There are countless ways for the average home owner to conserve energy in the home. Many of them require little or no effort. Here are some basic examples you can apply to your homes energy conservation plan:
- Switch your ceiling fan to turn in a counter-clockwise direction In the summer; in the winter, run it at low speed, but clockwise.
- Close your exterior doors and windows tightly when the AC is on. Save even more by turning off kitchen and bath exhaust fans.
- Change or clean your Furnace and AC’s air filters at least once a month to keep your system running at peak performance.
- Block the sun from overheating your home! Inside, use shades, blinds and drapes. Outside, use awnings, trees and shrubs. Some people will install interior tinting to glass which can drastically reduce the sunlight entering your home.
- Reduce Phantom Loads – The term “phantom load” refers to the energy that an appliance or electronic device consumes when it is not actually turned on. According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), “In the average home, 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off.
- Install a programmable Thermostat – Programmable thermostats work by automatically adjusting your home’s temperature to your schedule, keeping it comfortable only when you need it to be. Even a couple of degree’s will stack up the savings while not costing a lot of money to either heat up or cool down your house for when you return.
- Cut down on water use, take faster showers and be conscious of the water you use when washing dishes and clothes and preparing food. You can also save energy by lowering your hot water temperature. Install low flow shower heads.
- Dishwasher – Air dry dishes rather than using heater element.
- Replace Incandescent Lights – The average household dedicates 11% of its energy budget to lighting. Traditional incandescent lights convert approximately only 10% of the energy they consume into light, while the rest becomes heat. The use of new lighting technologies, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), can reduce the energy use required by lighting by 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting controls offer further energy savings by reducing the amount of time that lights are on but not being used. Here are some facts about CFLs and LEDs:
- CFLs use 75% less energy and last about 10 times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.
- LEDs last even longer than CFLs and consume less energy.
- LEDs have no moving parts and, unlike CFLs, they contain no mercury.
- Laundry – Changing your laundry habits can save energy especially if you time your laundry to take advantage of energy savings.
- Do not use the medium setting on your washer. Wait until you have a full load of clothes, as the medium setting saves less than half of the water and energy used for a full load.
- Avoid using high-temperature settings when clothes are not very soiled. Water that is 140° F uses far more energy than 103° F for the warm-water setting, but 140° F isn’t that much more effective for getting clothes clean.
- Clean the lint trap every time before you use the dryer. Not only is excess lint a fire hazard, but it will prolong the amount of time required for your clothes to dry.
- If possible, air-dry your clothes on lines and racks.
- Spin-dry or wring clothes out before putting them into a dryer.