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Tips to Help You Conserve Energy and Save Money
Heating Cooling
Heating and cooling your home accounts for about © 2024 of your energy costs
Warm to these cool tips to make a big impact on your energy bill
Tip
Install ceiling fans and use them to supplement or even as an alternative to air conditioning ceiling fans generally use very little electricity Make sure your fan is blowing air downwards in summer
Save More
Install a programmable thermostat with a builtin timer You can set it to lower the heat by a few degrees at night and when youre away or turn off the AC when you leave for the day Contrary to popular belief this method uses less electricity than having the AC constantly maintain a cool temperature Your savings can easily pay for the cost of the thermostat as little as © 2024 in the first year by varying the temperature just a few degrees at night or when youre away Just think of the savings over 5 or © 2024 years
Tips
To save money on heating costs reduce the temperature of your home a few degrees at night and when youre away
Keep blinds shades and drapes closed during the hottest part of the day in the summer And open southfacing blinds on sunny winter days
Use area rugs on cold floors if your feet are cold your body will feel cold
If you feel cool put on a sweater rather than simply turning up the thermostat
Clean or replace the air filter on your furnace every month to improve efficiency
To save more on central AC costs try cooling your home to only © 2024 or © 2024 C instead of the low © 2024s Each degree below © 2024 C will noticeably increase your electricity use
Turn off unnecessary lights in the house they produce a lot of heat which works against the AC
Conservation can be as easy as planting a tree Plant some leafy deciduous trees on the sunny side of your house During the summer they provide shade and in the winter they will shed their leaves to let the warming sunshine through
Pine or fir trees on the north side provide an energysaving windbreak
Water Heater
Are you heating water unnecessarily Heres how you can stem the flow of wasted energy
Tip
Showers save hot water a typical bath uses approximately © 2024 litres of hot water while a 5minute shower with an efficient showerhead will use about half of that
Save a Lot
Wrapping your electric water heater in a special tank blanket can reduce its electricity use
Tips
Be sure to use the vacation setting or turn off the water heater when you are out of town
Fix leaky faucets that little drip can add up to © 2024 litres of water per faucet per month and cost you 7 kWh per month
Installing low flow aeraters on faucets can save water and energy
Drain a pail of water from your natural gas hot water tank every 3 months or as recommended by the manufacturer to remove sediment that prevents heat transfer lowering the units efficiency
Energy Facts
On average water heaters use the most energy in the home after heating A © 2024litre tank can use up to © 2024 kWh per year a cost of almost © 2024 at todays prices
Refrigerator
Your refrigerator is always on but there are several nocost ways to put energy costs on ice
Tip
Dont let freezers build up more than 6 mm of frost Defrost regularly to keep freezers working their best
Looking to Buy a New Refrigerator
Be sure to check the EnerGuide label on every fridge and consider energy savings in your buying decision Invest a little more and buy an ENERGY STARqualified model ENERGY STARqualified refrigerators exceed minimum federal energy efficiency standards for energy consumption by at least © 2024 which will save you more money in the long run
Tips
Set the temperature for only as cold as you need check manufacturers recommendations
Dont keep that old inefficient refrigerator running in the basement for occasional refreshments It could cost you © 2024 or more per year in electricity
Dont overfill the refrigerator as this blocks air circulation Conversely a full freezer will perform better than an empty one
Check your refrigerators door seal by closing the door on a 5 bill If its held tightly in place the seals OK if not the door should be adjusted or the seal replaced
Clean your refrigerators coils back and air intake grill below the doors every 3 months
Keep refrigerators and freezers out of direct sunlight and allow at least 5 centimetres all around or as recommended by the manufacturer to allow heat to escape from the compressor and condensing coil
Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator
Energy Facts
The refrigerator is one of the biggest electricity guzzlers in most homes While efficiency has improved a lot in recent years even topoftheline models can use more electricity than ENERGY STARqualified refrigerators
StoveOven
The stove is another big energy guzzler Here are some hot tips to help you save
Tip
When using the stove be sure to put lids on pots in order to keep the heat in the pot which enables you to use lower heat settings
Did You Know
Did you know one kilowatt hour is the amount of electricity required to keep a © 2024watt bulb lit for ten hours
The average Ontario household uses about © 2024 kilowatt hours of electricity per month
Tips
Use an electric kettle to boil water not the stove which is less efficient
Generally thaw frozen foods in the refrigerator before cooking unless the label says otherwise
If you put aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven to catch drippings make sure the foil does not block any of the ovens circulation holes and dont put foil on the oven racks
Turn off the oven just before finishing the oven will remain hot long enough to complete the job
Dont use a bigger pot than you need and match it to the right size element
A general rule for smaller cooking jobs use smaller appliances ie instead of your range or cooktop use the electric kettle toaster oven or microwave
Energy Facts
Microwave ovens use up to © 2024 less energy so whenever possible use a microwave instead of your stove or oven
Dishwasher
Wash your hands clean of the high cost of washing dishes
Tip
Try to operate with a full load and use the energysaving cycle
Save The Environment
In winter Ontarios greatest demand for electricity usually occurs from 4 to 9 PM Try switching nonessential chores to the offpeak times between 9 PM and 7 AM On hot summer days the greatest overall demand for electricity is usually from © 2024 AM to 4 PM but high residential use can
