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Use space heaters
sparingly.
Keep your thermostat not
higher than 68 degrees in the winter and no
lower than 78 degrees in the summer. Each
additional degree adds about three percent
to your energy costs.
To keep air circulating
freely, check filters at least every month
and change them when needed. Also, clean
dust and lint from air outlets. Use
permanent sealant (like mastic) to seal
leaky supply and return ducts. Install duct
insulation and cover with a vapor barrier.
If you use a window air
conditioner, seal all cracks and open areas
around the unit. During the winter, remove
the unit from the window. Before the
summer, clean or replace filter and then
check regularly.
If you have an old furnace
or air conditioning system that needs
replacing, a new, high efficiency heat pump
can cut your heating and cooling costs by 25
to 50 percent.
If you’re going away for a
few days, lower the thermostat, but don’t
turn the heat off. A cold snap could freeze
your pipes.
If you have a heat pump,
it will operate most efficiently if you set
your thermostat and leave it.
Use fans instead of, or in
addition to, air conditioning.
Weather-strip your doors,
caulk cracks in the door frames, and replace
worn or ill-fitting thresholds.
Install storm doors and
windows or plastic kits. Weather-strip
loose-fitting windows and close shades or
draperies at night to reduce heat loss.
Replace broken or cracked
window panes, and caulk cracks around window
framing.
Fully insulating your house
can save as much as 55 percent on your
heating and cooling bills. Be certain to
pay attention to the most common areas of
air leaks, such as windows and doors,
outlets and light switches on exterior
walls, mail chutes, fireplaces, ducts and
pipes, attics and basements.
If your attic insulation
is less than R-19, add more insulation
(without a vapor barrier) or blown
insulation. Floors over crawl spaces should
be insulated with at least 3 ½ inches of
batts (R-11) with vapor barrier side towards
the heated area. Ground areas should be
covered with a 6 mil. plastic vapor barrier.
Use smaller appliances, like
a microwave or toaster oven, instead of your
full size oven, when you can. When you do
use your regular range, bake several items
at once, and use pots and pans with flat
bottoms and tight fitting lids.
If your freezer is not
frost-free, defrost frequently. Clean the
condenser once a year. Make sure the
sealing gaskets don’t become brittle. And
don’t open the door more often than
necessary.
When running your dishwasher,
use the energy saving cycle and run only
when full.
Underloading, overloading,
or over0drying clothes reduces your dryer’s
efficiency. Clean the lint filter after
each use. Better still: dry your clothes
outside in nice weather.
When it’s time to buy new
appliances, but the most energy-efficient
models.
Turn off the lights when
you leave the room. If you want a brighter
room, use a higher-wattage bulb rater than
more lower wattage bulbs.
Consider Compact Fluorescent
Lamps (CFLs). CFLs use a fraction of the
energy of traditional incandescent light
bulbs and last up to ten times as. CFLs are
available in home improvement stores in the
lighting section.
Keep lamps and fixtures
clean. You may save as much as 20 percent
on lighting costs.
Take advantage of the windows
throughout your home and use natural light
whenever possible.
Lower the setting of your
water heater to 120 degrees, especially
during the summer months.
Fix leaky faucets
immediately. Don’t leave the water running
when you are shaving or washing dishes.
Wash and rinse your
laundry in cold water.
Take short showers instead of
baths and install low flow shower heads.
For central air
conditioning systems, keep the fan switch on
your thermostat in the “auto” position when
cooling. This gives you better cooling and
humidity control. Having the fan switch “on”
continuously could costs an extra $25 a
month on your electric bill.
Set the thermostat a little
higher. Most people can be comfortable with
a setting of 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit, plus
you’ll save up to 7 percent of your cooling
costs for each degree above 78.
Use a ceiling fan or
portable fan to supplement your air
conditioning. A fan can make you feel three
to four degrees cooler (and only costs a
half-cent per hour to operate) so you can
set your thermostat a few degrees higher and
save on cooling costs.
When you leave home, turn off
the ceiling fans and set the thermostat up a
few degrees.
Clean or change your
filters monthly. Dirty filters can increase
operating costs by 20 percent. Don’t block
registers and vents with furniture or
drapes.
Close blinds, drapes and
shades during the hottest part of the day.
This keeps the sun’s rays from heating your
home.
Use your microwave oven to
cook food. Microwaves use less than one-half
the power of conventional ovens and they
don’t heat up your kitchen.
Caulk, seal and weather strip
all openings from your home to the outside.
Eliminating air leaks in your home can save
you up to 10 percent in energy costs.
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