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Energy Saving Tips
We are committed to helping you lower your energy consumption and costs. Try these
energy saving tips around your house to help you keep warm and save money.
General Heating & Cooling Tips
- Install a programmable thermostat. This will help you save energy
by decreasing your home’s temperature during the evening and when you are
away.
- Lower the temperature. During winter months, lowering the heat
by one degree during any 24 hour period can decrease your heating bill by up to
3%. Set your thermostat to 65 – 68 degrees when you’re home and 60 –
65 degrees during the evening. Try lowering your thermostat to 60 degrees when you’re
at work, but do not turn it off because your furnace will have to use more natural
gas to return your home to a warmer temperature.
- Let in the sunshine. Keep the draperies and shades on your windows
open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home. Remember to close them
at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
- Wear layers and warmer, insulated clothing while indoors. Trapping
body heat in multiple, insulated layers near your body will keep you warmer during
colder months.
- Rearrange furniture or shorten draperies so heating registers and
air returns are not blocked.
- Have your furnace professionally inspected once a year. Change
disposable furnace air filters a minimum of three times a year – more often
if they become dirty.
- Contact an HVAC professional. If you are interested in upgrading
your heating and cooling system, or speaking with a professional about your current
system, contact Estes
Heating & Air Conditioning.
Insulation and Weatherization
- Insulate. According to the Department of Energy, more than 40%
of energy loss in a residence is due mainly to air leakage. To reduce such losses,
insulate pipes, walls, attic, crawl spaces, basement, and floors. Also, insulate
ventilator ducts and water pipes that pass through unheated areas such as the garage,
basement, and attic. When purchasing insulation, higher R-values mean greater insulating
power.
- Inspect heating ducts. To maximize heating efficiency, ensure that
your heating ducts in conditioned areas are as clean as possible. In unconditioned
areas, such as an attic or vented crawl space, seal your ducts to prevent leaks.
- Inspect and modernize your fireplace. Check the seal on the flue
damper and make it as snug as possible. For greater efficiency, install glass doors
and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room, and add
caulking around the fireplace hearth. Finally, be sure to close your fireplace damper
when you are not using it.
- Cover bare floors. Carpeting adds comfort and creates heat retention,
especially if there is little or no floor insulation.
- Seal cracks and leaks on doors and windows. Use caulking and weather
stripping around doors and windows to reduce air flow and energy loss.
- Replace Doors. When replacing doors, consider insulated metal or
fiberglass replacement doors.
- Contact an energy audit professional. If you are interested in
an onsite energy audit or speaking with an energy audit specialist, contact Southface.
Water Heating
- Lower the temperature. According to the DOE, you can save between
3%–5% in energy costs for each 10ºF reduction in the temperature setting
of your water heater. Consider setting your water heater to 120°, and switching
to "vacation" when you are away.
- Replace older appliances with those that have the highest energy-efficiency
ratings. Be aware that some energy efficiency appliances might be eligible for federal
tax credits or rebates.
- Run full loads. Minimize unnecessary loads by making sure that
your machines are only running when fully loaded.
- Wash with cold or warm water. Save on heating costs by washing
clothes with warm or cold water and rinsing with cold water.
- Install a low-flow showerhead. Traditional showerheads deliver
between 5-8 gallons of water per minute (gpm). The current standard for low flow
showerheads is 2.5 (gpm) at the same water pressure. Therefore, an investment of
as little as $5 can cut your cost of taking a hot shower by 50%.
- Take showers versus baths to conserve water.
- Repair leaks in showers and faucets. A single
faucet that drips just once every second wastes 8.6 gallons per day, or almost 260
gallons per month.
- Adjust dishwasher settings. Use the "energy saver" switch on your
dishwasher, and set it on the low temperature setting when feasible.
Other Appliances
- Avoid preheating. Only preheat your oven if the recipe requires
it.
- Reevaluate product positioning. When possible, position your refrigerator
and freezer away from your cooking range.
- Be selective. To save energy costs, use microwaves, toaster ovens,
and slow cookers whenever possible.
Additional Helpful Links
For a copy of the Department of Energy’s guide, "Energy Savers: Tips on Saving
Energy & Money at Home," please visit www.energysavers.gov.
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