1 U S Dept Of Energy Energy Savers Booklet

ENERGY SAVERS BOOKLET Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home

R ight in your own home, you have the power to reduce energy demand, and when you reduce demand, you cut the amount of resources, like coal and gas, needed to make energy—that means you create less greenhouse gas emissions, which keeps air cleaner for all of us… and saves on your utility bills! Plus, reducing energy use increases our energy security. Contents 1 Save Energy and Money Today 2 Your Home’s Energy Use 4 Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks 10 Heating and Cooling 16 Water Heating 18 Windows 20 Lighting 22 Appliances 29 Home Office and Home Electronics 31 Driving and Car Maintenance 32 Renewable Energy 33 References This booklet shows you how easy it is to reduce your energy use at home and on the road. The easy, practical solutions for saving energy include tips you can use today, throughout your home—from the roof, walls, and insulation that enclose it to the appliances and lights inside. Please take a few moments to read the valuable tips in this booklet to start saving energy and money today. To learn more about U.S. Department of Energy programs in energy efficiency and renewable energy, visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s web site at www.eere.energy.gov

Save Energy and Money Today D id you know that the typical U.S. Tips to Save Energy Today family spends about $1,900 a year Easy low-cost and no-cost on home utility bills? Unfortunately, a ways to save energy. large portion of that energy is wasted. And each year, electricity generated • Install a programmable thermostat by fossil fuels for a single home puts to keep your house comfortably more carbon dioxide into the air than warm in the winter and comfortably two average cars. And as for the road, cool in the summer. transportation accounts for 67% of all • Use compact fluorescent light bulbs U.S. oil consumption. The good news with the ENERGY STAR® label. is that there is a lot you can do to save energy and money at home and in your • Air dry dishes instead of using your car. Start making small changes today dishwasher’s drying cycle. (see sidebar). To cut your energy use up • Turn off your computer and monitor to 25%, see the Long-Term Savings Tips when not in use. throughout this booklet. • Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; The key to achieving these savings in turn the power strips off when the your home is a whole-house energy equipment is not in use (TVs and efficiency plan. To take a whole-house DVDs in standby mode still use approach, view your home as an energy several watts of power). system with interdependent parts. For example, your heating system is not just • Lower the thermostat on your a furnace—it’s a heat-delivery system hot water heater to 120°F. that starts at the furnace and delivers • Take short showers instead of heat throughout your home using a baths. network of ducts. Even a top-of-the- line, energy-efficient furnace will waste • Wash only full loads of dishes and a lot of fuel if the ducts, walls, attic, clothes. windows, and doors are not properly • Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving sealed and insulated. Taking a whole- (speeding, rapid acceleration and house approach to saving energy ensures braking) wastes gasoline. that dollars you invest to save energy are • Look for the ENERGY STAR label spent wisely. Save Energy and Money Today on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR products meet strict Energy-efficient improvements not only efficiency guidelines set by the make your home more comfortable, they U.S. Department of Energy and the can yield long-term financial rewards. Environmental Protection Agency. Reduced utility bills more than make up for the higher price of energy-efficient • Visit www.energysavers.gov for appliances and improvements over their more energy-saving ideas. lifetimes. In addition, your home could bring in a higher price when you sell. 1

Your Home’s Energy Use T he first step to taking a whole- • Check for open fireplace dampers. house energy efficiency • Make sure your appliances and heating approach is to find out which parts and cooling systems are properly of your house use the most energy. maintained. Check your owner’s A home energy audit will pinpoint manuals for the recommended those areas and suggest the most maintenance. effective measures for cutting your • Study your family’s lighting needs energy costs. You can conduct a and use patterns, paying special simple home energy audit yourself, attention to high-use areas such as contact your local utility, or call an the living room, kitchen, and outside independent energy auditor for a lighting. Look for ways to use lighting more comprehensive examination. controls—like occupancy sensors, For more information about home dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting energy audits, including free tools and energy use, and replace standard calculators, visit www.energysavers. (incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures gov or www.natresnet.org. with compact or standard fluorescent lamps. Formulating Your Plan Other Refrigeration 8% After you have identified where your Space 8% home is losing energy, assign priorities Heating Appliances 31% by asking yourself a few important 9% Computers & questions: Electronics Space 9% • How much money do you spend on Cooling Water Lighting 12% energy? Heating 11% 12% • Where are your greatest energy losses? • How long will it take for an How We Use Energy in Our Homes investment in energy efficiency to pay Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of for itself in energy cost savings? a typical utility bill. Source: 2007 Buildings Energy Data Book, Table 4.2.1., • Do the energy-saving measures 2005 energy cost data. provide additional benefits that Energy Auditing Tips are important to you (for example, • Check the insulation levels in your increased comfort from installing attic, exterior and basement walls, double-paned, efficient windows)? ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. • How long do you plan to own your Your Home’s Energy Use Visit www.energysavers.gov for current home? instructions on checking your • Can you do the job yourself or insulation levels. will you need to hire a contractor? • Check for holes or cracks around • What is your budget and how your walls, ceilings, windows, much time do you have to spend on doors, light and plumbing fixtures, maintenance and repair? switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home. 2

