Kitchen/Laundry
- Toaster ovens and microwaves use less energy than full-sized ovens. Use them when cooking or warming small portions of food.
- Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
- Run your dishwasher, oven, washer and dryer in the evening when electricity rates may be lower and heat from the appliances won't increase demands on your air conditioner.
- Use the “rinse hold” on your dishwasher only when necessary. It uses three to seven gallons of hot water each time you use it.
- Use glass cookware for baking and reduce the cooking temperature by
25° F.
- Leaving room in your refrigerator or freezer for cold air to circulate will help the appliance operate properly.
- Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
- Close your refrigerator door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out easily, you may need to replace the door gasket. Tight sealing gaskets keep cold air in and lower energy costs.
- Use the lowest appropriate temperature setting when drying clothes and avoid partial loads and over drying clothes.
- Keep your water heater set at the lowest temperature that still provides the amount of hot water you need. In most cases 120° F is sufficient.
- Repair leaky hot water faucets promptly. They can waste gallons of water in a short period.
Heating/Cooling
- Up to 45% of your home's energy costs are generated by heating and cooling.
- Programmable thermostats allow you to conveniently maintain the comfort of your home when you're there and reduce energy costs when you're not.
- Ceiling and room fans help circulate cool or warm air around the room and allow you to adjust your thermostat to conserve energy and costs.
- To balance comfort and efficiency, set your thermostat in the 68-70° F when heating your home.
- Insulation should be judged by R-value rather than just inches. The higher the R-value, the better the insulating properties of the material.
- Don't block vents or ducts inside the house to assure air flow in the home.
- Keep fallen leaves, grass clippings, foliage and other debris away from your outdoor air conditioning or heat pump unit. Keep the conditioner's coils clean following manufacturer's instructions.
- When leaving for a long weekend or vacation during the summer, raise the temperature on your thermostat. This will save you several dollars.
- Caulk and install weatherstripping around windows and doors to close air gaps.
- Installing storm windows can reduce your heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%.
- During the winter close your curtains and shades at night. Open them during the day.
- Use higher density insulation, such as rigid foam boards, in cathedral ceilings and on exterior walls.
- Make sure attic and crawl spaces are adequately ventilated. Poor ventilation will add to your summer cooling costs. It also can trap moisture in your attic, making insulation less effective.
- Change filters in air conditioning units and heat pumps at least once a month.
- Use bath and kitchen fans sparingly when the air conditioner is operating to avoid pulling humid air into the house.
- For every degree you raise the thermostat setting in the summer, you can expect to cut your energy consumption by 3 to 5 percent.
- Deciduous trees planted on the south and west will help keep your house cool in the summer and allow sun to shine in the windows in the winter.
- Deflect winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house.
Lighting
- Compact fluorescent bulbs use 50% to 75% less electricity to produce the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs and last eight to 10 times longer.
- Using white lamp shades helps make a room appear brighter with lower energy bulbs.
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