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No-cost Tips for Saving Energy and Money
The following energy-saving tips won’t cost you a penny—but they can
save you bucks on your energy bills.
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room (Who knew? Dad was
right).
- Keep your home at 78 degrees in the summer, or at the warmest
temperature that is comfortable for you.
- When leaving home for more than 4 hours, raise the thermostat 5 to
10 degrees in summer and lower it 5 to 10 degrees in winter. Do the same
at night before going to bed.
- Close south-, east-, and west-facing curtains during the day to keep
out solar heat during the summer.
- Clean the coils at the back of your refrigerator twice a year.
- Only heat and cool rooms you use; close vents and doors to rooms
that are not being used.
- Keep windows closed and shades down when air conditioning is on.
- Check and clean air conditioning filters monthly and replace as
needed.
- Unplug electric chargers, televisions and audio/video equipment when
not in use (or plug them into a power strip you can turn off and on).
These devices use electricity even when they are not in use.
- Turn off your computer or put it in ”sleep” mode when it is not
being used.
- Run energy-intensive appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes
washer at night. The heat produced by these appliances will not need to
be offset by your air conditioner during the day.
- Wait till you have a full load to run the dishwasher and clothes
washer and use cold water when possible.
- Keep lamps and televisions away from the thermostat. The heat they
generate will cause your air conditioner to work harder.
- If you’re running an old refrigerator in your basement that isn’t
being used, unplug it. Old refrigerators can use three times the
electricity of modern ones.
Low-cost Tips for Saving Energy and Money
If you think cutting your energy usage requires a big investment, think
again. Small changes like those below can have a noticeable impact on your
energy bill.
- When you’re out of your house (and at night, when you’re
asleep), use a programmable thermostat to automatically raise the
temperature 5 to 10 degrees in summer and lower it 5 to 10 degrees
in winter.
- Install weather stripping on all doors and windows.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR®-qualified
compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They’re relatively cheap,
use about 75% less energy and typically last ten times longer.
Replacing a 60 watt incandescent bulb with a 13 watt ENERGY
STAR-qualified equivalent CFL could save you, on average, $30 over
the life of the bulb.
- Install electric timers on exterior lighting, small appliances
and room air conditioners.
Add dimmers or occupancy sensors to your home’s lighting system.
- If you have any exposed ductwork in your house, seal all joints
with a caulk, such as mastic. Otherwise, heating (and cooling) could
escape before getting where it’s supposed to go.
- If you have less than 6 to 10 inches of insulation in your
attic, you probably need more.
- Consider installing low-flow showerheads and sink aerators to
reduce hot water use.
When buying new appliances, lights, electronics or other products,
look for the ENERGY STAR label.
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