Actions/Activities/Day-to-Day Habits
* Use a pressure cooker - it reduces cooking time and saves 50 -75% of energy use.
* Turn off kitchen and bath ventilating fans after they have done their job - they can quickly expel a house-full of conditioned air if inadvertently left on.
* If you have a self-cleaning oven, consider using the self-cleaning feature immediately after regular baking when the oven is still hot.
* Resist the urge to open the oven door to preview food. Watch the clock or use a timer instead.
* Cover food when cooking.
* Use glass or ceramic pans in ovens. You can turn down the temperature 25 degrees F. and foods cook just as quickly.
* Match pan size to burner (a 6" pan on an 8" burner loses 40% of the energy.)
* Use appliances efficiently.
-Do only full loads when using your dishwasher and clothes washer.
-Use the cold water setting on your clothes washer when you can. (Switching the washer setting
from hot to warm could reduce energy use by 50%, switching to cold saves as much as 75%.)
- Clean your clothes dryer's lint trap after each use. Use the moisture-sensing automatic setting on
your dryer if it has one.
* Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms.
* Moderate the setting on your thermostat. Every degree difference in the 70-degree range can save up to 5% in energy use.
* Take shorter showers. Showers account for 2/3s of the typical family's water heating bill. Cutting your showers in half can reduce your water heating bill by 33 %.
* Do not use hot water when giving your hands a quick wash. It usually takes longer for the hot water to reach the spigot than it takes for you to wash your hands. (Easier to do in the warm weather months!)
* Do not hand-wash dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. Scrape-off foods and empty liquids.
* Keep draperies and shades on the south-facing windows open during the heating season to allow for solar heating; close them at night to reduce heat loss.
* Select the air-dry option, if your dish washer has it. Otherwise, try stopping the machine before the drying cycle begins and opening the door to let the dishes air-dry.
* Consider replacing your old furnace with an Energy Star furnace. Newer furnaces are available that use 20-30% less energy than older models.
* Install a programmable thermostat. If you have a heat pump, be sure to select a programmable thermostat designed for use with heat pumps.
* Replace outdoor lighting with a motion-detector equipped bulb or fixture.
* Many homes in Colorado have leaky heating/cooling ducts, check them for obvious leaks or call a professional.
* If you are planning to replace your windows in the near future, choosing Energy Star windows can reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15%.
* Increase ceiling insulation. Consider increasing your insulation up to R-38 in the ceiling. Adequate insulation can reduce heating costs up to 25%.
* If you are serious about saving energy and money, you should obtain an energy audit. These inspections will help you decide on how to get the most "bang for the buck" when it comes to improving energy efficiency.
* Replace or clean furnace filters once a month. Keeping your furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted can save up to 5% on home heating costs.
* Install low-flow shower heads. This is a good investment for everyone - even renters who can take the shower head with them when they move! Low-flow shower heads can save 10 to 15% of water heating costs.
* Plant trees or shrubs to shade your air-conditioning unit, but do not block air flow. A unit operating in the shade uses up to 10% less energy.
*Plug your home's leaks. Install weather-stripping or caulk leaky doors and windows. Install gaskets behind outlet covers.
* Wrap the hot water tank with jacket insulation. This is especially useful for older water heaters with little or no internal insulation.
* Insulate your hot water pipes leading from the heater to reduce standby losses.
* Replace your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights. Compact Fluorescent light bulbs use only about one third as much electricity as an equivalent incandescent bulb. (One Compact Fluorescent light will save approximately one ton of carbon dioxide emissions over the life of the light.)
* Halogen torchiers, at 300 - 600 watts, are inefficient and dangerous. Many colleges have banned them from residence halls because of safety and fire concerns.
* Buy an H-Axis clothes washer. Always consider the life-time cost of appliances.
* Consider replacing your old refrigerator with a new, energy-efficient fridge. New models might save over $100 per year per machine.
*Don't keep that old, inefficient refrigerator running day and night in the garage for those rare times when you have a party. (A fifteen-year-old refrigerator could cost you $100 to $200/year to operate)
* Choose energy star appliances and electronics. These new models save up to 20 to 50% of the energy use of older models.
* Make your next computer a lap-top they use up to 90% less electricity than a desk-top!
* Put your computer and monitor to sleep. Most computers come with the power management features turned off.
* Plug "energy sinks" in electronics. Many TVs, VCRs, computer peripherals and other electronics use electricity even when they are switched off! Adjust the power management settings and consider unplugging the device when not in use for extended periods.