our100ways: 100WAYS TO HELP CONTROL YOUR ENERGY BILL

This booklet will help you recognize ways you can use energy wisely in the home, particularly
with home heating, water heating, cooling, refrigeration, cooking, lighting and laundering.
Some of these tips may look familiar – others are new. All of them can help you control your
energy bill.

HEATING
1. Insulate your home to adequate standards. It’s the single most important step you can take
towards saving energy in your home. Before building a new home, check your local building
codes for insulation standards which may apply.
2. Add insulation to your existing home where possible. Your home should have a minimum R-
30 insulation in the ceiling or attic. For advice on insulating your home, contact an insulation
contractor.
3. Install energy efficient windows that provide optimum light and view. Keep in mind that
larger glass areas increase heat loss and gain. Try to limit glass areas to 15 percent or less of
the square footage of floor space.
4. Select low-emissivity or insulated glass for windows throughout your home. It keeps heat
inside during the winter and outside in the summer.
5. Install wood- or metal-frame storm windows to provide a second thickness of glass and a layer
of still air that retards heat transmission.
6. Replace broken window glass, worn weather stripping and improperly fitting doors.
7. Install a tight-fitting damper and glass doors on your fireplace and close them when you’re not
using the fireplace. When dampers are open, they allow the natural draft of the chimney to
pull heated air from inside your home in the winter and cool air from inside your home in the
summer. Install an outside air vent on new fireplaces so that outside air can be used for
combustion rather than air inside the home.
8. Locate your heating thermostat on an inside wall away from windows and doors. Cold drafts
will cause the thermostat to keep your heating system running, even when the rest of your
house is warm.
9. Consider installing a heat pump in your home – it is the most energy-efficient heating system
you can buy. You’ll also get air conditioning because the heat pump reverses operation in the
summer to provide cooling comfort.
10. Keep the overhead door of an attached garage closed to prevent cold air from infiltrating your
house. Also, keep the connecting door to the house and heated basement closed.
11. Close hot-air registers and radiator valves in unused rooms with all types of heating systems
(except a heat pump). For zoned systems – such as ceiling cable or baseboard – set the
thermostat back in unused areas.
12. Make sure draperies and furniture aren’t blocking the registers in your house.
13. Open the draperies of south-facing windows on sunny winter days to take advantage of free
solar heat.
14. Use bath and kitchen exhaust fans only when needed during the heating season. Fans draw
heated air out of your home.
15. Set your heating thermostat as low as comfort permits. Each degree over 68 degrees F can
add three percent to the amount of energy needed for heating; each degree below 68 degrees F
can save about the same amount of energy.
16. Lower the thermostat a degree or two before you entertain a large group of people.
17. Check your furnace filter at least once a month during the heating season and clean or replace
it as needed.
18. Oil the motor and/or fan bearings of your forced-air furnace according to the manufacturer’s
instructions. This will extend the life of the equipment.
WATER HEATING
19. Set the temperature control on your water heater to 120 degrees F – 140 degrees F if you have
a dishwasher. The higher the temperature of the water sitting in the tank waiting for you to
use, the more heat it loses.
20. Locate your water heater as close as possible to the point of greatest hot water use. Hot water
remaining in a supply pipe after you turn off the tap eventually cools and is wasted.
21. Insulate long hot water supply pipes. Longer supply pipes lose more heat.
22. Use the smallest practical diameter for hot water supply pipes to minimize heat loss and to
reduce the volume of trapped water.
23. Install a large-capacity tempering tank in the supply line to the water heater when possible. A
tempering tank raises the temperature of water before it enters the water heater. The higher
the temperature of the water going into the heater, the less energy it needs to reach the desired
temperature.
24. Insulate your water heater with a special insulating kit or by wrapping the tank with R-19
insulation. Remember to leave openings around electrical connections, thermostats, heating
elements, gas supply lines, the air intake and the drain valve.
25. Add flow restrictors to showerheads and hot water faucets. These inexpensive and easily
installed devices reduce the amount of energy and hot water you use.
26. Repair leaky faucets promptly. A steady drip can waste gallons of hot water per month.
27. Encourage family members to take short showers instead of baths. The average person uses
about half as much hot water in a shower as in a tub.
28. Turn off running water when shaving or brushing your teeth and fill a dishpan with rinse
water instead of letting the faucet run while you wash dishes by hand.
29. Use cold water when operating your garbage disposal. It saves energy and solidifies the
grease, which is then ground up and flushed away.
COOLING
30. Consider installing an add-on heat pump in your home. It provides air-conditioned comfort in
the summer and low-cost heating in the winter.
31. Insulate your home to keep warm air out and cool air in. Your attic should have R-30
