Energy Conservation Tips
Save Money , Help Save the Planet

Energy Conservation Tips that will help reducing the ever increasing household energy related expenses. These energy saving tips can be done quickly and easily and save money right away.

Space Heating and Cooling

I arranged the tips from lowest budget to highest budget:

1. Set the thermostats to feel comfortable, as high as you still feel comfortable in the summer and as low as you still feel comfortable in the winter.
2. Clean the filters on your air-conditioners and furnaces frequently enough. Adequate air supply is necessary for their smooth and efficient operation. If you live in an area with high concentration of dust and pollution particles, clean (or replace) the filters more frequently
3. In the winter, let in sun radiation from the South to get the most of the sun heat.
4. Don’t warm up in the winter or cool down in the summer unoccupied rooms; shut the doors to those rooms
5. Find air leaks, from the basement, attic, walls, doors and windows; if necessary – call a home auditor
6. Use the opportunity to replace windows and skylights to more efficient types. View my page on 1500 energy tax credit on windows and skylight

Water Heating

I arranged the tips from lowest budget to highest budget:

1. Insulate using an insulating adhesive tape the hot water pipes
2. Replace (or repair) leaky (dripping) hot water taps
3. Reduce the hot water thermostat to 48 degrees C (120 degrees F); safer to small kids and more efficient on energy consumption

Lighting

Lighting efficiency can be improved dramatically with a small expense or no expense

1. Allow natural day light into your home; consider using solar tubes for windowless internal rooms
2. Don’t light unoccupied rooms
3. Keep light bulbs and lighting fixtures dust-free and clean
4. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and LED lights

Laundering, Drying machines, Dish Washing

Some easy to implement tips

1. Use full load, don’t operate the dish washer for two plates or the laundry machine for three shirts
2. Add two dry towels to the drying machine load to absorb the water from the wet clothes
3. Use the lowest possible temperature setting appropriate for the load
4. Clean the water filters (and the lint filter in the drying machine) as frequently as needed
5. During the warmer and not rainy months, line dry clothes instead of using the dryer.

More Energy Conservation Tips

• Use smart power strips to completely shut off electronic appliances that are on stand-by mode (laptops, TV sets, sound systems etc.)
• Replace old appliances with energy efficient, Energy Star labeled appliances
• Use car pools as far as possible