If you're not using it for more than 15 minutes, turn it off.
Trade in the Old Bulbs for New Ones
Replace traditional bulbs with energy-efficient ones. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFL's) use up to 75% less energy than a standard light bulb. A 13 Watt CFL bulb is equivalent to a 60 Watt standard bulb and lasts up to 10 times longer.
A site recommended for reasonable prices is bulbs.com, where discounts are offered for purchases of a dozen or more at $1.49 each. I bought a package of three GE Energy smart bulbs at Wal-Mart last month for $8.58, which equals $2.86 each. Shipping costs $8.90 at bulbs.com increasing the cost of each light bulb purchased at bulbs.com to $2.23 (1.49 + .74).
More Tips:
- Replace old major appliances with newer more energy efficient ones
- Placing insulation in the attic or roof space can cut heating costs by up to 30%
- Insulation blown into walls can also cut costs substantially
- Move chairs and beds away from cold exterior walls and reduce the need to turn the thermostat up
- Use ceiling fans to keep the heat down where it can be felt more
- Keep damper closed when fireplace is not in use
- Keep registers and radiators clean and dust free
- Set the temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees
- Use energy-saving settings on all appliances
- Install a thermostat with a clock to automatically drop temperatures at night. According to the Home Energy Saver site, Energy Star, a savings of 20% to 30% can be achieved by simply installing a programmable thermostat. Some of those they recommend are Honeywell, Hunter Fan and Smart Systems International.
- Keep windows closed except during warm weather, when a cool breeze can reduce the need for air conditioning
- Unplug appliances when not in use. Students and scientists at the University of Berkeley recently conducted a test that demonstrated that the average California home pays between $50 and $70 yearly for appliances which were not being used, but were plugged in and in the "standby" mode. Their findings estimated that between six and 26% of the monthly electricity bill could be saved by unplugging these appliances and electronics when not in use according to Daniel Kammen, professor of energy and resources at Berkeley and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory.
.Some of the amazing energy wasters were:
- computers - ll.5 watts while idling
- TVs and VCRs were near ll watts
- Cable boxes near 23 watts
- Personal Video recorders can draw 50 watts when off, but plugged in
“National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales and operates the system across Great Britain. In the US, National Grid distributes electricity to nearly five million customers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Rhode Island.” Nationalgridus.com. Some of these tips and more can be found there.
They offer the following room by room tips and tips for the seasons:
Tips for the Seasons:
Winter:
- Clean air filters on your warm air furnaces and air conditioners
- Have your heating system inspected
- Clean windows to allow more heat from the sun to enter the home
Spring:
- Remove storm protection on windows and doors
- Replace them with screens and screen doors
- Install air conditioners
Summer:
- Enjoy the cool breezes available by opening windows at night
- Change or clean air filters once monthly
- Only use air conditioners when necessary
Fall:
- Repair cracks in walls, windows, and doors that allow warm air to escape or cold air to enter the home
- Replace or repair missing caulking or weather-stripping
- Install plastic interior storm windows
Room by Room Tips
Kitchen:
- Defrost refrigerator once a month
- Keep the temperature at 37 to 40 degrees F and your freezer at 5
- Keep your refrigerator full but not so crowded that air cannot circulate
- Vacuum the coils on the back or underside every 3 months or so
- Test your refrigerator by placing $1.00 in the door frame and closing. If you can remove it with a gentle tug either the door should be adjusted or the gasket replaced.
- Do not store food in the refrigerator until cooled
- Place lids on all liquids stored in your fridge as liquids give off vapors that increase the compressor workload
- Planning your meal ahead will help to know which foods to remove from the fridge so they can all be removed at the same time
- Use your microwave oven rather than your stove oven whenever possible because the microwave will not only cook much faster but will also use approximately 1/2 the power of a conventional oven
- When using your conventional oven do not peek at the food more than necessary
- Do not preheat when broiling
- Use natural lighting as much as possible
- Use the energy-saver switch on your dishwasher and only wash full loads
Living Rooms
- Turn off the TV when it is not being watched
- Shut the home door immediately upon entering and departing
- If buying or using a space heater be careful as a typical space heater uses 1,500 Watts of power, which equals 83% of a standard 15 Amp circuit. This can easily cause an overload to circuits and trip a breaker and even create a potential hazard.
Not only that but according to Energy Boomer an electric space heater used for 10 hours daily for 4 months would cost approximately $150 on your electric bill.
Laundry Room:
- Wash clothing when possible with cool or warm water
- Only wash full loads
- Line dry clothing when possible,
- If not use the lowest possible setting on the dryer, remove clothing while still damp
Bathroom:
- Take short showers as opposed to tub baths
- Use a low flow shower head
- Use low-flow faucet aerators
Hallways:
- Use a night light or lights from common area to find your way, so that these lights can be left off when not needed
Bedrooms:
- Use insulated drapes to help keep drafts out and heat in
- Do not block heat vents with furniture
Basements:
- Wrap pipes and water heater with insulation to reduce heat loss
- Change air filters once a month
Cash Rebates:
Another helpful site is EnergyGuide. Here help is provided in a search for items from showerheads to appliances and while searching the site will automatically check for rebates using your zip code information.
Whether your desire is to save your pocket or our earth, I hope some of these tips will prove useful to you, and please feel free to add yours. I was overwhelmed by the available information on this topic and could not possibly include all of it.
