Energy Saving Tips

House and Home

• Consider replacing old windows with new high-performance, dual-pane windows.
• Look for a dry cleaning service with “clean and green” processes, including reuse of hangers and garment bags.
• Look for natural furnishings that have been or can be recycled.
• Consider having a professional energy audit performed on your home.
• Make sure you’ve insulated around recessed lights, attic doors and other places where outdoor air can sneak into your home.
• Draw shades or drapes to block sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
• Weather-strip and caulk around doors and windows to rid your house of drafts and prevent leaking of heated and cooled air.
• Don’t let kitchen or bathroom exhaust fans run longer than necessary.
• Save paper, energy and money. Take the time to remove your name from mailing lists for reading materials you don’t need.
• Create less heat in your home by drying clothes in the early morning or later in the evening.
• Take showers instead of baths to save water. Use cooler water to save energy.
• Make sure drapes and furniture aren’t blocking the air supply vents in your home.
• Close the damper on your fireplace when you’re not burning a fire.
• Take reusable cloth bags with you to the grocery store to carry your groceries home in.
• Make an effort to run all your errands at once, eliminating trips back and forth from your home.
• Look into online banking and bill paying which could help lower your carbon footprint and save money on stamps.
• Consider placing solar film on your home windows. This can help keep the hot sun out.
• Seal around holes from pipes and wires that enter or exit your home’s living space.
• Open crawl space vents to keep air moving and the space dry.
• Need a new roof? Choose lighter-colored roofing to reduce heat absorption from the sun.

Electronics

• Plug home electronics into power strips with surge protection. Turn the strip off when the equipment is not in use.
• Activate your computer’s sleep mode when you leave your desk. This reduces electricity consumption to less than 5 percent of full power.
• Use rechargeable batteries; they can last up to twice as long as disposables.
• Try to buy items that are reusable or come in reusable packaging – and make sure to reuse them.
• Use the energy-saving feature on computers, monitors, printers, copiers and other business equipment. Turn them off at the end of the day.
• Get the kids to turn off the gaming console electronics when they’re not using them.
• Like to fall asleep with the TV on? Put the TV on a sleep timer to save energy when youre no longer awake.
• When you purchase your next computer, consider a laptop over a desktop as laptops use less energy.

Appliances

• Defrost your freezer regularly. Frost buildup increases the amount of energy needed to keep the motor running.
• Only wash full loads of dishes in the dishwasher and use the energy-saving setting for the drying cycle (or let dishes air dry).
• Install low-flow showerheads and faucets. They’re inexpensive, easy to install and reduce energy and hot water use.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR® products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the EPA.
• Don’t keep your refrigerator too cold. The ideal temperature is between 32°-39°.
• If your primary refrigerator is at least 10 years old, consider replacing it with an ENERGY STAR® qualified model.
• Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight.
• Consider using a gas range or oven as they cost less to operate than electric units.
• Always wash full load of clothes or adjust the water level for smaller loads.
• Vacuum refrigerator coils often to keep the unit running efficiently.
• Place the washing machine near the hot water heater because water loses heat as it flows through pipes.
• Dry only full loads of laundry and keep the dryer’s lint filter clean so it operates at maximum efficiency.
• Create less heat in your home by drying clothes in the early morning or later in the evening.
• Use an automatic clothes-drying cycle instead of a timed cycle. Put in the next load quickly to make use of leftover heat.
• Fill a dishpan with rinse water instead of letting the faucet run while you do dishes by hand.
• Need a new dishwasher? Look for ENERGY STAR® qualified models.
• Use a pot or pan that completely covers the stove’s heating element. When any part of the element is exposed, you’re wasting heat and energy.
• When considering the layout of your kitchen, don’t place the refrigerator near an oven or other heat source so it will run more efficiently.
• When cooking small meals, try using a small toaster oven as opposed to a large conventional oven.
• Keep the oven door closed while cooking your meals. Each time you open the oven door, it drops the temperature 25 degrees, requiring more energy to cook your meal.
• Keep your freezer stocked (with food or even frozen bottles of water). Freezers work more efficiently when they’re full than empty.
• It takes less energy to reheat meals than when cooking them for the first time. Try cooking larger meals and reheating the leftovers.
• Before you open the refrigerator or freezer door, decide what you want to eat so you’re not letting cold air escape.
• When boiling water, make sure to place the lid on the pot.
• Keep your range burners clean (and the reflectors) as clean burners utilize energy more efficiently.

