Save
Energy - Save Money!
Energy-saving Tips for Consumers
Twelve quick tips to help you save energy and money
Hot
water shouldn't be a drain on your wallet
Over 10% of your energy bill goes to heating water
for your dishwasher, shower, and faucets. You can cut this
energy use, and your energy bill, by implementing these
easy steps.
1. Lower
your hot water heater to 120 degrees and drain any sediment
Though you need to keep your water heater above 120 degrees
to prevent bacteria from building up, many hot water heaters
are set too high. Draining some water a few times a year reduces
sediment and increases efficiency.
2. Add
insulation to your hot-water heater
The standard hot water heater is on all the time, adding
extra insulation will save more energy than you think.
Most hardware stores sell pre-made insulator "jackets" that
can be easily wrapped around one's water heater. Adding
insulation to your water heater and any exposed pipes can
knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water.
3. Install
a low-flow shower head
Low-flow shower heads are also a worthwhile investment (especially
for renters, because you can take them with you) that will
reduce the amount of hot water you use and hence the energy
needed to heat it.
Heat
your home - Not the planet
Heating and cooling your home is the single largest expense
on your energy bills. But taking steps to weatherize your home,
you can make keeping your home a comfortable temperature easier
and cheaper.
4. Check
for and seal any cracks or gaps
Heating one's home is the single largest use of energy
for the average customer. Tiny gaps and cracks in an older
home are roughly equivalent to a one-foot square hole punched
in your wall, which means that sealing gaps with caulking and
weather stripping makes a big difference in keeping the heat
inside your home and saves you money.
5. Tighten
Windows and Loosen Your Budget
If all windows were as efficient as the best products now widely
available in the marketplace, the average household would save
$150 a year, and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by about
4,300 pounds per year. A cheaper and easier method than replacing
windows is to insulate your windows during the colder months
with transparent film that keeps the heat in and the cold out.
6. Heating
Ducts: Keep the air flowing
If just one in ten households used current technology to upgrade
their inefficient heating systems, we could keep 17 billion
pounds of pollution out of the air. You can also save money
and cut pollution by having your heating vents and ducts cleaned
regularly, and having your furnace serviced.
7. Sweaters
are in this season, so lower your thermostat!
Besides insulation, you can make a big difference in your heating
bill by keeping your home at a slightly lower temperature.
Lowering your thermostat one degree can cut as much as 10%
of your heating bill.
Smarter
Lighting: A Bright Idea
One of the easiest and cheapest places to start saving energy
is with lighting.
8. Replace
your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with compact
fluorescent lights
Compact fluorescent light bulbs use only a third as much electricity
as a standard incandescent bulb. Because a compact fluorescent
will usually last ten times as long as a regular bulb, it will
easily pay for itself. If every household in the U.S. replaced
one light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL),
it would prevent enough pollution to equal the removal of one
million cars from the road.
9. Replace
outdoor lighting with a motion-detector equipped bulb or
fixture
Outdoor lights that are left on all night can add unnecessary
waste energy and disturb wildlife. You can safely and efficiently
light the outside of your home by installing light fixtures
that are activated by motion sensor or a timer. These devices
will keep areas well lit when you need them to be while reducing
your energy bill.
Appliances
and Electronics
10.
Replace old appliances with more efficient models.
Though buying a new appliance isn't cheap, replacing an old
appliance, like a refrigerator, washing machine, or furnace
-- with a new, energy-efficient model can significantly cut
your energy bill. Look for the Energy Star label as a minimum;
some models can be even more efficient. And though buying a
new appliance is a major investment, many states and utility
companies offer substantial credits or other incentives to
replace an outdated appliance with a more efficient one.
11.
Defrost your Freezer.
The frost and ice that builds up in your freezer over time
does more than make it hard to get to your ice cream - it also
causes your freezer to work harder to keep the freezer at a
cold temperature. By routinely defrosting your freezer, you
can keep your ice cream cold and the planet cool.
12.
Clean Clothes, Cool Planet
Modern washing machines and detergents can clean clothes effectively
in cold water - which means you don't have to waste energy
by using hot water. Another way you can save energy in your
washer-dryer and your dishwasher is to always wash full loads.
From the Sierra
Club
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