What You can do

 

Today

 

 

 

GET AN ENERGY AUDIT!  It will pay for itself through reduced heating bills.

Turn down the temperature of your water heater to a warm setting (120F)

If you have an electric water heater, put on an insulating blanket. It can pay for itself in one year.

Water beds are silent energy guzzlers. If you have one, make the bed. The covers will insulate and can save 1/3rd the consumption.

Start using energy-saving settings on refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines and clothes dryers.

Survey your incandescent lights for opportunities to replace them with compact fluorescents (CFL's) These lamps can save 3/4 of the electricity used by incandescents . If you have an Energy Wise Homes audit we can supply CFL's for free to replace any lights you use an hour or more everyday.

Check the age and condition of your major appliances, especially the refrigerator. We test such appliances when you have an audit.

Clean or replace furnace, air-conditioner, and heat pump filters.

This Week

Visit the hardware store and buy a water heater blanket, low flow shower heads, faucet aerators and compact florescent bulbs as needed.

Rope caulk or seal & peal very leaky windows.

Assess your heating and cooling systems. Determine if replacements are justified or whether you should retrofit them to make them work more efficiently to provide the same comfort (or better) for less energy. This is also done when you have an audit.

This Month

Collect your utility bills. Separate electricity and fuel bills. Target the biggest bill for energy conservation remedies.

Have your attic, basement and or crawlspace checked to see if upgrades are needed.

Insulate hot water pipes and ducts in unheated spaces.

Have a home energy audit done and include air-sealing as needed.

Install a programable clock thermostat and set the temperature down automatically at night.

This Year 

Insulate. If your walls are not insulated have cellulose blown into them. Bring your attic insulation level up to snuff.

Replace aging inefficient appliances. Even if the appliance has a few useful years left, replacing it with a top-efficiency model is generally a good investment.

Have your heating and cooling systems tuned up in the fall. Duct sealing can also improve the energy efficiency and overall performance of your system. (warm-air furnace and central air conditioners).

Energy Saving Tips

The following tips incrementally can easily reduce your energy consumption by 15%. They don’t cost anything, you just have to implement them. Habits are difficult to change, so if you’re forgetful, you might want to put post it notes around the house.

Lights:

Turn lights off when you leave the room.

Refrigerators:

Turn off your second fridge when you don’t need it.
Set the refrigerator thermostat to 37-40 0F and the freezer at 0-5 0F.
Check the refrigerator door seals are clean and tight.
Clean the condenser coils at the back or bottom of the refrigerator.

Washer and Dryer:

Get a front loading washer.Wash in warm or cold water, instead of hot, and rinse in cold water. Always wash a full load.
Hang your clothes on a clothes line!
Use the moisture-sensor setting on your dryer.
Clean the lint trap before every load.
Dry heavier items such as towels separate from lighter items.

Dishwasher:

Only run the dishwasher when it’s full.
It’s not necessary to pre-rinse the dishes just scrape and load.
Use the energy saver option for washing the dishes.
Use the air-dry option to dry your dishes.

Reducing Water Usage:

Get a new efficient shower head. Take 5-minute showers.
Take fewer baths.
Don’t let the water run while you brush your teeth.
Old toilets- put a couple of bricks or a plastic container full of water in the tank of the toilet to reduce the amount of water used with each flush.
Check the toilet tank for leaks.

Phantom Loads:

Unplug equipment that is not being used.
Install a power strip and turn the switch off.

Computers:

Plug your computers, monitors, printers, and all the peripherals into one power strip if you can, turn them off AND switch off the power strip when it’s not it use. Ditch the screen saver, and enable the sleep mode where the computer goes dark after the specified period of inactivity. Donate or recycle your old computer equipment.

Heating and Cooling System (HVAC):

When you vacuum the house clean the floor vents or radiators as well.

Room AC:

Check the seal between your unit and the window frame, add weather-stripping or caulk if necessary. Check the drain and unclog it if necessary.
Clean the filters frequently.
Remove the unit in the winter if possible otherwise cover it and seal it well.

Reducing the HVAC usage:

Open windows and use ceiling fans, especially at night.
Minimize stove and oven use in the summertime.
Use curtains or insulated window shades on windows on the east, south or west sides of the house. Close the dampers to the fireplaces.

Reducing paper:

Use the fax function on the computer to send and receive faxes.
Print on both sides of the paper.
Get your bills sent electronically.
Reduce Junk Mail

Misc:

Use a pressure cooker.
Use the microwave to defrost food instead of using hot water.
Use the microwave more and the stove/oven less in the summertime.

Call:  Energy Wise Homes #877-866-1116
info@energy-wise-homes.com