subject: Tips For Conserving Energy [print this page] Tips For Conserving Energy Tips For Conserving Energy
In general, you should use high insulation values in the walls of your home, energy efficient heating and cooling systems as well as energy efficient appliances. Your air conditioning unit should be energy efficient and placed were it will be in the shade as much as possible to maximize its efficiency.
Selection of fluorescent lighting, and taking advantage of natural lighting, are additional elements to consider. Below, you will see a partial home energy checklist which offers more suggestions you can use toward conserving energy.
You might have the most efficient energy saving home built, however if you move in and leave all of the lights on all the time, leave the windows open when you are heating the house or cooling, your energy saving initiatives will not be as affective as you might have thought.
By taking into account natural lighting and selecting fluorescent lighting, you can reduce your lighting costs significantly. Incorporate timers, motion detectors, photocells at appropriate locations in your home to assist in managing your lighting needs, security issues, and energy usage.
Many people are also concerned with the impact that energy conservation has on their comfort. Replacing an incandescent light with a fluorescent light will not only save you energy, but also provide you with a more comfortable light.
Here's the checklist (in no particular order):
1. Select high efficiency, properly sized appliances and air conditioners.
2. If you use gas, select those appliances with electronic ignition.
3. Select all appliances with energy savings in mind.
4. Make use of natural light as much as possible.
5. Turn off lights when not in use, even if you are out of the room for a few minutes.
6. Install lower wattage bulbs in fixtures where you don't need much light.
7. Wherever possible, use one higher wattage bulb instead of several lower watt bulbs.
8. Dust your light bulbs periodically. Dusty bulbs can emit 20% less light.
9. Install high efficiency bulbs in all lamps.
10. Use fluorescent fixtures and bulbs wherever possible.
11. See if your lighting use can be diminished by use of sensors, dimmers, or timers
12. Replace bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps
13. Lower the temperature on your electric water heater to 120 F degrees. Turn it off when leaving for extended periods.
14. Set refrigerator to 40 degrees and keep it stocked. It takes more energy to cool an empty refrigerator. If your refrigerator is more than 10 years old, it's probably using 3
times the energy of new models.
15. Wash full loads of dishes and air dry.
16. Shut off lights, computers and electronic appliances when not in use. Using the sleep
mode setting will greatly reduce energy consumption.
Many of these cost nothing, and can be implemented immediately. I hope they help.
