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SayWatt
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Post subject: More Energy Saving Tips
 Posted: Sep 15, 2008 - 11:12 CST
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Site Admin
Joined: Apr 18, 2005
Posts: 114
  
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# Make sure you turn off everything not in use. This includes lights, televisions and computers. You can also activate "sleep" features on computers and office equipment that power down when left inactive for a while. Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade - they use much less energy.
# Check your furnace or air-conditioner filters each month. Dirty filters will increase the running time and therefore increase your bill.
# Only heat or cool the rooms you need. Close vents and doors of unused rooms. During the winter, open curtains during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home and close them at night to help keep the heat in.
# Another energy saver is ceiling fans. Use them to assist with heating and cooling by adjusting the direction of the blades. In the winter, run them clockwise to help circulate heat that has gathered near the ceiling and in summer, reverse them to run counterclockwise to cool. Ceiling fans use only about one-tenth the electricity of a typical home air conditioner.
# Storm windows and doors save energy and money. They can reduce heating costs by up to 15 percent. Certain reflective films can be used on windows to screen out the hot rays of the sun without reducing the amount of light you receive.
Seal and weather strip your windows and doors to ensure that you're not wasting energy on heat or air conditioning that escapes through leaks to the outdoors. Inexpensive foam strips and caulking can cut your heating/cooling bills by 5 to 30 percent.
# Another energy saver is to add insulation to your attic and install a programmable thermostat. The savings will help you pay for these improvements in about a year.
# Using dimmers, motion sensors and occupancy sensors to turn on or off lighting as needed also prevents energy waste.
Some people have already switched to those funny looking fluorescents, which will not only save you money but they have a longer life than standard bulbs.
# In the kitchen you can save energy by using the microwave. Heating food will use only 20 percent of the energy required by a full- size oven. Using a crock pot is more energy efficient than letting food simmer on the stove.
# Clean the coils on your refrigerator. This not only helps save energy but prolongs the life of the appliance.
# Last but not least, look for energy efficient labels when buying new products such as TVs, furnaces, cell phones, refrigerators and air conditioners.
Saving money is the bottom line, but it will result in saving our environment, too.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps ... /809150310 |
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