Shut The Door When Its Cold: Energy Saving Tips

In today’s world where we are faced with rapidly depleting resources, it is crucial to conserve what we already have. The best practices start at home and even small individual changes add up to a lot. Apart from helping the environment, the second major benefit is that conserving energy actually does save a significant amount of costs. Here are some easy tips on how to conserve energy in each room of a home.

Living Room

• Turn off the TV if it’s not in use and avoid wasting energy and a higher bill.
• If the home is air conditioned, clean the vents frequently so that less energy is used to pump air out.
• Seal cracks in the caulking around windows to prevent heat loss.
• Install fluorescent spiral lightbulbs (CFLs) instead of incandescent ones. Although they cost more, CFLs last up to fifteen times longer.
• On hot days, use fans and open windows at opposite ends of the house to create a cooling cross-current of air, instead of an air conditioner.
• Use temporary plastic window covers in winter to prevent heat from escaping.

Bedroom

• Make a habit of switching off lights when you leave a room.
• For small clean-ups, use a broom or mop instead of the vacuum cleaner.
• In the bathroom, install a low-flow showerhead to reduce the amount of water used while simultaneously increasing water pressure.
• Use less water by showering instead of running a bath.
• On colder nights, use extra blankets instead of cranking up the heat.
• Thicker curtains and carpets will keep the bedroom warmer.

Kitchen

• Recycle plastics, glass, paper, cardboard and cans.
• Start a compost heap in the backyard to produce lovely, rich garden soil. Fruit and vegetable scraps, eggshells, coffee grounds, nutshells and even paper towels are all biodegradable. Cutting down on waste helps to eliminate the energy it takes to deposit garbage in landfills.
• Reduce the energy your fridge and freezer use by keeping their doors shut.
• Don’t leave taps running unnecessarily and fix leaky faucets.
• When cooking, check that the size of your pan or pot matches that of the stove element.
• After baking, turn the oven off but leave the door slightly open. The internal heat will help to warm up the kitchen for free.
• Run the dishwasher in off-peak hours.

Office

• Use a power bar with an on/off switch to plug in all of your office electronics. When not in use, switch off the power bar.
• Try to use both sides of a sheet of paper and recycle unwanted paper.
• Save on paper, ink and energy by reducing the amount of documents printed.
• Send unwanted equipment to an electronics recycling company.
• Laptops use far less power than desktop computers so purchase wisely.
• Use the computer’s sleep mode instead of screensavers.

Utility Room

• Use high-efficiency laundry machines marked with EnergyStar stickers.
• Use the cold water setting for laundry loads.
• Use a clothesline to hang wet garments instead of the dryer.
• When using the dryer, empty the lint screen before each load.
• Fold clothes as soon as they are dry to avoid wrinkles and less ironing.
• Install a programmable thermostat and turn down the heat if nobody is home.

Garage

• For short trips to the grocery store around the corner, walk instead of driving.
• Don’t let the car idle to warm it up on cold days. The engine will warm up much faster within a few minutes of driving.
• Instead of washing the car with the garden hose, take it to the car wash. Car washes do a much quicker and more efficient job of cleaning vehicles.
• Arrange carpools with co-workers and friends.
• Maintain good tire pressure to ensure better mileage.
• Keep garage doors shut and windows well sealed.

Further Information

• Tax Credits – Claim government tax credits for energy efficient home renovations.
• Energy Audit – An energy audit will help to manage energy consumption and reduce costs.
• How to Compost – Step by step guide to composting.
• Reduce Phantom Power – Tips on how to stop appliances from sucking power when not in use.
• Recycler’s World – Get rid of old junk in a safe, helpful way.
• CFL Facts – All about compact fluorescent light bulbs and how they save energy.
• Home Energy Conservation – Facts about energy usage and plenty of tips on conservation.
• Enviro-Friendly Laundry – How to do laundry more efficiently.
• Energy Conservation for Kids – Teach kids about how to save energy at home.
• Energy Savers – Government-provided tips and booklet.