HVAC and Water

• To save on water heating costs, use cold water to wash dishes and run the garbage disposal.
• In the summer, raise the thermostat to 78 degrees.
• Repair, seal and add insulation to existing heating and cooling ducts to prevent heating and cooling loss.
• Add insulation to the attic. Your home should have a minimum R-30 insulation in the ceiling or attic.
• Turn off running water when shaving or brushing your teeth.
• Have your cooling system checked by a professional to make sure it’s operating at peak efficiency.
• Use warm or cold water for washing clothes and always use cold water for rinsing.
• Use a fan to help your air conditioner spread cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing energy use.
• Remove your AC window unit at the end of each season to prevent heating loss during the winter months.
• Save on air conditioning by closing supply vents in unused rooms. (Note: If you have a heat pump, vents should be left open.)
• Insulate water pipes coming from the water heater.
• When you’ll be away from home for more than four hours, raise the thermostat 5-10 degrees or more.
• Install a programmable thermostat and set it to adjust the temperature throughout the day.
• Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket, especially if it’s in an unheated area of your home.
• Lower your water heater to the optimal temperature of 120–125 degrees.
• Clean or replace furnace/air-conditioning filters every month.
• Take showers instead of baths to save water. Use cooler water to save energy.
• Lower the thermostat. In the winter, set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees during the day and to 58 degrees at night or when away from home for several hours. If you have a heat pump, make sure to slowly increase the temperature to avoid running the emergency heat.

Lighting

• Replace regular light bulbs with ENERGY STAR® Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs). CFLs use up to 75% less energy.
• Install lighting occupancy sensors or timers in rooms that aren’t used often.
• Use dimmer switches or timers on lights.
• Use task lighting when possible. Focus light where it’s needed rather than lighting an entire room.
• Turn off lights when you leave a room.
• Use three-way lamps. They make it easier to keep lighting levels low when bright light is not necessary.
• For bathrooms, hallways or bedrooms consider installing LED night lights equipped with photo sensors to keep them off during daylight hours.
• Clean light bulbs regularly. Grime from cooking and dust can make a light bulb dirty, reducing the light it gives off.
• When purchasing holiday lights, look for LED lights because they use less energy than traditional light strings.

Yard

• Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your home to block the afternoon and evening sun.
• Consider electric mowers and trimmers. For smaller yards, try a reel mower.
• Consider solar-powered accent lighting for yard and garden.
• Shade air conditioning units with trees or shrubs, helping the unit run up to 10% more efficient.
• If you have a pool, cover it when not in use to minimize heating costs.
• A healthy lawn is like an additional air conditioner, keep the grass green and lush.
• Use a rake instead of a leaf blower to tidy up your yard.
• Get a “water butt” or bucket to collect rain water which you can later use to water your plants.
• When it’s warm outside, grill out. Cooking outside keeps the heat outside and the cool air inside.

Business

• In cooler weather, gradually reduce heat settings. Your employees and customers should feel comfortable at 68°F.
• In summer, raise air conditioner settings. 78°F is optimal.
• Turn off heat and air conditioning in unoccupied areas. Conditioning air in storage, basement or empty space is usually unnecessary.
• Turn off heat and air conditioning at night, on weekends or other times your business is closed. With many systems, it’s cheaper to heat or recool at the start of each business day.
• Turn on heat and air conditioning later in the day. Delaying system startup by 30 minutes to an hour will really help.
• Turn off systems earlier in the workday. Your building should remain comfortable for an hour or more.
• Turn off lights whenever possible. Just a few hours a day over a year’s time can really make a difference.
• Remove unneeded lighting. Fixtures near doors and windows often burn energy needlessly.
• Use lower wattage or higher efficiency lamps.
• Lower hot water temperature. Unless you wash clothes or dishes, cooler water – about 120°F – will do the job.
• Activate your computer’s sleep mode when you leave your desk. This reduces electricity consumption to less than 5 percent of full power.
• Turn off unnecessary lights, especially in unused offices and conference rooms. Turn down other lighting levels wherever possible.
• Use a desk caddy to save envelopes, rubber bands, and paper clips for reuse.
• Not only recycle the paper from your printer, but recycle your newspapers and boxes too.
• Be more eco-efficient. Use a mug or glass instead of styrofoam or paper cups.
• Write with refillable pens made from recycled plastic.
• For fax machines and printers, use refillable ink cartridges and recycle old ones.
• Save paper by printing and copying on both sides. And only print what you really need.
• Carpool or use public transportation. If you own a business, encourage carpooling or allow telecommuting to reduce carbon emissions.
• Take your lunch to work in a reusable container.