Our efficiency tips below are a great place to start if you are looking for ways to save energy with little to no investment.
Household Efficiency
- Turn off electronics in rooms that are not being used. Electronics that have running lights are using energy, often referred to as phantom loads.
- Turn off lights in rooms that are not being used.
- Install motion detecting wall switches in rooms that are accessed for small periods of time such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, closets, pantries, storage areas, sheds and some exterior lighting.
- Install photocells on exterior lighting. These controls will measure the level of light outside and turn lights on or off accordingly.
- Replace incandescent and florescent light sources with more efficient and longer lasting LED lights.
- Install low flow faucet and shower heads in kitchens and bathrooms.
- Close your damper. Fireplaces and other combustion appliances with dampers should be closed when not in use. Leaving it open is like having a small window open all year.
- If your damper does not properly close, speak with a fireplace and/or chimney sweep contractor about installing an operable chimney cap or balloon for sealing the opening when not in use.
- Ensure your attic, walls, and floor areas are properly insulated.
- Ensure your doors, windows and other exterior penetrations are properly sealed. For more information, please visit this link, Efficiency Investments.
- Set your water heater to a comfortable temperature, 115˚ – 120˚ is recommended.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers full. Simply filling these appliances with water jugs can drastically reduce the amount and time they run and use energy.
- Ensure your clothes dryers exhaust venting is intact, clean of obstructions, and terminates to the exterior of your home. This will allow your dryer to work faster and more efficiently.
- Run full loads in your dishwasher, clothes washer and dryer. Half loads use the same amount of energy as full loads.
- Air dry dishes and clothes whenever possible.
- Turn down your Thermostat’s set point – Every degree you reduce your thermostat’s set point in the winter can save you between 2% and 4% percent on energy costs depending on your heating system. Same rules apply for summer and increasing your systems set point.
- Have your duct system tested for tightness. See “Duct Sealing” for more information.
- Check your filter monthly, replace and/or clean dirty air filters – reductions in air flow will cause your system to work harder than it otherwise would.
- If you have a heat pump ensure the indoor unit coil is clear of dust and lint. Dirty coils do not transfer heat properly and cause your heating system to run longer and more often. Coils are usually located between the filter and fan in your furnace.
- When utilizing forced air electric furnaces and heat pump systems, keep supply and return duct registers open, clean, and uncovered. Your system was designed to deliver a certain amount of air to your home, reducing that by closing off registers or rooms can affect the systems efficiency.
- Use one heating source at a time when possible. When starting a fire, make sure you turn off your electric heating source. Especially if you have a heat pump system and utilize the “auto” feature on your thermostat. In this case the warm fire can cause your heat pump to begin cooling your home.
- When using a heating system that is zonal or room controlled, make sure the thermostat is operating and controlling the system as designed. A zonal baseboard or wall heat system with faulty controls may not turn off after meeting the control set point, costing you more to operate.
