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KEEPING COOL
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Insulate your home as much as you can. That
makes a big difference, whether for heating or cooling.
• Set your
air-conditioning thermostat at the highest temperature setting
at which you’re comfortable. Cooling costs can be
reduced by about five percent for every two degrees higher you
set your unit. Keep heat-producing items like televisions and
lamps away from thermostats.
• Light bulbs
produce heat. Keep them off during the day as much as
you can. Drapes, blinds and shades should be closed during the
hottest hours.
•
Humidity is a factor. Take baths and wash
dishes early in the morning or in the evening instead of during
the day. Use an outside clothesline to avoid adding heat to your
house during the hottest months.
•
If you have a powered roof ventilator, turn it off.
Experts have learned there are more negative effects than
positive benefits of their use. In the warm months, it draws
cooled air from inside your home into the hot attic and can
cause humidity to be drawn into the home.
•
Use an air-conditioner with an efficiency rating of 13
or higher. Window units are rated by their Energy
Efficiency Ratio (EER), while central systems use a Seasonal
Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). Use the proper size because
bigger is not always better.
•
Maintain cooling systems properly. Clean or
replace filters regularly. Window
units generally have filters behind the front panel, and they
need to be cleaned with soap and water. Use a brush to clean the
coils on outside heat exchangers.
STAYING WARM
• Insulate, using materials
with a high efficiency rating number.
 •
Install storm windows and doors or
less-expensive vinyl window kits. Remove or cover window air
conditioning units for the winter.
• Drafts can occur
wherever two different building materials or parts of a building
meet. Use weather-stripping or caulk to block cold air,
especially around windows, doors and attic access doors.
Insulate the back side of the attic door.
• Washing, cooking and
bathing all add heat and humidity to the air on colder
days. Open the blinds and shades to let the sun in.
• Showers use less hot
water, on average, than baths.
• Set the thermostat at the
lowest setting at which you are comfortable. Each
degree above 68 degrees adds about five percent to your heating
bill. Don’t set the thermostat higher at first, thinking it will
heat your home faster. It won’t!
 •
Make sure the thermostat is not affected by a cold
draft.
• Lower the thermostat if
you’re going to be away for more than eight hours.
• In rooms with high
ceilings, reverse the circulation direction of ceiling fans
in order to push down warmer air.
• Keep the fireplace damper
closed when it’s not used. Glass fireplace doors also
greatly reduce heat loss.
• Keep furnaces and heat
pumps in good condition. Change filters regularly.
IN THE KITCHEN AND LAUNDRY ROOM
•
Microwave ovens use less than half the power of
a conventional oven. So do electric skillets and toaster ovens.
 •
Don’t preheat the oven unless it’s necessary.
Many foods don’t require it. And no peeking! Each time you open
the door, you lower the temperature by 25 to 50 degrees.
•
Use cold water in the garbage disposal. It’s
better for the unit and uses less energy.
•
A dishwasher is more energy efficient than washing by
hand. Open the door and let the load air dry to save
electricity. Wash only full loads!
•
For the refrigerator and freezer, the most efficient
settings are 40 degrees and 0 degrees Fahrenheit,
respectively. A full refrigerator or freezer uses less energy.
•
Refrigerator and freezer doors need to be airtight.
Replace the gaskets if they are cracking or drying out.
•
It’s more energy efficient to let food cool slightly
before putting it in the refrigerator. Don’t put uncovered
liquids in the refrigerator because it will work harder to
remove the moisture.
•
Keep your dryer lint filter clean and have the
exhaust duct cleaned annually. This saves energy
and reduces fire hazard.
•
Wash clothes with cool water when possible and
always rinse in cold water. If you can’t set your
washing machine for the size of load, wait until you have a full
load.
•
The soak cycle saves energy. Don’t over-wash;
ten minutes is usually enough for even the dirtiest of clothes.
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
•
Sodium vapor lights are a good option for outdoor use.
They consume less energy for the
same light output as incandescent bulbs and they last longer.
•
Landscaping also can make a difference. A line
of fast-growing trees, like poplars, or tall shrubs can serve as
a windbreak. Planting evergreen trees on the north side and
deciduous trees on the south side of a home can block winter
winds and summer sun. Shrubs along the house can help, too, but
don’t let them interfere with heat pumps or air conditioners.
•
Make sure shrubs and weeds don’t interfere with outside
heat pump or furnace units, which should be hosed down
periodically to remove leaves, grass clippings, dust and dirt.
Be aware that fire ants can damage outside heat pumps and
air-conditioning units.
NO COST, LOW-COST
BRIGHT IDEAS TO SAVE ENERGY
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It does not save money to close registers in unused
rooms with central heating and ductwork. Your system
was designed to work its best when warm air flows unimpeded
throughout the house. (And cool air, too, if you have a heat
pump.) Also, make sure furniture, appliances or drapes do not
block return registers.
•
Place lamps in corners to reflect light from
two walls instead of one. Light-colored walls reflect more light
than dark walls, so less light is needed. Use task lighting,
focused where you need it rather than lighting an entire room.
Fluorescent bulbs far outlast incandescent bulbs
and can be found to fit most standard fixtures. If you use them
in places where you use bulbs that operate
four or more hours a day, your investment in the more expensive
fluorescent bulbs will more than pay for itself in a couple of
years.
• Compact fluorescent lights
(CFLs) are four times more energy efficient than incandescent
bulbs and last up to 10 times longer.
•
Turn off incandescent bulbs when you leave a room, they
produce heat and burn out faster. But leave on fluorescent bulbs
if you’re going to be gone 15 minutes or less. It takes more
 energy
to turn them on than it does to just let them run, and it wears
out the bulb faster.
• Keep your oven top, pots
and pans spic and span. Shiny reflector pans under your
stove burners help focus the heat more efficiently.
Tight-fitting lids produce results faster by not letting heat
escape, allowing you to use less heat and less water. You can
turn the heat off earlier, since it’s retained longer.
• Computer equipment
is the fastest-growing category of electricity use in the home.
Consider turning off computer and home entertainment equipment
if you’re not going to be using it for a while.
• Set water heaters at
120-140 degrees. Insulate pipes when possible. In large
homes, consider using smaller heaters in different areas.
If You Have Any Questions Concerning HomePlus,
Contact
Your Local Tri-County Electric Cooperative Office.
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