conserve+energy+at+home

= What are the major ways you can conserve energy at home. =

Heating and cooling Refrigeration Lighting Appliances Hot Water Insulation Use TV's and computers less

One of the best things you can do is to contact your Power Company:
 * Arrange with them to get a home energy audit every couple of years to find ways to cut costs.
 * Ask them about rebates whenever you install energy-saving equipment.
 * Participate in their energy-saving programs **GM**

=**HEATING AND COOLING :**= Wrap your water heater in an insulating jacket, which costs just $10 to $20. It can save 1100 lbs. of CO2 per year for an electric water heater, or 220 pounds for a gas heater **GM**

Your hot water heater does NOT need to be set higher than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, or 60 degrees centigrade. Any higher, and the system automatically adds cold water to cool it back down for use. Now that's just wasteful **GM**

In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 degrees in daytime, and 55 degrees at night. In the summer, keep it at 78. Lowering your thermostat just two degrees during winter saves 6 percent of heating-related CO2 emissions. That's a reduction of 420 pounds of CO2 per year for a typical home **GM**

Avoid setting your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense DF**
 * Drapes, shades and awnings shield windows from the hot sun, keeping your home cooler. Your storm windows also come in handy during the summer since they keep cool air in and hot air out. Weatherstripping and caulking windows and door frames will also keep cool air from leaking out. Certain reflective films can be used on windows to screen out the hot rays of the sun without reducing the amount of light you receive. And, when doors and windows are shut, your air conditioner will operate more efficiently GM


 * Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use DF

Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary DF**

During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain

=APPLIANCES :=


 * ( Appliances account for about 17% of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators, clothes washers, and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list )**

Don't leave on your computer, TVs, radios or games that use electricity when you're not using them **GM** A microwave oven is an energy efficient alternative to a conventional oven. It cooks food more quickly and it uses 70-80% less electricity than a regular oven GM When you're cooking on top of the range, use pots and pans that are properly sized to "fit" the burners. Using a small pan on a large burner wastes energy and can be a safety hazard. Cookware with flat bottoms and tight covers are your best choice. Always cook with lids on your pans, as this keeps the heat inside and speeds up cooking time GM**  Do the largest loads of laundry that your washing machine can handle, so that you don't use more water than you have to, and during warm months, hang your wet laundry to dry, instead of using the dryer **DF** Tumble dryers use up a huge amount of energy. If possible, hang your clothes on a line instead. This is better for your clothes as well **GM**

Scrape, don't rinse, off large pieces of food. Soaking or prewashing is generally recommended in cases of burned on or dried on food. Be sure the dishwasher is full, but not overloaded, when you run it. Avoid using the rinse hold button on your machine for just a few soiled dishes, it **uses 3 to 7 gallons of hot water each time you use it.** Turn your refrigerator down. Refrigerators account for about 20% of Household electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator temperature as close to 37 degrees and your freezer as close to 3 degrees as possible. Make sure that its energy saver switch is turned on. Also, check the gaskets around your refrigerator/freezer doors to make sure they are clean and sealed tightly Although automatic defrost refrigerators are convenient, their defrosting features use a lot of electricity. A manual defrost refrigerator typically uses 36% less energy **GM** = =

**How Much Electricity Do Appliances Use ?**


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=Lighting := = Turn off lights when not in use = = Use task lighting whenever possible instead of brightly lighting an entire room. Install compact fluorescent lamps in the fixtures which receive high use. Control outdoor lights with sensor timers so they stay off during the day. String LED lights during the holidays. = 

Solar Orientation (Jake)
Increased Insulation Level (Jake) Controlled Ventilation (Jake) Cooling (Jake) Major Appliances and such (Jake)
 * Orient main activity rooms and windows to the south.
 * Locate patios and decks on the south side of the house.
 * Properly shade south exposure with roof overhangs and correctly placed shade trees to provide summer comfort.
 * Insulate foundation walls with exterior rigid board insulation.
 * Install an air-to-air heat exchanger to control ventilation rates in the house.
 * Use a furnace and water heater that draw combustion air from the outside.
 * Plant deciduous shade trees on the west and south sides of your house.
 * Open windows at night to bring in cool night air; close them during the day.
 * Close your blinds and drapes during the day.
 * Shade west facing windows.
 * Draw cool night air into the house with a whole house fan.
 * Install an evaporative cooler.
 * Use room air conditioning only where needed and install energy efficient models.
 * Install a ENERGY STAR central system air conditioner only when whole house air conditioning is needed.
 * Maintain an air conditioned house at 78 F or higher.
 * Regularly change air conditioning system filters and clean the condenser.
 * Maintain refrigerator at 35 to 40 F and freezer section at 0 to 5 F.
 * Maintain stand alone freezer at 0 F.
 * Choose a refrigerator/freezer with automatic moisture control.
 * Keep your refrigerator door closed whenever possible.
 * Regularly clean dust out of the coils behind or under your refrigerator with a tapered appliance brush.
 * Minimize freezer ice build-up.
 * Use toaster ovens or microwave
 * Use toaster ovens or microwave ovens for cooking small meals.
 * Adjust the flame on gas cooking appliances so it is blue, not yellow.
 * Replace a gas cooking appliance with a unit with an automatic, electric ignition system.
 * If you have a newer dishwasher, skip pre-rinsing the dishes.
 * Run the dishwasher only with a full load of dishes.
 * Air dry dishes in a dishwasher.
 * Regularly clean the lint filter on your dryer and inspect the dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked.
 * Shut down home computers when not in use or put them on sleep mode.
 * Select small appliances (i.e., curling irons, coffee pots, irons) with time limited shut off switches.
 * Plug small electronics into a power stip so you can turn them off at the same time.
 * Replace aging major appliances, TVs and DVDs when needed, with energy efficient models. Compare the annual energy consumption and operating cost for each appliance by looking at the bright-yellow and black Energy Guide label when shopping for new appliances.