Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: November 2011
Heating water can account for 14-25% of home energy use. You can save on electric bills by insulating hot water pipes and using hot water only when needed.
"I've lowered the temperature on my water heater, and take advantage of the bonus heat from my Ground Source Heat Pump," says System Engineer Stan Winkle. "This diverts heat that would otherwise be wasted into my water heater, and tank elements are used less often."
Note: If you have an electric water heater you may qualify for a $100 Energy Star Clothes Washer rebate or a $50 Energy Star Dishwasher rebate this year. Call 800.392.3709, ext. 272, for rebate details.
Touchstone Energy® Tip of the Month: October 2011
Super Energy Saver CFL Charlie offers these tips to all members as well as the new friends he made at the Cuivre River Annual Meeting:
- Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
- Don't hold the refrigerator door open for long periods of time.
- Change light bulbs to CFLs or other energy-saving light bulbs.
- Shut down the computer when you finish using it.
- Unplug electronics like cell phone chargers and video games when they are not being used.
- Set your thermostat to 78°F in the summer and 68°F in the winter.
- Check windows and doors for air leaks.
Supervisor of Consumer Accounts Tammy Nolan has an interesting tip to help keep her home cool. She takes advantage of a naturally-cool basement and a uses a strategically-placed fan at the bottom of the stairs to blow cool air upstairs to the kitchen.
"The fan tilts and pushes cool air up the stairwell to make my kitchen feel cooler," she says. "You can feel the difference, plus I can keep my thermostat set at 78°F."
Touchstone Energy® Tip Of The Month: July 2011
Receptionist Christina Buchheit keeps her family’s home cool in the summer by visually checking the outdoor air conditioning unit for dirt and debris. Christina says, “I recently cleaned some leaves and grass clippings away from the unit, plus hosed dirt off it as well.” Minimizing dirt, debris and foliage around the unit will allow adequate air flow to help your air conditioner work more efficiently.
Easy Ways To Keep Your Cool
Summer's heat has arrived. To cool down without busting your electricity budget, follow these tips from www.freshome.com and other sources:
- Cut the humidity. Missouri's humid climate makes temperatures a challenge outdoors, and home activities make comfort a challenge indoors. To reduce indoor humidity, avoid heat-producing activities during the day, such as drying clothes, using dishwashers, taking showers and cooking. Use ventilating fans to extract the humid air they create.
- Add attic insulation and seal leaks. Weather-stripping and caulking around windows, doors and electrical outlets keeps heat out in summer, cold out in winter. Energy Star and the Environmental Protection Agency estimate you can save up to 20% on cooling and heating by sealing your home and adding insulation.
- Reduce the amount of landscaping rock, cement and asphalt around your house. These materials, when unshaded and located on the south and west sides of your house, will radiate heat into it.
- Pull down shades, drapes and blinds. Blocking sunlight from your house can reduce your cooling demand significantly. When purchasing these items, choose light colors to reflect heat away from windows.
- Get a fan. Ceiling, table, floor and window fans can create a wind chill effect that will make you feel more comfortable. Even with air conditioning, a fan may allow you to raise the thermostat a few degrees.
- Portable fans are affordable and energy-efficient. Air movement of just 1 mph can make you feel 3 or 4 degrees cooler.
- Keep heat away from your thermostat. Make sure lamps, TVs and other heat-producing appliances aren't located near the thermostat. The heat they produce makes your air conditioner work harder because the thermostat thinks your house is warmer than it really is.
- Exchange your incandescent bulbs for CFLs where possible. These bulbs produce the same amount of light with a fraction of the energy, and produce less heat.
- Avoid lots of stove top cooking and oven use during the day. Microwave ovens, toaster ovens and slow cookers get the job done with less energy and heat.
- Better yet, use the grill. Cook outdoors and keep the heat outside.
Source: Rural Missouri News Service