insulation. Contact an insulation contractor for insulation standards for the rest of your home.
32. Ventilate your attic to relieve heat buildup caused by the sun. Continuous ridge and soffit
venting is better than gable vents alone.
33. Improve airflow in the attic of your existing home by adding or enlarging vents, if necessary.
34. Seek professional help before purchasing cooling equipment for your home. Avoid over-sized
units – they use more energy and will not properly dehumidify your home.
35. Select air conditioning equipment on the basis of its Energy Efficiency Ratio (EER). You can
calculate the EER for window units or central systems by dividing the cooling capacity
(expressed in BTUH) by the electric power input (expressed in watts). Generally, an EER of
13 or more is excellent, 11 or 12 is good and 10 is just adequate. Avoid equipment with an
EER below 10.
36. Locate the compressor units of central air conditioning and heat pump systems in an outside
area shaded by the house or by plantings. Keep your unit clean and free of plants or debris
that might interfere with air circulation.
37. Locate window air conditioners on the north side of your house. Direct sunlight on your unit
makes it work harder.
38. Set the cooling thermostat as high as comfort permits. The higher the setting, the more energy
you save.
39. Close air vents in rooms with a window unit installed so cool air can’t escape.
40. Close registers and turn off window air conditioners in unused rooms. Keep doors to unused
rooms closed. Do not close registers if you have central air conditioning or a heat pump.
41. Draw shades or draperies to block the sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
42. Install awnings over windows exposed to direct sunlight.
43. Limit the use of kitchen and bath exhaust fans. Only run them long enough to rid the house of
unwanted vapor, smoke and odors during the summer. Running the fans too long allows cool
air to escape.
44. Position heat-producing appliances – such as lamps and TV sets – away from the thermostat.
Heat from equipment may cause the thermostat to register a temperature that is higher than the
true room temperature. It could lead to overcooling the entire house.
45. Check air conditioner filters at least once a month during the summer and clean or replace
them as needed.
REFRIGERATION
46. Select refrigerator and freezer sizes that are just large enough for your family’s needs.
Anything larger uses more energy than necessary.
47. Keep refrigerators and freezers filled to capacity, but don’t overcrowd to the point where air
cannot circulate freely around food.
48. Vacuum condenser coils in the back or at the bottom of your refrigerator every three months
or as necessary. Dust-covered coils impair the efficiency of compressor operation and
increase energy use.
49. Make sure refrigerators and freezers have tight-fitting door gaskets to prevent infiltration of
warm air. Check your gasket by placing a 150-watt trouble light inside your refrigerator. If
you see light shining through to the darkened room, your door requires adjustment or a new
gasket.
50. Use the yellow EnergyGuide labels found on new refrigerators and freezers to help you
choose the most energy-efficient models. The labels compare the average annual operating
costs of various models.
51. If available, use the power-save switch on your refrigerator. This will allow you to turn off
the heating elements imbedded in the walls of your refrigerator that prevent condensation
from forming on the exterior surface. Generally, moisture only forms in humid weather, so
activate the elements during summer months if needed. Check your owner’s manual for
specific instructions.
52. Turn down the temperature of your refrigerator and remove perishable foods before going on
an extended vacation.
53. Do not place uncovered liquids in your refrigerator. In addition to absorbing undesirable
flavors, the liquids give off vapors that add to the compressor workload.
54. Remove all ingredients for a meal from the refrigerator or freezer at one time. Every time you
open the door, the compressor has to run a little longer to replace the cool air that spills out. A
chest-type freezer is less likely than an upright freezer to lose cold air when you open the
door.
55. Discourage leisurely open-door inspections of refrigerator contents by family members
looking for snacks.
56. Locate refrigerators and freezers away from direct sunlight and other warm-air sources, such
as ranges and dishwashers.
57. Do not allow ice to accumulate more than ¼ inch thick on manual defrost refrigerators and
freezers.
COOKING
58. Use pots and pans with flat bottoms on your range. To cook efficiently, heat must transfer
directly from the surface element to the pan. Warped bottoms leave an air gap, which
provides an escape route for the heat.
59. Select pots and pans that are the right size to completely cover the surface element. When any
part of the surface element is exposed, you’re wasting heat and energy.
60. Keep the reflector pans located beneath surface elements shiny and clean. Shiny pans reflect
heat rays onto pan bottoms – dull pans absorb the heat.
61. Use lids on pots and pans when cooking. Tight-fitting lids help keep heat in the pan, allowing
for lower temperature settings and shorter cooking times.
62. Heat only the amount of water you need for cooking. Water boils faster if you cover the pan
with a lid.
63. Start vegetables on high heat in a covered pan. When steam appears around the lid, lower the
heat setting and allow the food to simmer until done.
