Tips Library

Use ceiling and room fans to help circulate cool or warm air around the room and allow you to adjust your thermostat to conserve energy and costs.

To balance comfort and efficiency, set your thermostat in the 68-70° F range when heating your home, and 78-80° when cooling your home.

Insulation should be judged by R-value rather than just inches. The higher the R-value, the better the insulating properties of the material. Use higher density insulation, such as rigid foam boards, in cathedral ceilings and on exterior walls.

Don't block vents or ducts with furniture or drapes to assure air flow in the home.

Keep fallen leaves, grass clippings, foliage and other debris away from your outdoor air conditioning or heat pump unit. Keep the conditioner's coils clean following manufacturer's instructions.

When leaving for a long weekend or vacation during the summer, you can save money by raising the temperature on your thermostat a few degrees.

For every degree you raise the thermostat setting in the summer, you can expect to cut your energy consumption by 3 to 5 percent.

Caulk and install weatherstripping around windows and doors to close air gaps.

During the winter, close your curtains and shades at night. Open them during the day.

Make sure your attic and crawl spaces are adequately ventilated. Poor ventilation will add to your summer cooling costs. It also can trap moisture in your attic, making insulation less effective.

Clean or replace furnace filters at least once a month.

Plant deciduous trees on the south and west sides of your house to keep it cool in the summer and allow sun to shine in the windows in the winter.

Deflect winter winds by planting evergreen trees and shrubs on the north and west sides of your house.

Caulk around pipes and wires where utilities enter your home.

Add foam gaskets to electrical outlets and wall switches on exterior walls.

Schedule a heating contractor to tune up your furnace each year. Also have your thermostat checked for accuracy.

Make sure your thermostat is located on the inside wall and away from the windows and doors. Cold drafts on the thermostat will keep your system running even if the rest of the house is comfortable. And keep heat-producing devises such as televisions and lamps well away from the thermostat.

Make sure fireplace dampers are closed tightly when NOT in use.

Follow the annual maintenance schedule recommended by the manufacturer for your heating and cooling system.  By keeping your system in optimal working condition, you'll not only reduce energy costs, but extend your system's service life.

A tune-up by a service expert can improve your AC's or heat pump's efficiency by as much as 20 percent and lengthen its performance life.

If your home has single-pane windows, adding wood or metal storm windows can dramatically reduce heat loss. Storm doors also are a good way to reduce air infiltration.

Use bath and kitchen fans sparingly when the air conditioner is operating to avoid pulling humid air into the house.

Toaster ovens and microwaves use less energy than full-sized ovens. Use them when cooking or warming small portions of food.

Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.

Run your dishwasher, oven, washer and dryer in the evening when electricity rates may be lower and heat from the appliances won't increase demands on your air conditioner.

Use the "rinse hold" on your dishwasher only when necessary. It uses three to seven gallons of hot water each time you use it.

Use glass cookware for baking and reduce the cooking temperature by 25° F.

Don't overstock your refrigerator or freezer. Leaving room for cold air to circulate will help the appliances operate properly.

Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.

Close your refrigerator door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out easily, you may need to replace the door gasket. Tight sealing gaskets keep cold air in and will lower energy costs.

Use the lowest appropriate temperature setting when drying clothes.  Avoid partial loads and over-drying clothes.

Keep your water heater set at the lowest temperature that still provides the amount of hot water you need. In most cases 120° F is sufficient.

Switch to low-flow shower heads to reduce the amount of water that is used, while increasing pressure, to get the most from your water heating system.

Repair leaky hot water faucets promptly. They can waste gallons of water in a short period.

Don't leave water running while washing dishes, shaving or brushing teeth. Instead fill the sink, mug or glass with water as necessary to complete the task.

Encourage showering - showers typically use about half the hot water of a tub bath.

Use pots and pans that have absolutely flat bottoms for a more effective transfer or heat.

Keep lids on pots and pans during cooking to reduce cooking time and lower cooking temperature.

Use the highest heat setting to bring liquids to a boil. Then lower the setting to allow food to simmer until fully cooked.

Minimize over pre-heating - five to eight minutes is usually sufficient.  You do not need to preheat for broiling or roasting. While baking, minimize the times you open the oven to check the progress of your cooking. A considerable portion of oven heat is lost every time the door is opened.

For optimum cooling, clean the condenser coils on your refrigerator every three months.

Always try to run full loads when using the dishwasher.

Use cold water when running the garbage disposal.  Besides saving energy, cold water solidifies grease which is then ground up and flushed away.

Install compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs in place of incandescent bulbs. CFLs use 50% to 75% less electricity to produce the same amount of light and last eight to 10 times longer.

Consider skylights for lighting. New models prove to be energy efficient and provide enough sunlight to light a 30 x 30 foot room without increasing heat levels.

Use solar-powered outdoor lights. During the day the sun charges the panel attached to the fixtures, and sensors turn the lights on at dusk.

Provide "task" lighting over desks, tool benches and work tables. It eliminates the need to illuminate the entire room.

Clean fixtures regularly. Dust lamps and reflectors reduce lighting efficiency.

Install photoelectric controls or timers to make sure outdoor lighting is turned off during the day.