Energy-Saving Tips
You can reduce your energy use and start lowering your bills by making some simple changes around your home. The following energy-saving tips cover practically everything that uses energy in your home from your lights to your heating and cooling system.
Whether it's putting on a sweater instead of turning up the heat or seeking out the advice of an expert, it's easy to conserve energy.
- Heating Tips
- Lower your thermostat. Lowering the thermostat by as little as 1°F can make a difference. A thermostat setting of 68°F is often recommended.
- Switch to a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat automatically lowers the temperature when no one is home, as well as overnight. This could save you as much as 20% on heating costs.
- Tune up your heating system. Have your heating system tuned and inspected by a service professional annually.
- Clean your furnace filter monthly. A clean filter helps your furnace run more efficiently.
- Keep doors closed. Minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed.
- Seal ducts properly. Leaks can develop in air ducts over time. Sealing these leaks can reduce heating costs.
- Use curtains and blinds wisely. Open curtains and blinds during the day to let in the heat from the sun. Close them at night to retain heat.
- Don't send heat up the chimney. Make sure your fireplace flue is closed when you are not using it.
- Install ceiling fans. Ceiling fans set at slow speed push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room making you feel more comfortable.
- Insulate your attic. Make sure your attic is properly insulated. Adding fiberglass insulation in your attic is one of the most cost-effective savings measures and one you can do yourself.
- Seal windows. Seal windows with caulk or weatherstripping.
- Add storm windows. If your home is equipped with single-pane windows, adding storm windows can improve energy efficiency greatly.
- Cooling Tips
- Look for ENERGY STAR® air conditioners. If you are thinking about purchasing a new central air conditioning system or window air conditioner, look for ENERGY STAR® models. These are the most energy-efficient models on the market.
- Raise the thermostat. Raising the thermostat 6°F can save 10% on your cooling bill.
- Dehumidifier benefits. Consider using a dehumidifier instead of turning on the air conditioning. You will be comfortable at much higher temperatures if you reduce the humidity.
- Get rid of hot air. Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of your kitchen while cooking. The savings in cooling costs far outweigh the electricity use of the fan.
- Open the doors. A breeze on a summer day can be enough to keep you cool. Instead of turning on the air conditioner on, open doors and windows on opposite sides of the house for cross ventilation.
- Save the chores for later. Avoid activities that add heat or humidity to your home, particularly during the hottest parts of the day.
- Block the sun. Plant shade trees to block the heat from the sun. As the trees grow, they can dramatically cut your cooling bills.
- Close the curtains. Close drapes and shades on windows during the day to keep heat from the sun out of your house. In the evening, opening drapes and shades lets heat escape through the windows.
- Do away with heat from your attic. Use an attic fan to get rid of the heat build-up in your attic. Heat from your attic eventually finds its way into your home.
- Keep the air conditioner out of the sun. Don't install window air conditioners in sunny areas. Window air conditioners work best when kept cool. Install the unit on a north-facing wall, if possible.
- Don't let the air escape. Seal any gaps along the sides of window air conditioners with foam insulation. Your air conditioner needs to work much harder if the cool air is escaping.
- Shut the vents. Close vents in an unoccupied room can save 5-10% on your cooling costs.
- Resist opening and closing doors. Minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed.
- Lighting Tips
- Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents (CFLs). CFLs produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs but use up to 75% less electricity and last up to 10 times longer.
- Purchase ENERGY STAR®. When replacing bulbs and fixtures, look for ENERGY STAR® products. They use less energy, last longer and save money.
- Turn off lights. A typical light bulb burning 24 hours per day will cost you about $75 annually.
- Invest in a timer. Timers that automatically turn lights on and off can reduce energy use and enhance security by making a house seem occupied when people are away.
- Clean fixtures and bulbs. Dust on fixtures and bulbs can absorb as much as 50% of the light.
- Avoid using multiple bulbs. Use one bulb instead of multiple bulbs whenever possible. A single 100-watt incandescent bulb produces the same amount of light as two 60-watt bulbs and uses 20% less energy.
- Use dimmers and 3-way bulbs. With dimmers or 3-way bulbs, you can reduce your energy use by controlling the amount of light you need in a room.
- Appliance Tips
- Turn computers off when not in use. Turn off your computer and monitor when you're not using them and save as much as $100 per year on electricity!
- Enable computer 'sleep' mode. If your computer has a 'sleep' mode, make sure this feature is enabled. Your computer will automatically convert to a low-energy mode when not in use, cutting energy use in half.
- Screen savers do not save energy. The best way to reduce your monitor's energy consumption is to turn it off.
- Buy ENERGY STAR® Electronics. If you are thinking about purchasing a new TV or VCR, look for ENERGY STAR® models. They use less energy, which saves you money and helps protect the environment.
- Cooking Tips
- Preheat the oven only when necessary. Do not preheat your oven or broiler except when baked goods require a precise starting temperature.
