ENERGY SAVING TIPS

Energy saving advice provided by Low Impact Living and Fidus

Areas of our home

Green Alternatives

NO - COST MEASURES: THESE STEPS WILL LOWER YOUR MONTHLY BILLS AND WILL HELP US ALL AVOID ROLLING BLACKOUTS BY REDUCING YOUR HOUSEHOLD ENERGY CONSUMPTION:

ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT SETTING

Setting your thermostat to keep air conditioning at 78°F when it's hot outside, and your heating system at 68° F when it's cold, can help save up to 20% in costs. And always be sure to turn your thermostat off when you go away on vacation or for a weekend trip.

DON'T LIGHT AN EMPTY ROOM

Turn out unnecessary lights. Even if you are leaving the room for as few as 5 minutes, real savings can be seen if you flip-the-switch as you go out. And don't worry, frequent on-off cycling does not shorten the life of modern light bulbs or fluorescent lamps like it did in our parent's time.

TURN OFF PERSONAL APPLIANCES WHEN NOT IN USE

You can prolong the life of your equipment and save up to 10% on energy costs if computers, monitors, printers, stereo systems, VCRs & DVDs, desk lamps & fans, and coffee pots are turned off when not in use. Even in the "rest" mode this equipment consumes energy. And be sure to turn off fans and space heaters when you leave the room too.

USE LARGE APPLIANCES AFTER 7 P.M.

Help reduce the possibility of rolling blackouts by using large appliances, such as washing machines and dishwashers, after peak hours.

USE WINDOW SHADES AND BLINDS

In the winter months, open window shades and blinds during daytime hours to let natural light help out your heating system. In the summer, close the shades and blinds during daylight hours to reduce cooling needs. These simple steps can save as much as 25% on heating and cooling costs.

SET YOUR HOT-WATER TEMPERATURE

Set your hot-water temperature at the "normal" setting - no higher than 120° F. This can save up to 11% of your water-heating costs. Also, use the "warm" or "cold" water setting when doing laundry.

LOW - COST MEASURES: MAKING THESE CHANGES WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL ENERGY-USE REDUCTIONS, TYPICALLY RECOVERING THE COST OF MAKING THE CHANGE IN LESS THAN A YEAR. AFTER THAT, THE SAVINGS ARE ALL YOURS:

CHANGE A LIGHT BULB

Fluorescent lighting is especially effective in ktichens and bathrooms, and usually requires 30% less power to operate. In the rest of your house, compact flourescent bulbs provide equal or better lighting levels at 1/4 of the energy costs of an incandescent bulb - and they last as much as 10 times longer. Installed in a lamp that is often 'on', a single compact fluorescent can make a noticeable difference in monthly bills. To make this bright idea even better, cash rebates are often available on the purchase of ENERGY STAR ® qualified fluorescent lights. PG&E Rebate Program

INSTALL AND USE LIGHTING CONTROLS

Timers and photocells (motion detectors) for select inside lighting and for most exterior lighting can save up to 30% of lighting energy use.

USE PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS

By automatically adjusting settings when you go to bed and to work, and then automatically reseeting them just before you get up or come home, programmable thermostats can help save as much as 50% on home heating and cooling costs.

KEEP YOUR HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM MAINTAINED - CHANGE THE AIR FILTERS IN YOUR HOME.

Staying on top of scheduled maintenance and changing the air filters can produce real results in your family's health and reduce your montly utility bills. These measures, along with cleaning the burners and coils, checking the ductwork and insulating pipes, can save 10-30% on system fan energy and 10% on heating and cooling costs.

REPLACE AN OLD REFRIGERATOR

Refrigerators use more energy than any other appliance in your home. If your refrigerator is 10 years or older, a new ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator, will uses less than half the energy of your old unit, will save enough on monthly utility bills to pay for itself in a very short time. To make that payback even quicker, there are often cash rebates available on the purchase of new energy efficient refrigerators..

REPLACE AN OLD CLOTHES WASHER

An ENERGY STAR labeled clothes washer uses 50% less energy and 40% less water. A typical California household can save up to $100.00 per year in energy and water costs.

CHANGE YOUR OLD CENTRAL AIR-CONDITIONING SYSTEM

If your air conditioner is more than 7 years old, you should consider a replacement. Modern units are dramatically more efficient and dramatically less costly to perate. When your old air conditioner represents more than 40% of your energy bill.

TIGHTEN UP YOUR HOME

Ensuring that doors and windows have tight seals and fully close, installing weather stripping in all seams, sealing and caulking around windows, and/or installing dobule pane or ENERGY STAR qualified windows, can save up to 50% of heating and cooling costs.