Energy-Efficiency Tips

• Did you know that by adjusting your thermostat just one degree, your family can save as much as 1% on your home's heating and cooling costs? Imagine how much money you can save in a year with this small change.
  
  
• For maximum savings, set your thermostat at or below 70°F during the day and 65°F at night during the winter months. In the summer, set your air conditioner at or above 78°F during the day and to 80°F at night.
  
  
• Make sure all the windows and doors in your house are closed before turning on either the furnace or air conditioner. More energy is spent on heating and cooling our homes than anything else.
  
  
• Can you feel or hear the wind coming in through your windows or doors, even when they are shut? If you can feel a draft, use rope caulk or weather stripping to prevent air from coming in or going out.
  
  
• Make the most out of the air in your house by installing a fan. In the summer months, the fan should spin counter-clockwise to keep you cool. In the winter, put it in reverse and spin the fan to the right. And don't forget to turn it off when you leave the room! A fan cooling the air for an empty room is only wasting precious resources.
  
  
• Keep the vents in your home clear. It costs less energy to get warm or cool air into a room when the vents are not blocked.
  
  
• Change the air filters in your home once a month to keep your heating and cooling systems running the most efficiently. Neglecting this necessary maintenance ensures a steady decline in air conditioning and heater performance while energy use steadily increases.
  
  
• Have a yard? Landscape it with shade trees. You could save 10% or more on your energy bill and contribute to better air quality. Shade trees are both a beautiful and cost-effective way to lower your energy use.

All savings tips are derived from ENERGY STAR® and Energy.gov.

Energy and water are connected. In many cases when you are saving energy, you are saving water as well. It takes energy to heat water, clean water, and bring the water to our homes. Water is a vital resource to our planet and our health. Read on to learn simple ways you can conserve both water and energy!

• Turn the water off while brushing your teeth.
  
  
• Only wash clothes when you have a full load and use cold water for the wash.
  
  
• While rinsing produce or waiting for the water to warm up, collect the water that would otherwise run down the drain and use it to water houseplants.
  
  
• Set the timer and take short, five-minute showers instead of baths.
  
  
• Water plants when it is coolest outside. Just like watering your lawn during the hottest time of day, the water you feed your plants will also evaporate when it is hot out. Water first thing in the morning or before going to bed at night and you will have healthier, happier plants, while saving water.
  
  
• Install hose nozzles on your outside hoses to prevent water from being wasted. To save even more water, turn off the hose while you wash your car and save up to 100 gallons.
  
  
• Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway, back patio, or sidewalk.

All savings tips are derived from ENERGY STAR® and Energy.gov.

• Replace your two most-used 60-watt traditional incandescent bulbs with one of the two 9-watt LED lightbulbs found in your kit.
  
  
• Turn the lights off when you leave the room. If you start to notice that you're frequently forgetting to turn your light off, leave yourself a note right on the light switch as a friendly reminder to yourself!
  
  
• Whenever possible, use natural light from the sun instead of using energy to power a light bulb.
  
  
• Don't forget about the lights on the outside of your house. You can replace holiday lights with LED bulbs to save up to 10 times the energy. Your bill will be lower and LED bulbs last years longer than incandescent - up to 20 times longer! LED bulbs are also cool to the touch, so they don't pose a fire hazard.

All savings tips are derived from ENERGY STAR® and Energy.gov.