Energy efficiency
Reduce your family's usage

Thoughts on Reducing Energy Usage at Home

Here are a number of ideas on ways to increase your energy efficiency. Even small improvements help. If every family made just a small reduction in energy usage, imagine how that would add up nationwide.

Appliances

The federal government has established minimum efficiency standards for appliances, requires clear labeling of energy usage and identifies top performing appliances (as well as office equipment). 

The EnergyGuide labels show the estimated annual energy consumption in kilowatt hours (kWh) for refrigerators, freezers, dishwashers, clothes washers and electric water heaters.  For gas water heaters, the EnergyGuide labels show the estimated annual energy consumption in therms (1 therm = 100 cubic feet of gas). The labels also show estimated annual operating costs for these appliances. For furnaces, boilers, air conditioners and heat pumps, the EnergyGuide labels feature the equipment's efficiency rating rather than estimated consumption.

In addition, the ENERGY STAR program of the Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency identifies top-performing appliances (and office equipment) that save energy. Use these labeling systems to guide you in your purchases.

Here are some other tips regarding the purchase and usage of appliances:

• Insulate your water heater with a prefab blanket (at a cost of about $15). This will save 7 percent to 8 percent of the energy you are using.

• Heat traps (about $30) save heat from being wasted from your water heater

• Dishwashers should have the following features: booster water heater, multiple cycle wash and no heat drying.

• When washing clothes, use hot water only when necessary to clean your laundry. If possible, place washing machines near your heater and wrap the pipe with insulation.  Never let your machine’s filter get dirty. Avoid using too much detergent.

• For refrigerators, clean coils yearly. Also, maintain internal temperatures between 36 degrees F and 38 degrees F for the refrigerator compartment, and between 0 degrees F and 5 degrees F for the freezer. If your refrigerator doesn’t automatically defrost, do so on a regular basis.

Lighting

As a nation, we spend about one-quarter of our electricity budget on lighting, at a cost of more than $37 billion annually. Yet much of this expense is unnecessary. Technologies developed during the past 10 years can help us cut lighting costs by 30 percent to 60 percent while enhancing lighting quality and reducing environmental impact.

Here are a few tips to help you along:

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs.

• Halogen lights are recommended for precise lighting, like reading or working.

• Light timers make sure you do not accidentally leave on lights.

• Watt Watchers turn off lights automatically when you leave the room.

• Regularly dust bulbs to get rid of light-absorbing dust.

Weatherization Projects

Weatherization projects insulate and tighten the shell of the home. Such projects include, but are not restricted to, caulking and weather-stripping, installing insulation, and improving or replacing windows. Each of these can have a significant impact on your energy consumption.

Caulking and Weatherstripping: These measures are among the easiest and least expensive weatherization measures, and they can save more than 10 percent on energy bills. Caulking and weatherstripping are most often applied to doors and windows, which account for about 33 percent of a home's total heat loss.

Insulation: This is probably the most important consideration in improving the energy efficiency of a home. The type and amount of insulation you choose will directly affect energy costs. Factors to weigh in making a decision about insulation materials include insulative value, cost, flammability, toxicity, durability and availability. 

Windows: Single-pane windows are the most inefficient ones, but it is possible to increase their efficiency. You can install storm windows to add insulating value and reduce air leaks. The simplest type of storm window, which is actually a plastic film taped to the inside of the window frame, is usually available in prepackaged kits. It can be installed and removed easily, but it also may damage easily and reduce visibility. Another type, which uses rigid or semirigid plastic sheets (such as plexiglass, acrylic, polycarbonate or fiber-reinforced polyester) can be fastened directly to the frame or mounted in channels around the frame.