Flip the Switch: Energy Conservation in the Home

1. Flip the Switch:Energy Conservationin the Home Green Living

2. Living Green Refers to choices and activities that have a positive impact on our natural environment without reducing the quality of all aspects of life

3. So, What Can I Do to Conserve Energy in My Home? • Change behavior • Use equipment efficiently • Maintain and repair • Replace with energy-efficient product

4. Where Does My Money Go? http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_pie

5. Change Behavior (minimum cost)

6. Change Behavior • Use dishwasher and clothes dryer at night • Use cold water rather than hot water • Take short showers instead of baths

7. Change Behavior • Don’t leave vent fans running longer than needed. • Plug home electronics into power strips; turn off the power strip when equipment is not in use. • Turn the computer and monitor off when not in use.

8. Change Behavior • Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120 degrees. (Use hot water setting on dishwasher when illness in household.) • Unplug appliances that you are not using. (Just how many clocks do we need?)

9. Change Behavior • Dress for the season. • On hot days, avoid using the oven. • Turn lights off when leaving a room.

10. Change Behavior • Change your thermostat 8 degrees (set back for heat and set up for cool). • Use the ceiling fan for a wind chill effect (4 degrees). • Use ceiling fans only when you are in a room.

11. Change Behavior • Use window treatments or coverings to reduce heat gain and/or loss. • Close the blinds when the sun shines on windows.

12. Change Behavior • Minimize opening and closing the refrigerator and freezer. • Minimize activities that generate a lot of heat. • Close the outside doors to keep the cool air inside.

13. No Cost to Change Behavior • What are others ways to change your behaviors in order to save the amount of electricity or gas you use in your home?

14. Use Equipment Efficiently • Use the moisture sensor on the dryer, and remove clothes from the dryer when dry. • Wash only full loads in the clothes washer and dishwasher. • Insulate your water heater tank. • Use the correct size sauce pan or skillet for the unit size.

15. Use Equipment Efficiently • Install a programmable thermostat on the central heat and air system. • Provide shade for the exterior compressor. • Use landscaping to provide shade on doors and windows. • Ventilate and insulate the attic.

16. Use Equipment Efficiently • CFLs produce less heat than incandescent lights. • One larger wattage bulb is more efficient that two smaller wattage bulbs. • Use task lighting.

17. Maintenance/Repair • Have the HVAC professionally checked annually. • Check AC duct work for air leaks. • Change or wash AC filters, as needed. • Caulk and weather strip to seal air leaks around doors and windows. • Have the water heater flushed, as needed.

18. Energy Efficient Products • Look for the ENERGY STAR label. - Equipment - Appliances - Electronics • Products can earn the ENERGY STAR label by meeting the energy-efficiency requirements. http://www.energystar.gov

19. Lighting • Incandescent bulbs are least efficient. • 90% of energy becomes heat. • 10% of energy becomes light. • Compact fluorescent lights are most efficient. • Creates less heat, and more of energy is converted to light.

20. Little Changes Add Up! • By changing five bulbs at home that you use most with ENERGY STAR qualified models, a family would save about $60 every year in energy costs. • If every household did this, nationally we would save about $6.5 billion each year in energy costs.

21. ENERGY STARChange a Light Pledge www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=globalwarming.showpledgehome