By Jan Baggarly - Telegraph correspondent
What a hot time we’re having -- and summer hasn’t even arrived yet. The heat is making air conditioners work extra hard, and the harder they work, the more energy they use.
Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted.
Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted.
There are steps you can take to reduce the energy used in your home and save money at the same time. Energy-efficient improvements not only make your home more comfortable, but they also can yield long-term financial rewards. Reduced utility bills will more than make up for the higher price of energy-efficient appliances.
Just setting your thermostat on the right temperature setting can reduce energy consumption. It is recommended that you set the air conditioner at 78 degrees.
By lowering it just one degree, the air conditioner will use 2 percent more energy; two degrees lower uses 5 percent more energy; and three degrees uses 7 percent more energy. You get the idea.
If you raise the thermostat by one degree, you will save 3 percent on your energy bill. Raising it to 80 degrees will save you 6 percent.
Follow these easy steps to save more energy when using your air conditioner:
Move furniture away from air conditioning vents.
Change filters monthly. If you use pleated filters, change them at least every three months.
Use a ceiling or area fan in the summer to make the air feel up to six degrees cooler. However, use fans only if you are in the room. Running a fan doesn’t actually lower the temperature, it just makes you feel cooler.
Close window treatments during the time of day that the sun shines in the room.
Caulk around windows and doors, and replace weather-stripping that is flat and cracking.
Check the insulation in the attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking your insulation levels.
Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, light switches and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
Make sure your cooling and heating systems are properly maintained. Check your owner’s manuals for recommended maintenance.
There are other things you can do to reduce your energy consumption. In today’s world, saving energy also means you can save energy dollars in your household budget to help meet other expenses.
Turn off lights when you leave the room or an area that is unoccupied. For fluorescent lights, turn them off only if you’ll be away for more than 15 minutes. This prolongs the life of the fixture.
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use about one-fourth the amount of energy as incandescent bulbs and last about 10 times longer.
Dust light bulbs. Dirty light bulbs can reduce light output by as much as 10 percent.
Use low wattage bulbs where applicable. Unless you frequently read in your closets and hallways, bright lights really aren’t necessary in these areas. Switch to low-wattage bulbs and save some energy.
Install dimmers. In areas where dimmed lighting makes sense, such as the dining room and bedroom, dimmers can save an equal percentage of energy as they are dimmed. Lights dimmed by 15 percent reduce energy consumption up to 15 percent.
Lower the temperature on the hot water heater to 120 degrees. If you will be away from your home for several days, turn the hot water heater off.
Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
Insulate the hot water heater, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Shut down computers and turn off monitors when not in use.
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
Take short showers instead of baths.
Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing. When replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
Look for the Energy Star label on home appliances and products. Energy Star products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Jan Baggarly is Bibb County Extension Coordinator with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension working in the field of Family and Consumer Sciences. She may be reached at 751-6338.
Just setting your thermostat on the right temperature setting can reduce energy consumption. It is recommended that you set the air conditioner at 78 degrees.
By lowering it just one degree, the air conditioner will use 2 percent more energy; two degrees lower uses 5 percent more energy; and three degrees uses 7 percent more energy. You get the idea.
If you raise the thermostat by one degree, you will save 3 percent on your energy bill. Raising it to 80 degrees will save you 6 percent.
Follow these easy steps to save more energy when using your air conditioner:
Move furniture away from air conditioning vents.
Change filters monthly. If you use pleated filters, change them at least every three months.
Use a ceiling or area fan in the summer to make the air feel up to six degrees cooler. However, use fans only if you are in the room. Running a fan doesn’t actually lower the temperature, it just makes you feel cooler.
Close window treatments during the time of day that the sun shines in the room.
Caulk around windows and doors, and replace weather-stripping that is flat and cracking.
Check the insulation in the attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors and crawl spaces. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on checking your insulation levels.
Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, light switches and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
Make sure your cooling and heating systems are properly maintained. Check your owner’s manuals for recommended maintenance.
There are other things you can do to reduce your energy consumption. In today’s world, saving energy also means you can save energy dollars in your household budget to help meet other expenses.
Turn off lights when you leave the room or an area that is unoccupied. For fluorescent lights, turn them off only if you’ll be away for more than 15 minutes. This prolongs the life of the fixture.
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. They use about one-fourth the amount of energy as incandescent bulbs and last about 10 times longer.
Dust light bulbs. Dirty light bulbs can reduce light output by as much as 10 percent.
Use low wattage bulbs where applicable. Unless you frequently read in your closets and hallways, bright lights really aren’t necessary in these areas. Switch to low-wattage bulbs and save some energy.
Install dimmers. In areas where dimmed lighting makes sense, such as the dining room and bedroom, dimmers can save an equal percentage of energy as they are dimmed. Lights dimmed by 15 percent reduce energy consumption up to 15 percent.
Lower the temperature on the hot water heater to 120 degrees. If you will be away from your home for several days, turn the hot water heater off.
Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
Insulate the hot water heater, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Shut down computers and turn off monitors when not in use.
Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
Take short showers instead of baths.
Turn off kitchen, bath and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing. When replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
Look for the Energy Star label on home appliances and products. Energy Star products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Jan Baggarly is Bibb County Extension Coordinator with the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension working in the field of Family and Consumer Sciences. She may be reached at 751-6338.
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