the seal let heat escape, wasting energy.
• When cooking use copper-bottomed cookware. They can heat up quicker and more evenly than regular pans.
• Always cook with lids on your cookware. Boiling water without a lid can use three times as much energy.
• Set the temperature in your refrigerator at 40 degrees, and your freezer around 5 degrees. A refrigerator colder than 40 can use 25% more electricity.
• Don’t lay foil on the oven racks. Food cooks quicker and more efficiently in ovens when air can circulate freely.
Energy Saving Tips for Winter
• During the heating season change the filter on your furnace monthly. A dirty filter can decrease the efficiency of your furnace increasing your energy consumption.
• Install a programmable thermostat, which can help you save 15% or more on your annual energy bills. These thermostats can raise and lower the temperature settings automatically several times a day.
Fireplace
• Consider a gas fireplace as an alternative to a wood-burning one. Propane fireplaces are much more efficient, distribute the heat more evenly and can cost significantly less to use.
• Repair drafts by caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows. These can be some of the largest energy wasters in your home.
Energy Saving Tips for Heating Water
Use a gas water heater. A gas water heater heats your water twice as fast as an electric unit for less energy costs. A large electric water heater may be replaced by a smaller, cost efficient gas unit without sacrificing performance.
• Turning down your water heater thermostat to 115 degrees can save an additional 10%.
• With low flow showerheads you can reduce the amount of hot water consumed in the shower by 40% without effecting shower water pressure.
• When using the dishwasher or washing machine be sure you have a full load. A washing machine uses an average of 45-50 gallons per cycle. This can add up quickly.
• Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving. This can save up to 9 gallons each morning.
• Fix any dripping faucets. One dripping faucet can waste 350 gallons of water or more in just one month! Over a year that can add up to $180 or more.
Energy Saving Tips for the Kitchen
• Cook with gas. A gas range can cost significantly less to use than an electric range.
• Select a gas range with electronic pilotless ignition. This can use 40% less energy than a range with a standing pilot light.
• Check the seal on your oven door. Gaps or tears in the seal let heat escape, wasting energy.
• When cooking use copper-bottomed cookware. They can heat up quicker and more evenly than regular pans.
• Always cook with lids on your cookware. Boiling water without a lid can use three times as much energy.
• Set the temperature in your refrigerator at 40 degrees, and your freezer around 5 degrees. A refrigerator colder than 40 can use 25% more electricity.
• Don’t lay foil on the oven racks. Food cooks quicker and more efficiently in ovens when air can circulate freely.
Miscellaneous
* Turn off any lights not being used
* Use fluorescent lights wherever possible
* Clean the dryer lint filter before each load
* Tight-fitting lids on pots and pans make cooking faster
* Worn door seals on your refrigerator or freezer let cold air seep out
* Make sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside
* Turn off any lights not being used
* Use fluorescent lights wherever possible
* Clean the dryer lint filter before each load
* Tight-fitting lids on pots and pans make cooking faster
* Worn door seals on your refrigerator or freezer let cold air seep out
* Make sure your clothes dryer is vented to the outside
Cooling
* If you use central air conditioning, set your thermostat at the highest comfortable setting
* Use fans to help circulate air
* If you use central air conditioning, set your thermostat at the highest comfortable setting
* Use fans to help circulate air