Conservation
Lighting
The costs of lighting can add up to more than one fifth of your electric bill. Fortunately for you, it's easy to make your home more cost-effective in this area. Here are some tips for using your lighting most efficiently:
Take a look at how your lighting is arranged. If possible, put your table and floor lamps in the corners, where the light will reflect off two walls instead of one.
Use natural lighting whenever you can. Keep blinds and drapes open during the day so that you don't waste energy.
Cut down on wattage. One 100-watt bulb produces more light than two 60-watt bulbs.
Flourescent lighting gives more light for your energy dollar. A 40-watt flourescent tube produces more light than a 100-watt bulb at half the energy cost. Call us about joining our Beacon Light program, which allows you to use small flourescent lights in most of your fixtures.
Even though it may seem cliché, the best way to conserve light energy is simply to turn off the lights when you're not using them.
Keeping warm
Keeping your home warm in the winter takes a tremendous amount of energy. Here are a few simple steps you can take to make sure you stay cozy and conserve energy.
First and foremost, examine items like heating ducts, windows, and doors to make sure they have the proper insulation. Weatherstrip your doors and windows, especially those leading to unheated spaces (like porches, attics, garages, or basements).
Keep your fireplace damper closed when you're not using the fireplace. Better yet, if you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
Use nature's own air conditioning -- trees. Plant deciduous trees on the south side of your home. These trees will let sunlight through in the winter, but keep your home nice and shady in the summer. Plant coniferous trees on the side of your house facing the prevailing winds for extra insulation.
Don't block your heating vents, radiators, or registers with your furniture or your junk.
Replace the furnace filter monthly (depending on the filter type).
Use space heaters sparingly (they can cost 10 cents/hour to operate).
Lowering the thermostat: each 1 degree will save 3 percent in energy costs.
Cooling off
Summers in Utah can get really hot. How can you solve this problem in an efficient, cost-effective way? Good question. And here are some answers:
Natural shade is the cheapest way to stop the sun. Plant trees on the south sides of your house.
Awnings over sunny windows will lower the temperature in a room. Reflective film shades, solar screens, and drapes will also do the trick.
Use the power of the night: open your windows at night to let cool air in, then close the house tight in the morning.
Look at the EER rating on your air conditioner. If you purchased your air conditioner before 1980, replace it with a new unit with an EER of 8 or more. It'll likely save you money in the long run.
Raising the thermostat: each 1 degree over 70 degrees will save 3 percent in energy costs.
Central air conditioning can cost between 25 and 40 cents per hour.
A swamp cooler will cost about 4 cents an hour.
In the kitchen
The kitchen is another place where a lot of energy is wasted. Fortunately, it's easy to learn a few simple habits that will make your kitchen conservation-friendly.
Cover your pots and pans. They'll heat up faster. Also, try to match the size of your pots and pans to the size of the burner. This prevents wasted heat.
Microwaves, electric frying pans, and toaster ovens can often be quicker and more economical than your electric range. Using these devices will also help keep the house cool on hot days.
Use an oven light to look at the contents of your oven. Opening the door to the oven lets heat escape.
Glass and ceramic baking dishes allow thorough cooking at a lower temperature than metal baking dishes.
Preheat only when baking bread or bread products -- don't preheat for broiling.
Keep the refrigerator door closed. Make sure you know what you want before you open the door. This keeps the cool air inside, where it belongs.
A full freezer is an efficient freezer. However, your refrigerator should have some room for air circulation.
Dishwashers use energy both for washing and heating the water. Use them only when you have a full load. Using the air-dry function saves energy.
Your computer
Computers and their associated peripherals can suck up a lot of electricity. However, it's easy to get your system up to speed on the latest energy conservation measures.
Your equipment should be EPA Energy Star compliant. These devices automatically power down when not in use for a period of time. If your equipment supports this feature, make sure that it's in operation. Turn off your monitor whenever you aren't using it. The monitor takes more energy than any other part of the computer.
Turn off the computers themselves when not being used for a long period of time. On the other hand, don't constantly turn your computer off and then turn it back on again. This can wear down the computer's components and actually use up more energy while starting up.