 | Lower your thermostat at night and when you’re not home. Use a
programmable thermostat so it’s automatic. Every degree lower can take 2
percent off your power bill. |
| Make it a habit to shut off lights, computers, and other appliances when
you’re not using them. |
| Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs. They use a fourth of the energy used
by regular bulbs. |
| Replace halogen lamps in torchieres with compact fluorescent torchieres.
They use about 70 percent less energy and produce more light. |
| Use motion detectors to turn on outdoor lights rather than leaving them on
all night. |
| Close your fireplace damper when there’s no fire. Leaving it open is
like having a 48-square inch hole in your house. |
| Close off and don’t heat unoccupied rooms. |
| Take showers with low-flow showerheads (they use 50 percent less hot
water) instead of baths. |
| Set your water heater at 120 degrees (F), which is comfortable for most
uses. Turn your water heater off when you go on vacation. |
| Wrap your water heater in R11 insulated wrap but don’t cover the
thermostat. |
| Run only full loads in your dishwashers and clothes washers and wash in
warm or cold water. |
| Wash and dry clothes on weekends when energy use isn’t as high. |
| Air dry your dishes. In nicer weather or in a warm basement, air dry your
clothes. |
| Clean your furnace and heat pump filters to keep them operating
efficiently. |
| Limit use of kitchen and bathroom fans since they put heat out of the
house. |
| Open south-facing drapes and blinds during the day to let heat in. Cover
all windows at night in winter. |
| Weatherstrip around doors and windows and anywhere you feel a draft. |
| Set your refrigerator between 37 and 40 degrees (F). |
| Keep your refrigerator well stocked. It takes more energy to cool an empty
fridge. |
| Clean lint out of refrigerator coils and out of dryers. |
| Use a microwave or toaster oven for cooking and heating small portions. |
| Check ceilings and crawl spaces to ensure there’s adequate insulation. |
| Seal or fix broken basement windows. |
| Fix broken ducts and replace cracked or peeling tape on ducts. Use tape
with the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) logo. |
| For long-term savings, choose and use energy-efficient appliances. Compare
energy rating labels before you buy. |
