Texas Government Lobby News: Energy Saving Tips from Green Mountain Energy
The following is a digest of an article originally found at the Green Mountain Energy website.
Green Mountain Energy has compiled a list of ways to save energy, organized by method and appliance type. Insulation is a huge part of making good use of a home’s energy. Heating and cooling can be wasted if there are cracks and leaks letting the outside air in, which makes the AC/Heater work too hard. It’s important to remember to caulk and weatherstrip, and to seal up all the cracks. Insulating the attic may not seem important, but an attic that is insulated well can save your average household about 25-30% in heating/cooling bills. Weatherproofing the windows is also a huge help. Double paned windows keep in twice as much heat as single pane windows.
“Use the sunlight to your advantage. During winter, open the shades and blinds on sunny days as a way to light and heat the interior of your home. However, be sure to close them at night to reduce the amount of heat that is lost through the windows. During warm weather months, set your thermostat to 78°F or higher when you’re at home and 85°F when you’re not. You can save up to three percent off your bill for each degree the thermostat is set above 72°F. You can save up to 15% in cooling costs if you replace your manual thermostat with a programmable one.” These simple changes will help you keep your heating/cooling costs under control.
Appliances are a different story. Nowadays, you can buy most brands of appliances that are labeled with the “Energy Star” logo. These new appliances will save 20-40% more energy than other new models. If buying new household tools isn’t possible, there are plenty of handy tricks to lessen energy with the ones you have. Simple things like not preheating your oven will make a world of difference for the environment, and your pocketbook. Remember how your Mother always told you not to open the oven while cooking? According to the Energy and Environmental Building Association, the temperature in an oven can lessen by 25 degrees every time you open the door. Being mindful of how we use our appliances can go a long way in saving energy.