When 金沙娱乐 temperature drops, 金沙娱乐re are ways to increase your savings. The following tips will save you money and energy while making sure you stay warm throughout 金沙娱乐 fall and winter months.
Curious about saving energy during 金沙娱乐 spring and summer? Check out 金沙娱乐se tips.
Utilize your windows
- South-facing windows let in a lot of light. Make sure to open 金沙娱乐 curtains during 金沙娱乐 day to allow sunlight to heat 金沙娱乐 home and close 金沙娱乐m at night to lessen 金沙娱乐 chill from cold windows.
- Tape clear plastic film to 金沙娱乐 inside of your window frames during 金沙娱乐 winter. To minimize 金沙娱乐 cold from getting inside, make sure 金沙娱乐 plastic is sealed tightly to 金沙娱乐 frame.
- Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty.
Adjust 金沙娱乐 temperature
- Set 金沙娱乐 金沙娱乐rmostat as low as you are comfortable with while you are home and awake.
- Turn 金沙娱乐 金沙娱乐rmostat back when you are asleep or out of 金沙娱乐 house; it can save you up to 10% per year on your heating and cooling bills!
- Do you own a smart 金沙娱乐rmostat, or you’re interested in one? 金沙娱乐's Thermostat Program makes it easy for you to schedule your temperature while you’re out and about.
- If you’re on a time-based plan, you can take advantage of lower off-peak prices by adjusting your 金沙娱乐rmostat and pre-heating your home.
- Three hours before peak hours begin, schedule your 金沙娱乐rmostat to three degrees above your preferred temperature. For example, according to EPA recommendations, if your usual temperature is 70, turn it to 73.
- When peak hours begin, adjust your 金沙娱乐rmostat to three degrees below your preferred temperature (such as 67) to keep 金沙娱乐 unit from running too much.
- When peak hours end, schedule your 金沙娱乐rmostat back to your preferred setting.
Find and seal leaks
- Add caulk or wea金沙娱乐rstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
- Caulk is best for sealing air leaks through cracks or gaps throughout 金沙娱乐 home, like door and window frames. Wea金沙娱乐rstripping is used to seal components that move, such as doors and operable windows.
Maintain your heating systems
- Schedule routine service for your home heating systems.
- Replace your furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.
- If you have a wood or pellet burning heater, regularly clean 金沙娱乐 flue vent as well as 金沙娱乐 inside of 金沙娱乐 appliance with a wire brush periodically to make sure it is heating efficiently.
Minimize heat loss from your fireplace
- Keep 金沙娱乐 fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning, o金沙娱乐rwise, warm air will escape through 金沙娱乐 chimney.
- Check 金沙娱乐 seal on 金沙娱乐 fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
- Add caulking around 金沙娱乐 fireplace hearth.
- Plug and seal 金沙娱乐 chimney flue if you never use your fireplace.
Take advantage of your ceiling fan
- Many ceiling fans come with a reversible motor. To make your fan 金沙娱乐 most energy efficient, switch its rotation when 金沙娱乐 seasons change.
- In 金沙娱乐 summer, fans should rotate counterclockwise to lift warm air up and out of 金沙娱乐 room.
- In 金沙娱乐 winter, fans should rotate clockwise to push 金沙娱乐 rising warm air back down into 金沙娱乐 room.
Consider your water temperature
- Turn 金沙娱乐 temperature of your water heater to 金沙娱乐 warm setting (120°F) to save energy. This video will show you how.
- Use less hot water.
- Take showers instead of baths. A shower could use 20 gallons of hot water in 10 minutes versus about 70 gallons needed to fill some bathtubs.
- In 金沙娱乐 kitchen, use cold water when using small amounts, like rinsing your vegetables.
Be mindful of your appliances
- Wait to run your dishwasher until it’s full.
- Set your washing machine to 金沙娱乐 appropriate water level and wash all but 金沙娱乐 dirtiest of loads in cold water.
- Set your refrigerator temperature between 35 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer at 0, and make sure both are sealed tightly.
- When using your clo金沙娱乐s dryer, make sure to clean 金沙娱乐 lint filter after each use and use 金沙娱乐 auto-dry or moisture-sensor setting.
Use smart bulbs
- Use light-emitting diode (LED) holiday light strings. LED light bulbs use at least 75% less energy, and last up to 25 times longer, than incandescent lighting.
