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Want to keep your home comfortable while saving money on your electric bill? Look no further!
Packed with practical advice for every season, this resource empowers you to take control of your energy use. From simple adjustments to your daily routine to recommendations for energy-efficient appliances, BTU helps you make informed choices that benefit both your wallet and the environment.
Explore below and discover how easy it is to save energy, save money, and power a brighter future!
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General Tips
- Install a programmable thermostat to manage heating and cooling to fit your schedule.
- Clean or replace air filters monthly to keep your HVAC system operating efficiently.
- Have a professional service your system twice per year, prior to the major heating and cooling seasons to ensure it is in working order.
- Install LED lightbulbs. They last 10 times longer and are 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs.
- Install EnergyStar® windows to reduce heat loss/gain.
- Wash clothes in cold water. Most modern detergents have enzymes that work just as well in cold water.
- Only run full loads of dishes and laundry. Air dry to maximize savings.
- Use power strips to turn off small appliances that otherwise still consume energy when turned off. Electronics are known for their “phantom load” use.
- Use natural lighting whenever possible. Turn off the lighting when you leave a room.
- Use motion lighting for outdoor purposes to reduce run times.
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Summer Tips
- Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible when you are home and higher when you are away. Recommendations are 78°F or higher.
- Supplement your air conditioning with ceiling fans to increase comfort. Ceiling fans should turn counterclockwise in the warmer months.
- Use kitchen, bath, laundry, and other exhaust fans when cooking, bathing, or doing laundry to remove excess humidity.
- Avoid using heat-producing appliances like the oven, dishwasher, or laundry machines during the heat of the day. These activities add heat and humidity that your A/C must battle against. Instead, do chores like this in the early morning or late evening hours.
- Draw blinds and drapes to keep the sun’s heat out of your home. Consider installing solar screens on the outside of windows to reflect up to 90% of the sun’s UV rays.
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Winter Tips
- Set your thermostat as low as comfortably possible when you are home and lower when you are away or sleeping. Recommendations are 68°F or lower.
- Avoid turning the thermostat up by more than two degrees at a time if you have a heat pump. This could trigger auxiliary or emergency heat strips that use a great deal of energy.
- Seal gaps and air leaks around windows, doors, and other openings with caulk or weatherstripping.
- Adjust ceiling fans to turn clockwise to circulate warm air that rises to the ceiling down toward the floor.
- Use space heaters sparingly.
- Open blinds and drapes to let the sun’s rays heat your home. Close them when the sun goes down.
- Close the fireplace damper when the fireplace is not in use to prevent air from escaping.