Energy Saving Tips

By saving energy during times when it’s expensive and even when it’s not, lowers the need for drilling in the Artic Wildlife Refuge. It also puts the breaks to the very few who want to build nuclear power plants.

During the fall/winter, remember common sense tips:

• Check the batteries on your smoke detector. Make sure to have one on every floor of the house that are working.
• Install a carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your house and make sure they are working. If you cannot afford one for every floor, the floors where people sleep should be the ones to get a working detector. Since windows are locked tight and heating devices are used, the chance of carbon monoxide building in your house are high. Be sure to take every precaution possible. If you’re not sure, contact your local hardware store. Dirty/Misued fireplaces, dirty/misused space heaters, central heaters, and other things all can cause this problem. Have fixed appliances serviced by a professional. Take every precaution possible when using a space heater. Take it to a local fire house for proper instruction on how to use it.

Energy Tips for the entire year:

• Air conditioning - Limit its use. Keep the door closed to hold in the cool air, and consider using a fan with the air conditioner is not in use to keep the cool air circulating. If you don’t have air conditioning, open a window on the top floor to vent the heat out of your house.
• Check all the doors. Try adding draft guards to the indoor ones. For the doors that lead to the outside of the house do the following:
  • Adding draft guards to the bottom of them.
  • Check the weather stripping where the door and the wall meet. Replace it if it’s worn.
  • Check and repair the caulking around the outside of door frame if it’s cracked.
  • Thicker doors insulate better than thin ones.
• Check the insulation in your attic. Is it at proper levels? Your local hardware store can tell you what the proper levels are for your home. If you install the insulation yourself, be aware that you are working with fiberglass. Make sure to wear a mask, old clothes (long sleeved/long legged), protect your feet, hands, eyes, and hair. Have everything cleaned and wash up after you finish to avoid getting tiny pieces of the glass in your skin.
• Check around the perimeter of your house. Repair cracks in the foundation, sides, chimney, and roof of your house. This keeps hot air from escaping. If you can’t afford these repairs, try and least repair the roof. A damaged roof can not only waste electricity, it can lead to roof rot, which in turn can breed mold and damage the roof beyond repair. Taking an afternoon and a few dollars to repair a hole in your roof can save not only electricity, heat and cooling, it can save the roof itself.
• Check your heater. Is it working properly? If you have central air, is it energy efficient? Make sure to check the filters once a month and change them when they get dirty. Keeping clean filters in your central air will keep the unit from being damaged.
• Check your windows. Heat loss is high when you have old windows that are not properly made to keep in heat. Consider replacing them with new windows that limit the amount of heat loss. If you can’t afford new windows this is what you should do:
  • Check the caulking around the window. If it’s cracked or you can feel a draft from it, repair the caulking. (Good idea for new windows.)
  • Clean the window thoroughly then make sure to close both the screen and the storm window.
  • Cover the windows with a plastic film on the inside of the house to keep out the draft.
  • Open the curtain to allow in the sunlight to warm the house during the winter. Close them in the summer.
• Replace an older thermostat with a setback thermostat. This allows you to program your heater / air conditioning to come on when you need it and shut off when you don’t. This not only saves electricity, it saves money.
  • A ceiling fan can help. The blades on the fan can be switched to go counter-clockwise. This can help draw heat that has risen and drive it back down to the room.
  • Remember you need some heat in the house to keep the pipes in your walls from freezing over.
  • Try and turn the thermostat down to as low as 60°F at night during the winter, since you can bundle up with blankets.
  • Try and keep it to 68°F during the day. You can wear warm clothes to compensate for the low heat. There are times when you have to turn it up past 68 due to outside temperatures dropping dangerously low.
• Replace old lightbulbs with energy efficient bulbs. Some are cork-screw shaped and can last for as long as five years while saving electricity. Energy efficient lighting works everywhere!
• Replace old appliances like refrigerators and washer/dryers with energy-star models. These can save electricity. A front-loading washing machine not only saves electricity, it saves water.
• Turn off lights and TV in rooms where they are not being used.
• Watch how many electronics are on at one time. Does your printer need to be on when you're not using it? How about your DVD player? See how many electronics are on and turn them off if you’re not using them.
• The clothes washer – Since sometimes full-loads are not possible, always make sure to use cold water as often as you can. Hot water requires more energy than cold water. If you need to use hot water, use the cold water rinse. If you’re going to replace your unit, a front-loading washing machine uses less water and electricity.
• The dishwasher – If you’ve replaced the washer with an energy-star model, you’re already saving electricity. Pre-rinse heavily soiled dishes to get rid of large food pieces and make sure to use it only when it’s full.
• The dryer – If you’ve replaced it with an energy-star model, you’re already saving electricity, but you can still save electricity in any dryer by keeping the lint trap clean. Keeping the lint trap clean also drastically reduces the fire danger.
• The hot-water heater – Have it professionally cleaned. You can wrap it with an approved hot-water heater blanket. This special blanket has places for you to cut out holes for the pilot and valves. To save even more energy, wrap the pipes that go from the heater into the wall. Check with your local hardware store or energy company before doing any kind of wrapping or repairs to make sure you have the proper tools and equipment.
• The stove – If you’re replacing it, make sure to go for an energy star model. During the summer, keep the vent over the stove on to keep the heat / steam from going into the room. Cook simple meals that cut down on the number of pots that need to be cleaned. During the winter, it is NOT a good idea to use the stove or oven to heat your home. This can lead to gas and carbon monoxide build up your home. A gas leak can trigger an explosion. Carbon monoxide can kill. An open flame can cause a fire. THIS SHOULD NOT BE DONE! If you’re having trouble heating your home or paying your bill, talk with your local county government, energy company, or charity group. There are people who can help you pay your bill.
• The vents - Clean the vents to help them disperse heat better. Close them in rooms where heat isn't needed.
• Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Buy and use reusable items, not disposable ones. When eating, use cloth napkins (cheap versions) not paper towels. Try buying products with less packaging, and try to buy less plastic. This can save energy in having to go to the store, and having the products made. Recycling also saves energy by not having to make new materials.