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Increase Energy Efficiency In Your Home
There are many things you can do to reduce energy waste and save money. You don't have to sacrifice your comfort to achieve energy efficiency in your home. Here are 25 great tips to help save on your energy usage.
1.
Change your light bulbs to LED's.
2.
Wash your clothes in cold water when possible.
3.
Seal any cracks, gaps and air leaks in your home and add insulation. (This could save you up to 10% on heating and cooling costs)
4.
Clean or replace all filters in your home regularly. (Dirty filters can make your system run longer and work harder)
5.
Use your microwave or toaster oven when heating up food instead of your conventional oven.
6.
Defrost your refrigerator and freezer before ice buildup becomes 1/4 inch thick to ensure their efficiency.
7.
Close shades, blinds and drapes on the sunny side of your home during warm months, and open them during cold months to help keep a comfortable temperature.
8.
Don't open the oven to check on what you're baking. This can drop the temperature 25 degrees F, making your oven use more energy to bring the temperature back up.
9.
Use natural light when possible.
10.
Control your outdoor light fixtures with a photocell or a timer to ensure they only operate from dusk to dawn.
Don't leave your electronics on all day long. Only turn on your computer, monitor and printer when you need them.
11.
12.
Set your thermostat to 78F in the summer and 68F in the winter. Every degree of extra cooling or heating can increase your energy usage 6-8%. (Setting your thermostat lower than normal will not cool your home faster)
13.
Using your ceiling fan will allow you to set your thermostat about 4 F higher with no reduction in comfort.
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14.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer as full as possible (using water bottles if nothing else). Be careful not to overfill them as this will reduce airflow and cause the appliance to work harder.
15.
Use dishwashers and clothes washers/dryers at night to keep your house cooler, reduce strain on the power grid between peak hours of 4-6pm and reduce the chance of an emergency.
16.
Turn off heated dry on your dishwasher and air dry instead.
17.
Set your refrigerator temperature to the manufacturer's recommended setting to avoid excessive cooling and wasting energy.
18.
Don't leave bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans running longer than necessary. Aside from using energy, they push already heated or cooled air outside.
19.
Replace your windows. If your home has single-pane windows, consider replacing them with more energy efficient windows.
20.
Install a programmable thermostat and set the temperature to adjust according to your daily or weekly schedule.
21.
Turn off the lights when not in use. Lighting accounts for about 12% of the average residential utility bill.
22.
Don't leave your mobile phone plugged in overnight. It only takes a couple hours to fully charge.
23.
Turn off the oven a few minutes before cooking time is up. It will continue to cook without using energy.
24.
Avoid placing appliances that give off heat, such as lamps or TV's, near a thermostat.
25.
Make sure to wear warmer clothing in the winter and cooler clothing in the summer to avoid making your heat and AC work harder.
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