RCEC - Energy Tips

» RCEC - Energy Tips

Set thermostat at 68 degrees during the winter.
Set thermostat at 78 degrees to 80 degrees during the summer months.
Use fans to help circulate air to help stay comfortable.
Use curtains, drapes, or blinds to help control the temperature inside your home.
Opening curtains, drapes, or blinds in the winter allows the sunlight in and keeping the curtains, drapes, or blinds closed in the summer keeps the heat out.
Repair or replace broken or cracked windows.
Caulk and weather-strip around doors and windows to prevent air leakage.
Change or clean your heating/cooling unit filter once a month when unit is operating.
Reduce the thermostat setting on your water heater to 120 degrees.
Run dishwasher and washing machine only when they are fully loaded.
Cook several foods at one time when using your oven.
Insulate hot water pipes and ducts wherever they run in unheated areas.
Replace older, inefficient appliances with new energy-efficient models.

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Put a draft stopper along cracks, beneath doors and windows.
Place movable insulation in windows to block heat gain during the summer and keep the heat indoors during the winter.
Caulk and weather stripping around doors and windows will prevent air leakage.
Install inexpensive gaskets around light switches and electrical outlets to seal against air leaks.
Control your home's inside temperature with existing curtains, drapes or blinds. Open them in the winter to let warming sunlight in and close them in the summer to keep the heat out.
Change or clean your heating/cooling unit's filter about once a month when the unit is operating.

Check your water heater thermostat setting. If the thermostat is set between 140 degrees and 160 degrees, or "high", you can reduce the setting to between 110 degrees and 120 degrees, or "medium", and save at least $20 a year with an electric water heater or $10 a year with gas. The lower thermostat setting can also prevent scalding.
Look for and repair leaky faucets.
Replace your shower-head with a low-flow shower head. This can reduce the flow of water from 8 gallons to 3 gallons per minute, and save up to 4,000 gallons of water a year.
Run your dishwasher and washing machine only when they are fully loaded.
Save even more hot water by using a cold-water laundry detergent so you can wash and rinse with cold water. Normally, only very greasy clothes need to be washed in warm or hot water.

Replace two bulbs with one bulb that produces a similar amount of light. For instance, you could replace 60-watt bulbs with one 100-watt bulb. However, be sure that the fixture is rated to use the higher wattage bulb.
Change to fluorescent lamps wherever possible by replacing the entire fixture or by changing from incandescent to compact, fluorescent bulbs. The initial cost of a compact, fluorescent bulb is more than an incandescent bulb, but it can last up to 12 times longer and produce less heat, which will reduce the load on your air conditioner.
Keep light fixtures clean. Dust can absorb up to 20 percent of emitted light.

Cook several foods at one time when using your oven. Prepare dishes that can be stored or frozen for later use.
Bake food in glass pans. Glass pans allow you to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Use small cooking appliances, such as deep fryers, electric skillets, toaster ovens, microwave ovens and pressure cookers. These appliances use less energy than your range or oven.
Match the size of the pan to the heating element when cooking on the stove. More heat will get to the pan and less will be lost to the surrounding air.
Place lids on pots when cooking to retain the heat. This will help your food cook faster and keep vitamins from going up in steam.