ADJUST YOUR THERMOSTAT DIAL. Setting your thermostat to keep your air conditioning at 78°F when it’s hot outside, and your heating system at 69°F when its cold, can help you save up to 20% in heating and cooling costs. Keep your thermostats away from windows or heat producing appliances.
SHUT OUT THE SUN. In the summer, close your drapes or blinds when the sun is shining in your windows and open them when it is shady outside. In the winter, do the reverse. The sun shining through glass can dramatically heat a room. Consider installing double pane windows or tinting windows to reduce cooling costs. If you are considering new windows., look for the ENERGY STAR label.
DON’T LIGHT AN EMPTY ROOM. Turn off unneeded lights. Don’t forget to turn off equipment like ceiling fans, stereos and computers when not in use.
CHANGE YOUR LIGHT BULBS. ENERGY STAR® qualified light bulbs are 75% more efficient than incandescent bulbs. Replace your light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Keep light bulbs clean; dirt can absorb as much as 50% of the light emitted by a bulb.
CONSIDER ALTERNATIVE HEATING AND COOLING DEVICES. Heat pumps, small electric heaters, evaporative coolers and fans may be less expensive to operate than traditional radiant heating and air conditioning systems.
CHANGE THE AIR FILTERS IN YOUR COOLING AND HEATING SYSTEM. Clean air filters once monthly and replace at least once a year.
SET YOUR HOT WATER TEMPERATURE AT THE “NORMAL” SETTING—NO HIGHER THAN 120°F. This can save up to 11% of your water heating costs. Use the “warm” or “cold” settings when doing laundry. If you don’t have a water softener, periodically drain off the sediment in the bottom of your water heater tank.
TIGHTEN UP YOUR HOME. Save on cooling and heating costs and be more comfortable simply by weather-stripping, sealing, and caulking around your windows and doors.
REPLACE AN OLD REFRIGERATOR. Refrigerators use more energy than any other appliance in your home. If your refrigerator is 10 years or older, ir may be time for a replacement. A new ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator uses less than half the energy of a 10-year old conventional model.
CHECK OUT REBATES. Southern California Edison offers rebates on the purchase and installation of new evaporative coolers, air conditioners, whole house fans, heat pumps, programmable thermostats and dual pane windows. Check out their website www.sce.com or call City Hall for more information.
WHAT IS ENERGY STAR®? ENERGY STAR is the national symbol for energy efficiency. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy manage ENERGY STAR, a label to help consumers quickly and easily identify home appliances and other products that save energy. ENERGY STAR labeled appliances cost you less to operate each month compared to similar non-qualified models.
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