- Turn off the oven early. Turn off your oven a few minutes before cooking time has run out. It will retain enough heat to finish the cooking.
- Cook multiple dishes. Cook multiple dishes in the oven at one time.
- Don't open the oven door or lift pot lids. Each time you open the oven door the temperature drops 25-50 degrees. Avoid lifting pot lids for the same reason.
- Place aluminum foil properly. If you use aluminum foil to catch drips in the oven, place it on the rack below the cookware.
- Don't over-boil. Once water boils, it doesn't get any hotter. Turn down the burner.
- Keep oven and range clean. A clean oven and burners cook more efficiently.
- Use your microwave. Energy-efficient microwaves use up to 75 percent less energy than conventional ovens.
- Plan ahead when thawing foods. If time allows, thaw foods completely in the refrigerator before cooking. If you are pressed for time, it is more efficient to thaw foods in the microwave than the oven.
- Use a smaller pan. Use the smallest pan possible. It takes less time to heat a smaller volume.
- Refrigerator and Freezer Tips
- Get rid of the second refrigerator. An older second refrigerator could be costing you over $200 per year.
- Keep your refrigerator away from heat. Try to locate your refrigerator in a cool location. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from appliances that generate heat, like ovens and water heaters.
- Check refrigerator door seals. Check the door seals on your refrigerator by closing the door on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the dollar out then you would probably benefit by replacing the seal.
- Don't overload. Refrigerators operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded.
- Don't put hot food in the refrigerator. Allow leftovers to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
- Give your refrigerator some space. Allow at least one inch of space on each side of the refrigerator for good circulation. Poor circulation can increase energy consumption by 10 percent.
- Buy ENERGY STAR® appliances. ENERGY STAR appliances are the most energy-efficient models on the market.
- Defrost your freezer. When ice builds up, the efficiency of the freezer drops significantly.
- Check your freezer temperature. Keep your freezer between 0-5 degrees F. Settings below this use more energy and are unnecessary.
- Fill your freezer. Freezers operate most efficiently when full. During power outages, foods in full freezers stay frozen longer.
- Water Heating Tips
- Turn down your water heater. A 10°F reduction in temperature saves about 13 percent of your water heating costs. A temperature of 120°F is often recommended.
- Insulate your water heater. Wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket can save $50 annually.
- Fix leaking faucets. A faucet that leaks just one drip per second can waste 400 gallons of water a year. If the water is hot, that 400 gallons will cost you about $8, plus the cost of the water itself.
- Upgrade your showerhead. Replacing older showerheads with low-flow units could save 15,000 gallons of water annually, saving as much as $150 in water heating costs.
- Washer and Dryer Tips
- Rinse with cold water. Rinsing with cold water will save about $25 per year.
- Purchase a front-loading washer. If you are thinking of replacing your washing machine, consider a front-loading unit. These can reduce energy use by over 50 percent, use significantly less water, require less detergent and reduce wear and tear on clothes.
- Soak clothes first. For heavily soiled clothes, instead of a heavy wash cycle, try soaking and then using a shorter wash cycle.
- Adjust your load setting. Match the load setting to the size of the load. Smaller-sized loads require less water.
- Eliminate small loads in washer. Combine loads to reduce the number of loads you wash, which reduces your energy use.
- Don't overload the dryer. Overloading makes the dryer work harder.
- Keep the lint filter clean. Lint on the filter reduces air flow and makes the dryer work harder.
- Dry loads consecutively. This will take advantage of heat build-up in your dryer.
- Line dry clothes. Line drying your clothes is free!
- Dishwasher Tips
- Skip pre-rinsing. Newer dishwashers can handle heavily soiled dishes and require less pre-rinsing than older models.
- Load properly. Load dishes according to the dishwasher manufacturer's instructions to take full advantage of the spraying action of your dishwasher.
- Wash full dish loads. Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water, regardless of how many dishes are washed. Wash full loads whenever possible.
- Pool and Spa Tips
- Use a pool cover. Using a pool cover not only saves energy, it also reduces water evaporation. For a 450-square-foot pool you will save approximately 4,000 gallons annually.
- Lower pool temperature. Lowering your pool temperature saves energy and reduces the amount of chemicals required to treat the pool. Additionally, sheltering your pool from winds reduces both heat loss and water evaporation. Decorative landscaping and fencing are creative ways to accomplish this.
- Turn off hot tub when not in use. An electric hot tub will cost roughly $4 to heat from 70 to 100°F and then about $1 per day to maintain that temperature. So if you're not going to use your hot tub for the next four days you will save energy by turning it off.
- Lower hot tub temperature. Lowering the water temperature of your hot tub can significantly reduce your energy use.
- Use a hot tub cover. Cover your hot tub whenever it is not being used. This can save you up to $50 per year if you use electricity to heat your tub.