Computers, printers, air conditioners, TVs, VCRs, microwaves... We’re more "plugged in" than ever before.
Power blackouts and brownouts will increase in years to come, predicts the Alliance to Save Energy. Growing power demands, warmer weather patterns, simultaneous heat waves, severe cuts in energy-efficiency investments by utility companies in a deregulated climate, and governmental inaction are causes. Here’s how consumers can easily and comfortably lighten the power load in their own homes — and cut energy bills and pollution, too:
- Cooling puts the greatest stress on your family's energy bill and the power grid. Maintain your air conditioning equipment with a professional "tune-up" to save you the cost and inconvenience of a breakdown during the hottest days! Clean or replace filters monthly. For central air conditioning systems, make sure the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) is 12 or higher.
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- Keep your cool and lower your costs. ENERGY STAR certified ceiling fans provide additional cooling and better circulation, enabling you to raise the thermostat and cut down on air conditioning costs.
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- Size matters. Bigger is not always better with air conditioning! Poorly-sized air conditioning units can inflate your energy costs and contribute to poor indoor air quality, worsening your allergies and making breathing uncomfortable. Check with your contractor or local air conditioning system retailer to properly size your unit.
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- Listen to your mother. ("What do you think — we own the electric company?!") Turn off everything not in use: lights, TVs, computers.
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- To cut your utility bills by 30 percent, look for the Energy Star label, the symbol for energy efficiency, when shopping for room air conditioners, major appliances, lighting, windows, and home electronics. Find retailers near you at www.energystar.gov.
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- Don’t let your house get "sun-burned." Cut your air conditioning load, reduce pollution, and fight your local "heat island" effect by planting leafy trees and vines around your home and installing reflective tiles on your roof and adequate insulation in your attic.! (See www.simplyinsulate.org for insulation information.)
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- No more peeping Toms. Close blinds or shades on the south- and west-facing windows of the house during the day or install shading devices such as trellises or awnings.
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- Tired of coming home to a sweltering house on hot summer days? A programmable thermostat automatically coordinates indoor climates with your daily and weekend patterns, increasing home comfort and reducing energy waste. And you don't have to "remember" to turn the air conditioner off when you won't be home.
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- Shift energy-intensive tasks, laundry and dishwashing, to off-peak energy demand hours nights and weekends, and remember to do full loads.
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- Take the guesswork out of energy-efficient home improvements by exploring the Alliance to Save Energy’s free Home Energy Checkup www.ase.org/checkup. It provides homeowners with a quick analysis of potential dollar and pollution savings, considering climate types and energy prices.
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- Consider safer, more efficient ENERGY STAR touchiere lamps over popular halogen touchiere lamps which can CAUSE FIRES, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. While relatively inexpensive to purchase, they are expensive to operate.
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- 4 for the planet. Replacing four 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 23-watt fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) that use about two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer saves $190 over the life of the bulbs. If all our nation’s households did the same, we’d save as much energy as is consumed by some 38 million cars in one year.
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- Switch to cold water washing of laundry in top loading in top-loading, energy-inefficient washing machines to save energy and up to $63 a year—detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.
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