64. Plan one-dish meals in a slow cooker. Such meals require less energy than those calling for
the use of the oven plus two or three surface elements.
65. Use your pressure cooker more often – it cuts cooking time to one-third that of conventional
methods.
66. Consider cooking small quantities of food in appliances – such as an electric toaster oven,
skillet or grill – instead of your oven. Also, consider using a smaller coffee maker if you only
want one or two cups of coffee.
67. Use your microwave oven instead of your conventional oven whenever possible. Microwaves
can cook food in one-fourth or less the normal cooking time.
68. Cook your entire meal in the oven at the same time. Often, you can simultaneously cook
foods that have different cooking temperatures. Variations of 25 degrees usually produce
favorable cooking results.
69. Carefully time your preheat period when baking. Generally, five to eight minutes is sufficient.
There is no need to preheat for broiling, roasting or cooking most casseroles.
70. Rearrange oven shelves before turning on the oven to prevent wasteful heat escape.
71. Avoid opening the oven door for a “peek” when baking. Each time you open the door, a
considerable amount of heat escapes.
72. Activate the self-cleaning cycle on your electric oven only when the oven is heavily soiled.
Start the cycle right after using the oven while it is still hot.
73. Never use an oven to heat the kitchen or dry clothing. It wastes energy and can be hazardous.
LIGHTING
74. Check the wattages of the incandescent light bulbs in your house. In many cases, you can
substitute lower wattage bulbs that provide more light using the same amount of energy.
Check the lumens of a bulb instead of the watts. Lumens indicate the brightness of the bulb –
watts tell you the amount of power it takes to make the bulb work.
75. Use long-life bulbs only when advantageous, such as in hard-to-reach places. They provide
less light than standard incandescent bulbs of the same wattage.
76. Urge everyone to turn off lights when leaving a room. Installing wall switches in convenient
places helps everyone remember.
77. Select light fixtures on the basis of their efficiency. Fluorescent lamps produce about four
times as much light per watt as incandescent bulbs.
78. Install fixtures on two or three separate circuits in large rooms where you may need high
levels of lighting periodically but not all the time.
79. Use three-way switches or dimmer control switches to keep lighting levels low whenever
possible.
80. Install photo-electric controls and timers to turn off outdoor lights during the day.
81. Clean lighting fixtures regularly. Dust on lamps, reflectors and light bulbs impairs lighting
efficiency.
82. Locate floor, table and wall lamps in the corner of the room rather than against a flat wall.
Lamps in corners reflect light from two wall surfaces instead of just one; therefore, they
provide more light.
83. Choose light colors for walls, ceilings, floors and furniture. Light colors reflect light – dark
colors absorb light and require bulbs with higher wattages.
LAUNDERING
84. Sort clothes and schedule laundering so you can wash full loads. It takes almost as much
energy to run a small load as it does a full one.
85. Set the water selector on your washer to warm or cold for most loads. Very few loads require
hot water for washing. Tests indicate that cold-water detergents thoroughly clean most fabrics
in warm or cold water and provide considerable savings on the energy required for water
heating.
86. Always use cold water for rinse cycles.
87. Use the amount of laundry detergent manufacturers recommend. Too much detergent can
hamper effective washing action and may require extra rinsing which uses more energy.
88. Dry only full loads in your dryer, but don’t overload. It causes excessive wrinkling.
89. Avoid over-drying – this wastes energy and harms fabrics.
90. Remove clothes from the dryer as soon as it stops to prevent wrinkles from setting in. Clothes
you promptly fold or place on hangers require little or no ironing so you can conserve gas or
electricity – as well as your own energy.
91. Clean the lint filter after each drying cycle.
92. Locate your dryer in a place ventilated with fresh, dry air. Circulating humid air through the
machine increases drying time and the amount of energy needed to run it.
GENERAL
93. Clean or replace air filters on exhaust fans, humidifiers and other electric appliances. Clogged
filters impair performance and cause units to run longer.
94. Turn off the television when nobody’s watching.
95. Iron fabrics that require a cooler iron first and work up to those requiring higher heat. An iron
heats faster than it cools, so it’s quicker to go from low to high than the reverse.
96. Turn off the iron a few minutes before you finish ironing and complete the rest of your clothes
with the heat remaining in the iron.
97. Turn off the iron when the telephone or doorbell interrupts your work.
98. Store dirty dishes in the dishwasher until you have a full load. Dishwashers draw the same
amount of power whether you operate them full or half empty.
99. If your dishwasher has a power-save switch, use it to bypass the drying cycle. The electric
heating element for drying uses a considerable amount of energy.
100. Dry your hair with a towel instead of blow drying it. Many hair dryers consume as much
energy as an electric toaster, plus you use them for longer periods.

By:
http://www.hagerstownmd.org/Assets/100Ways-to-SaveEnergy.pdf

100WAYS TO HELP CONTROL YOUR ENERGY BILL

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