extend to midnight because of air conditioner usage By shifting nonessential use to times of lower demand you can help reduce the use of fossil fuel generation which helps keep the environment cleaner
Looking to Buy a New Dish Washer
If youre planning to buy a new dishwasher consider investing in an ENERGY STARqualified model which is at least © 2024 more efficient than the least efficient dishwasher
Tips
Dont waste hot water by prerinsing dishes before putting them in the dishwasher just scrape off food and empty liquids
Air dry your dishes you can save © 2024 of the cost of operation
Load dishes according to manufacturers instructions to allow for proper water circulation
Check and clean drains and filters regularly to ensure efficient operation
Energy Facts
Using a dishwasher can actually be more efficient than washing dishes by hand assuming you use the dishwasher once for every 3 to 4 times you would wash dishes by hand
Clothes Washer Dryer
Clean your clothes without cleaning out your bank account
Tip
Always use cold water for the RINSE cycle Using warm or hot water for the RINSE cycle does not get your clothes any cleaner
Looking to Buy a New Clothes Washer
Frontloading clothes washers cost a little more than conventional washing machines but they use roughly half the water per load and are more effective at squeezing the water out of the clothes which lowers the electricity costs for drying them Also clothes washed in frontloading washers last longer because they are gently tumbled rather than twisted around an agitator
Invest a little more for an ENERGY STARqualified clothes washer which uses © 2024 less water and © 2024 less energy per load than the average conventional clothes washer The savings on your energy bill will add up
quickly
Tips
Washer
Run full loads whenever possible but dont overload the machines
Wash your clothes in cold or warm water A whopping © 2024 of the energy used by washing machines is for heating the water You can save a lot of energy by lowering the water temperature
Try using cold or warm water for the WASH cycle instead of hot water Hot water shrinks and fades your clothes and wears them out more quickly
Dryer
Make sure clothes are effectively wrung before putting them in the dryer Frontloading washers are the best at squeezing the water out
Separate loads into heavy medium and lightweight items lighter loads will take less drying time than a mixture of items
Dry consecutive loads to utilize otherwise wasted heat from the dryer
Clean the lint filter after every load A clogged lint filter can increase energy use up to © 2024 and may be a fire hazard
Get some fresh air Consider using a clothesline to dry your laundry
Energy Facts
The EnerGuide label is required on all new electrical major home appliances sold in Canada It lets you compare the energy efficiency of appliances youre considering Check the EnerGuide labels when you shop for appliances the lower the kilowatthour number shown the more energyefficient the appliance
Home Office Other Savings Around The Home
The home office is just one possible culprit for wasting energy But it doesnt take a lot of work to save on your energy bill
Tip
Computers and related components use electricity even when they are not in use Plug each computer component into a power bar that can be shut off to avoid wasting electricity with the standby power feature
Save The Environment
About twothirds of Ontarios electricity comes from nuclear and hydroelectric sources with virtually no smog or acid gas emissions The rest comes mostly from fossil fuel powered generating stations At times of peak demand we rely even more heavily on fossil fuel powered generation So using less energy means less power plant emissions which helps to keep the environment cleaner today and far into the future
Tips
Consider energyefficient computer systems and monitors when you replace a system Make sure you enable your computers energysaving features
Be sure to at least shut off the computer screen as © 2024 of the power used by a computer is used by the monitor The other © 2024 is used to keep your hard drive spinning and to power the electronics
Put your home entertainment systems on a power bar and turn off the bar when you are not using them Components without clocks and timers of course
Unplug infrequently used TVs as many continue to draw power even when turned off
Put swimming pool pumps on a timer or run them only a few hours a day Keep the filter clean for greater efficiency
Use a solar blanket to keep swimming pool water warm overnight and use your heater only when necessary
Solar pool heaters roughly © 2024 to © 2024 can be a costeffective purchase when you add together equipment installation and fuel costs for a traditional heater Check them out
Energy Facts
Less energy is consumed when computers and monitors are turned on and off as often as required than when left on over time In fact all electronic devices use more energy when left on as opposed to being turned on and off as needed
Lighting
Some bright ideas for lighting your home more efficiently
Tip
Turn off lights whenever you leave a room or dont need them even for just a few minutes
Save More
Use compact fluorescent light bulbs They cost more than regular light bulbs starting at 5 but can use © 2024 less electricity and last years longer One compact fluorescent bulb can save you three times its cost in electricity
For outside lighting install a motion sensor that turns the lights on automatically when somebody walks by then turns the lights off automatically after 1 to 5 minutes
Dimmer switches are not just a great way to set the modd theyre an inexpensive waystarting at © 2024 to save energy Dont use with compact fluorescent bulbs
Tips
You can lower overall energy demand by concentrating bright light where you need it rather than evenly lighting the entire room this is called task lighting
Opening your blinds is a free way to brighten up a room
For any light that must be on all night eg stairways replace the bulbs with the lowest wattage bulbs that youre comfortable with or consider a
compact fluorescent or a nightlight
Decorate your home with illumination in mind lighter colours reflect light so use them in areas you want to be bright
Keep light fixtures clean a cleaner bulb is a brighter bulb
Energy Facts
Contrary to popular belief less energy is consumed when lights are turned on and off as you come and go than if a light is left on all the time