Hi All...In this time of crazy fuel prices and green conscious people, I thought it would be a good idea to share some tips on how to easily conserve energy (with the help of Energystar.org).
- Insulate your hot water heater - Take a quick trip to the hardware store or home improvement store for a hot water heater insulation kit to wrap your water heater and save on water heating costs.
- Consider installing a tank-less water heater - They supply endless amounts of hot water on demand and save energy. They have the potential to save 50% of your average water heating costs and also save lots of space.
- Use a programmable thermostat - They automatically adjust the temperature of your home while you are away or sleeping.
- Seal & Insulate your home - This improves comfort and reduces heating and cooling costs. To improve 'envelope' of your home, add insulation, seal air leaks and choose energy-efficient windows. Make sure all your ducts are properly sealed as many typically leak and loose both heating and cooling.
- Maintain the right temperature in your refrigerator and freezer - Since refrigerators can use up to 20% of your homes electricity, it's a good idea to set the temperature between 38 and 42 degrees F. The freezer should be set between 0 and 5 degrees F.
- Upgrade your refrigerator - If yours is more than 10 years old, it's a good idea to get a new energy efficient model. They can reduce your energy consumption by up to 1/2 that of a 10 year old conventional model.
- Wash clothes in COLD water - With the latest cold water detergents, your clothes will come out just as clean and the will look better longer with less fading.
- Take advantage of rebates and incentive programs - There are many programs in place with the different utility company's that are encouraging you to buy EnergyStar/ Energy Efficient appliances, lighting, computers, heating, etc...
- Change filters monthly - A dirty air filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool - wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.
- Unplug items not being used - By unplugging items you are not using, you save energy loss know as "phantom energy use". This loss amounts to about 5% of your home electricity use.
Of course there are other ideas such as using energy efficient light bulbs, closing and opening blinds at different times of the day for different seasons and turning off lights when you are not in the room.
I hope this was useful to a few of you...let me know if you have any more ideas...
Regards,
Tim Hoffmann, TeamPC@Windermere.com
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