Energy Conservation Tips  

Use these energy conservation tips to make your home more efficient, save on your electric bill and preserve the earth’s natural resources.  These tips are easy and simple and will help you make a difference today, for tomorrow and the future.

The Bedroom

• Use a ceiling fan for cooling.
• Close heating vents or radiators in rooms you don’t use, close the door and install draft guards along the bottom of the doors. (Unless you have a heat pump system; in that case, leave all doors and vents open to ensure proper air flow.)
• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer.
• Install a programmable thermostat that allows you to set the temperature depending on your daily routine.

The Kitchen

• Use your dishwasher.  Studies show electric dishwashers use less hot water than washing and rinsing dishes by hand. Run the short or light cycle, which requires less hot water and cleans your dishes just as well.
• Reduce the temperature settings on your hot water heater.
• Clean or replace your dishwasher filter screen as needed.
• Air dry your dishes.
• Run only full dishwasher loads.
• Leave the oven door closed while baking as much as possible (25 percent of the heat escapes each time you open the door). Turn the oven off about 15 minutes before the end of the cook time and let the left-over heat finish the cooking.
• Don’t use the oven on hot summer days. Grill outdoors when the weather allows.
• Cover pots and pans - lids hold heat in.
• Use the right size pan for the size of the burner.
• Use the self-cleaning feature on your oven when it is already hot from cooking.
• Cook several dishes in the oven at the same time. Freeze for later use.
• Thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator before cooking. This cuts cooking times by as much as a third.
• Don’t put your refrigerator next to your stove.
• Give your refrigerator enough wall and cabinet clearance to allow it to operate efficiently.
• Set the temperature on your refrigerator slightly higher and store the most perishable items in the coldest part (top or back shelf).
• Vacuum the coils in the back or underneath your refrigerator twice a year. Dust and dirt on the coils greatly reduces efficiency.
• Cool hot foods before refrigerating them.
• Be sure your refrigerator door closes tightly and the gasket is in good condition. (Check it by closing it on a piece of paper. If you can easily pull out the piece of paper, the gasket needs to be replaced.)
• Combine trips to the refrigerator and do not leave the door open for long periods of time.
• Set refrigerators at 40º F. and freezers at 0º F for greatest efficiency.
• Invest in energy-efficient appliances. Chose ENERGY STAR qualified products when upgrading or replacing appliances. These products meet federal standards for energy efficiency and are typically comparably priced.

The Laundry Room

•  Wash only full loads.
• Adjust the water level to fit the size of every load.
• Use the maximum washing time only when needed for heavily soiled clothes.
• Vary the size of garments in a load so the water can circulate freely.
• Use warm or cold water for washing and cold water to rinse.
• Use only one rinse cycle.
• In the summer, dry clothes outside on a clothesline or run the dryer at night when the temperature cools.
• Clean the lint screen after every load. Check and clean your dryer exhaust vent periodically.
• Use the automatic cycle on your dryer if possible. Drying more than needed wastes energy.
• For shorter drying time, don’t overload the dryer.
• Dry loads back to back to take advantage of the leftover heat.

The Living Room

•  Do not block heating and cooling registers or radiators with furniture or curtains. Clean them as needed.
• Install thermal shades, curtains or shutters on windows.
• During the heating season, keep the draperies and blinds on south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight and heat in. Close drapes at night to avoid heat loss.
• During the cooling season, keep the draperies and blinds closed during the day to prevent the sun from heating your home. 

Lighting

• Choose light-colored, translucent light shades to prevent reducing the amount of light.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs, which use 70 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and last much longer.
• Use low wattage light bulbs in halls and other areas that require only dim lighting.
• Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
• Use fluorescent lights where you can. Fluorescent bulbs can take more energy when your first turn them on, but energy savings outweigh the initial extra energy used, especially when used in areas where lights are on for many hours.
• Put your outside security lights on a timer, motion detector or photoelectric switch.
• Use natural light whenever possible.