Office Equipment Tips
Reduce the hours your equipment is left running unnecessarily. PCs, monitors, printers, copiers and scanners should be turned off at night and over weekends if they aren't needed.
Turn off the monitor when your computer is not in use. Over half of the energy used by the computer goes to the monitor, so turning it off will save significantly.
Laundry Tips
Use the correct amount of detergent. Too many bubbles make your machine work harder and use more energy.
Up to ninety percent (90%) of the cost of washing clothes comes from heating the water, so use hot water only for very dirty clothes, and always use cold water in the rinse cycle.
Clothes Dryer Tips
A dirty lint screen can cause your dryer to use up to 30 percent more energy and it can be a fire hazard. Clean the lint screen after each load. Lowly lint has little use, and maybe you'll find that missing sock!
Install a solar clothes dryer (a clothesline)! It will give your clothes a "fresh outdoor" smell.
Indoor Lighting Tips
Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and provide the same lighting.
Turn off the lights in any room you're not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
Outdoor Lighting Tips
Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a timer so they will turn off during the day.
Refrigerator/Freezer Energy Tips
Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40° F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5° F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0° F.
Cover liquids and wrap food stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered food release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
Electric Iron
Iron low temperature fabrics first to reduce warm up time.
Iron large batches of clothing at one time to avoid wasting energy reheating the iron several times.
Cooking tips (electrical stoves/ovens)
Microwave ovens use around 50 percent less energy than conventional electrical ovens; they're most efficient for small portions or defrosting. For large meals, stovetop cooking is usually more efficient.
Don't open the oven door too often when checking your food. Each time you open the door the oven temperature drops by 25 degrees. Watch the clock or use a timer instead.
Turn off electric burners several minutes before the allotted cooking time. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish cooking. The same principle works with your oven cooking.
Air Conditioners
It might surprise you to know that buying a bigger room air-conditioning unit won't necessarily make you feel more comfortable during the hot summer months, In fact, a room air conditioner that is too big for the area it is supposed to cool will perform less efficiently and less effectively than a smaller air conditioner.
It is better if air conditioners run for relatively long periods of time than if they are continually, switching off and on. Longer run times allow air conditioners to maintain a more constant room temperature.
Sizing is equally important for central air conditioning systems, which need to be sized by professionals. If you have a central air system in your home, set the fan to shut off at the same time as the cooling unit (compressor). In other words; don't use the system's central fan to provide circulation. You would be best advised to use circulating fans in individual rooms.
Going On Vacation?
Turn off or better yet, unplug all major appliances you won't be using. Many appliances continue to draw power, even if they're not turned on. (This doesn't include the refrigerator and freezer, of course.)
Turn off your electric water heater of you're going to be gone more than three days. It will take about one hour to reheat the water when it is turned back on.
Electrical Safety Tips
Danger Signs
- Recurring problems with blowing fuses or tripping circuit breaker
- Feeling a tingle when you touch an appliance or wiring
- Discoloration of wall outlets
- A burning smell or unusual odor coming from an appliance or wiring
- Sizzling sound at wall switches or outlets
- Flickering lights
Other
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Use only weatherproof fixtures and RCD outlets with weatherproof covers for outdoor installations.
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Never run outdoor extension cords across lawns for seasonal lighting displays or run any extension cord across driveways or traffic areas.
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Never use electrical appliances outdoors in wet weather or when the ground or grass is wet, unless the appliance is specifically designed and labeled by an independent testing lab for such use.
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Appliances used outdoors should be plugged into receptacles protected by a Residual Current Device.
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If a fuse blows or a circuit breaker is tripped don't just replace or reset it. Find out what caused the device to fail and correct the problem.
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Never replace a fuse or circuit breaker with one that exceeds the amperage rating for a give circuit.
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Never replace a fuse with a penny, hair pin, foil, etc. Replace it with a fuse of the same rating.
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Keep electrical cords out of traffic paths and away from areas where children play. Maintain all electrical cords.
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Replace any cord that is cracked, frayed, or otherwise damaged.
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Never pinch an electrical cord against walls or furniture.
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Do not run extension cords under carpets or across doorways.
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Have a Licensed electrician replace old or damaged outlets with modern, three-wired, polarized outlet. Proper grounding is essential to minimize fire and shock hazards.
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Plugs should match outlets. Three-pronged plugs require three-wired outlet or a properly grounded adapter.
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Never cut off or bend the ground pin of a three-pronged plug. This ground connection protects you from severe shock caused by a faulty cord or malfunctioning appliance.
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Never alter the wide prong of a polarized plug, this type of plug appear on most electronic based equipment, which if incorrectly powered can be damaged. To make it fit into an outdated outlet, have the outlet replaced and properly grounded.
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Protect children from electrical shock by installing plastic safety inserts in unused outlets.
Efficiency & Conservation Tips