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HEATING & COOLING
- Set your thermostat back. For each 4 degrees you lower
your thermostat each night, you will save up to 10% in energy
costs.
- Install & use a programmable thermostat that will
turn down the heat when you are not at home or are asleep.
- If you’re chilly, don’t turn up the heat,
put on a sweater.
- Avoid the use of portable electric heaters, they are
big energy users.
- Keep blinds, shades and drapes closed during the hottest
part of the day in the summer.
- Use area rugs on cold floors.
- Install ceiling fans and use them to supplement or even
as a alternative to air conditioning.
- Make sure your ceiling fan is blowing air downwards in
summer.
- Plant leafy (deciduous) trees on the sunny side of your
house.
- Plant pine or fir trees on the north side to provide
an energy-saving windbreak.
- Clean or replace the furnace filter every three months
during the winter. A clogged filter reduces the flow of
air & will make your furnace run longer.
WATER
- Fix leaky faucets – that little drip can add up
to 95 litres of water per faucet per month.
- Install a low flow shower head. This can save you up
to 15% of your home’s hot water use. A 5-min shower
uses about half as much water as a bath.
- Drain a pail of water from your natural gas hot water
tank every 3 months to remove sediment that prevents heat
transfer, lowering the units efficiency.
REFRIGERATOR
- The refrigerator is one of the biggest electricity guzzlers
in most homes. Look for ENERY STAR qualified refrigerators.
- Don’t keep that old, inefficient refrigerator running
in the basement for occasional refreshments. It could cost
you $150 or more per year in electricity.
- Check your refrigerator’s door seal by closing
the door on a $5 bill. If it’s held tightly in place,
the seal is OK.
- Clean your refrigerator’s coils and air intake
grill every 3 months.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers out of direct sunlight.
- Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
- Go into your fridge & freezer knowing what you need
& close the doors quickly.
Newer refrigerators, freezers and window air conditioners cost much less to operate than older units. For example, replacing a 20-year-old 18 cubic feet refrigerator
with a new Energy Star™ refrigerator will result in an annual energy cost savings of about $130. At this rate, the savings will pay for the cost of the new refrigerator
in five to seven years.
If you're planning to buy a new refrigerator or freezer please consider these Energy Efficiency Tips:
Choose the right size!
The larger the appliance the more electricity it will use so consider the number of people that will be using the appliance.
- One or two people - 340L or 12 cubic feet
- Three or four people - 395 to 480L or 14 to 17 cubic feet
- Each additional person - add 55L or 2 cubic feet
Configuration Counts
Top freezer models are the most efficient, followed by bottom freezers, with side-by-side models being the least efficient.
Look for the ENERGY STAR®
ENERGY STAR® symbol is a simple way for you to identify products that are among the most energy-efficient on the market. Only manufacturers and retailers whose products
meet the ENERGY STAR® criteria can label their products with this symbol. Find out more about qualified ENERGY STAR® products at ENERGY STAR
Look for a low EnerGuide rating
The EnerGuide label is a tool to help you make an energy-wise choice when buying a new appliance. It shows how much energy appliances consume in a year of normal service
and makes it easy to compare the energy efficiency of each model to others of the same size and class.
When shopping for a new appliance look for a low EnerGuide rating. Find out about EnerGuide at: EnerGuide
Refrigeration Tips
Once you have selected a new fridge or freezer, here are some additional energy efficiency tips you can follow:
- Don't overfill the refrigerator - this blocks air circulation.
- A full freezer will perform better than an empty one.
- Clean your refrigerator's coils (in the back) and air intake grill (below the doors) every 3 months.
- Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator.
- Keep refrigerators and freezers out of direct sunlight, and allow at least 5 cm all around the unit.
STOVE/OVEN
- Use small appliances such as a microwave, slow cooker,
or toaster oven instead of the oven when possible.
- Generally, thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator before
cooking, unless the label says otherwise.
- Turn off the oven just before finishing – the oven
will remain hot long enough to complete the job.
- Use the right size pot or pan for the burner and cover
pots when you boil water or cook.
DISHWASHER
- Don’t waste hot water by pre-rinsing dishes before
putting them in the dishwasher.
- Air dry your dishes – you can save 10% of the cost
of operation.
- Load dishes according to manufacturer’s instructions
to allow for proper water circulation.
- Check and clean drains and filters regularly to ensure
efficient operation.
- If you are planning to buy a new dishwasher, consider
investing in an ENERGY STAR qualified model, which is at
least 25% more efficient.
CLOTHES WASHER & DRYER
- Make sure clothes are effectively wrung before putting
them in the dryer.
- Separate loads into heavy, medium and lightweight items
– lighter loads will take less drying time than a
mixture of items.
- Dry consecutive loads to utilize otherwise wasted heat
from the dryer.
- Get some fresh air! Consider using a clothesline to dry
your laundry.
- Wash clothes in cold or warm water…full loads only
& don’t over-dry your clothes. Clean the dryer
after each use.
HOME OFFICE & OTHER SAVINGS AROUND THE HOME
- Consider energy-efficient computer systems and monitors
when you replace a system.
- Be sure to shut off the computer screen, as 60% of the
power used by a computer is used by the monitor.
- Put your home entertainment systems on a power bar and
turn off the bar when you are not using them.
- Unplug infrequently used TV’s, as many continue
to draw power even when turned off
- Put swimming pool pumps on a timer.
- Use a solar blanket to keep swimming pool water warm
overnight.
LIGHTING
- You can lower overall energy demand by concentrating
bright light where you need it.
- Opening your blinds is a free way to brighten up a room.
- Decorate your home with illumination in mind.
- Keep light fixtures clean.
- Replace your most frequently used incandescent bulbs
with compact florescent light bulbs. They use about a third
as much electricity, and last 10 times longer.
- Replace outdoor lighting with motion-detector equipped
bulbs or fixtures instead of leaving outside lights on for
long periods of time.
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