Department Phone Directory
»
|
|
|
 |
Home Energy Efficiency
You've heard the words, but you aren't really sure of the benefits. How about
- Reducing your energy bill
- Decreasing environmental pollution
- Relaxing in the comfort of your home while continuing to save money every day
Interested? We thought so. And so we have provided you with a series of helpful tips and links to get you started on the path to home energy efficiency.
Where to Begin
Do-It-Yourself Ideas for Improving Home Energy Efficiency
Lighting: Don't forget to turn lights off when you do not need them. Using standard incandescent light bulbs wastes energy and money. These bulbs give off 90% of the power they use as heat and 10% of the power as light. A better option is to use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead.
- Compact fluorescent light bulbs are 3 to 4 times more efficient than incandescent light bulbs.
- Replacing light bulbs in your home will not only reduce the amount of energy you use, but will also prevent the emission of 1,000-2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from power plants.
Source: Rocky Mountain Institute and Alliance to Save Energy, Power $mart, http://www.ase.org/powersmart/fbulbs.html.
Air-Conditioning: Manufacturers have worked hard to design air conditioners that are more energy efficient. Replacing a ten-year old air conditioner with a new one will save between 20-40% of your cooling energy costs. If you are not ready to replace your air conditioner, you can reduce your cooling energy costs by doing the following.
- Routinely replace or clean all air-conditioning filters to ensure that the flow of air is not obstructed.
- Check and clean the evaporator coil once a year to avoid the collection of dirt and the reduction of the air conditioner system efficiency.
Source: U.S. Department of Energy, Consumer Energy Efficiency: Energy Efficient Air Conditioning, http://www.eere.energy.gov/erec/factsheets/aircond.html.
Refrigerators: Did you know that refrigerator use contributes to 15% of your monthly energy costs? Replacing your old refrigerator with a new one can save you up to 2/3 of what you have been paying on refrigeration. Even if you are not in the market for a new refrigerator, there are still steps that you can take to increase refrigerator efficiency.
- Keep liquids and food covered and wrapped. This decreases moisture, which makes the refrigerator work harder.
- Make sure the door gasket creates a tight seal, so that the refrigerator is completely closed.
- Use the power saving switch.
- Defrost your freezer regularly.
Sources: Homemade Money: How to Save Energy & Dollars in Your Home by Richard Heede; Alliance to Save Energy, Power $mart, http://www.ase.org/powersmart/hmcooking.html, and the Rocky Mountain Institute.
For more information on Do-It-Yourself home energy efficiency strategies, check out the following links:
If you are planning to build a new home sometime soon, you should consider taking steps to ensure that your home is designed and built with energy efficiency in mind. For more information on energy efficient homes and state incentive programs relating to them, see the following links:
|
|
|
|
|