Energy Tips

Appliances | Water Heating | Building Materials | Warm-Climate Window Tips | Cold-Climate Window Tips | Landscaping

Air Conditioning and Heating

• Raise the thermostat to 78°F in the summer and lower to 68°F in the winter.

• During the spring, summer and fall months, use fans and open windows instead of running the air conditioner. Dress in light and loose fitting clothing. Try to keep humidity out of the house.

• Use exterior shades and curtains to prevent heat from entering the house.

• Dress in warm clothing during winter months.

Lights

• Turn lights off when not in use.

• Use energy-efficient, low-wattage light bulbs

• Use lights only where and when needed.

• Use new adaptable fluorescent light bulbs in old incandescent fixtures.

• When possible, use natural daylight instead of electric lighting.

Appliances

• Avoid using small appliances whenever possible. (Use a spoon, not a mixer.)

• Use small appliances instead of larger ones whenever possible. (Toast bread in toaster, not in the oven.)

• Use appliances that have low wattage.

Water Heating

• Reduce hot water consumption by washing clothes and running the garbage disposal using cold water.

• Take showers instead of baths.

• Use the short cycle on the dishwasher.

• Set the thermostat on the water heater at 120°F.

• Cover the water heater in your home with an approved insulation wrap.

• Turn the water heater off when you leave home for more than two days.

• Repair water leaks and drips.

• Install a hot water trap (p-trap) to prevent hot water from flowing back into the pipes.

Building Materials

Windows can be one of your home's most attractive features. They provide views, daylight, ventilation and solar heating in the winter. But they can also allow energy used to heat or cool your home to escape. Energy loss associated with windows accounts for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. During summer months, heat gained from windows requires your air conditioner to work two to three times harder.

If you live in the Sun Belt, you should consider new solar control spectrally selective windows. These windows can reduce the cooling load by more than half.

Warm-Climate Window Tips

In the summer, the sun shining through your windows heats your home. Windows with spectrally selective coatings reflect some of the sunlight, keeping your rooms cooler.

• Install white window shades, drapes or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.

• Close curtains on south-and west-facing windows during the day.

• Install awnings on the south-and west-facing windows.

• Apply Sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.

Cold-Climate Window Tips

Double-pane windows with low-e coating on the glass reflect heat back into the room during the winter months.

• Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce your heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%.

• Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.

• Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.

• Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.

• Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to maximize solar gain.

Landscaping

Landscaping is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home more comfortable and reduce your energy bills. In addition to adding aesthetic value and environmental quality to your home, a well-placed tree, shrub or vine can deliver effective shade, act as a windbreak and reduce overall energy bills.

Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a typical household's energy for heating and cooling. Three trees, properly placed around the house, can save an average household between $100 and $250 in heating and cooling energy costs annually.

• Trees that lose their leaves in the fall (i.e., deciduous) are the most effective at reducing heating and cooling energy costs. When selectively placed around a house, they provide excellent protection from the summer sun but permit winter sunlight to reach and warm your house. The height, growth rate, branch spread and shape are all factors to consider in choosing a tree.

• Vines provide shading and cooling. Grown on trellises, vines can shade windows or the whole side of a house.

• Deflect winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house; deflect summer winds by planting on the south and west sides of your house.