Once you assign priorities to your energy Tips for Finding a Contractor needs, you can form a whole house efficiency plan. Your plan will provide • Ask neighbors and friends for you with a strategy for making smart recommendations purchases and home improvements that • Look in the Yellow Pages maximize energy efficiency and save the • Focus on local companies most money. • Look for licensed, insured contractors Another option is to get the advice of • Get three bids with details in writing a professional. Many utilities conduct • Ask about previous experience energy audits for free or for a small charge. For a fee, a professional • Check references contractor will analyze how well • Check with the Better Business Bureau your home’s energy systems work together and compare the analysis to your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of equipment such as blower effective energy improvements doors, infrared cameras, and surface and enhanced comfort and safety. thermometers to find leaks and drafts. A reputable contractor can also After gathering information about your calculate the return on your investment home, the contractor or auditor will give in high-efficiency equipment you a list of recommendations for cost- compared with standard equipment. Thermogram/photograph copyright 1997, Infraspection Institute, Inc., Shelburne, VT Your Home’s Energy Use Cool Hot Heat Loss from a House A picture is worth...in this case, lost heating dollars. This thermal photograph shows heat leaking from a house during those expensive winter heating months. The white, yellow, and red colors show heat escaping. The red represents the area of the greatest heat loss. 3

Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks C Insulation hecking your home’s insulation is one of the fastest and most cost- First, check the insulation in your attic, effective ways to use a whole-house ceilings, exterior and basement walls, approach to reduce energy waste and floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets make the most of your energy dollars. the levels recommended for your area. A good insulating system includes Insulation is measured in R-values—the a combination of products and higher the R-value, the better your construction techniques that protect walls and roof will resist the transfer a home from outside hot or cold of heat. DOE recommends ranges of temperatures, protect it against air R-values based on local heating and leaks, and control moisture. You can cooling costs and climate conditions in increase the comfort of your home different areas of the nation. The map while reducing your heating and and chart on pages 6 and 7 show the cooling needs by investing in proper DOE recommendations for your area. insulation and sealing air leaks. State and local code minimum insulation requirements may be less than the DOE recommendations, which are based on Attic Walls Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks Floors Crawl space Basement Where to Insulate Adding insulation in the areas shown above may be the best way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Insulate either the attic floor or under the roof. Check with a contractor about crawl space or basement insulation. 4

cost effectiveness. For more customized Should I Insulate My Home? insulation recommendations, visit our Insulate your home when: site, www.energysavers.gov, look for • You have an older home and Insulation and check out the Zip Code haven’t added insulation. Only 20% Insulation Calculator. This tool provides of homes built before 1980 are insulation levels for your new or existing well insulated. home based on your zip code and other • You are uncomfortably cold in the basic information about your home. winter or hot in the summer— Although insulation can be made from adding insulation creates a more a variety of materials, it usually comes uniform temperature and increases in four types; each type has different comfort. characteristics. • You build a new home, addition, or Rolls and batts—or blankets—are install new siding or roofing. flexible products made from mineral • You pay high energy bills. fibers, such as fiberglass and rock wool. • You are bothered by noise from They are available in widths suited to outside—insulation muffles sound. standard spacings of wall studs and attic or floor joists: 2x4 walls can hold R-13 Insulation Tips or R-15 batts; 2x6 walls can have R-19 • Consider factors such as your or R-21 products. climate, building design, and budget when selecting insulation R-values Loose-fill insulation—usually made for your home. of fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose in the form of loose fibers or fiber pellets, • Use higher density insulation on it should be blown into spaces using exterior walls, such as rigid foam special pneumatic equipment. The boards, in cathedral ceilings and on blown-in material conforms readily to exterior walls. building cavities and attics. Therefore, • Ventilation helps with moisture loose-fill insulation is well suited for control and reducing summer places where it is difficult to install other cooling bills. Attic vents can be types of insulation. installed along the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper airflow Rigid foam insulation—foam insulation from the soffit to the attic to make a typically is more expensive than fiber home more comfortable and energy insulation. But it’s very effective in Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks efficient. Do not ventilate your buildings with space limitations and attic if you have insulation on the where higher R-values are needed. Foam underside of the roof. Check with a insulation R-values range from R-4 to qualified contractor. R-6.5 per inch of thickness, which is up to • Recessed light fixtures can be a 2 times greater than most other insulating major source of heat loss, but you materials of the same thickness. need to be careful how close you Foam-in-place insulation—this type place insulation next to a fixture can be blown into walls and reduces air unless it is marked IC—designed leakage, if blown into cracks, such as for direct insulation contact. Check around window and door frames. your local building codes for recommendations. See Lighting for more about recessed cans. 5

• As specified on the product probably benefit by adding more. Most packaging, follow the product U.S. homes should have between R-30 instructions on installation and wear and R-60 insulation in the attic. Don’t the proper protective gear when forget the attic trap or access door. installing insulation. If your attic has enough insulation and your home still feels drafty and cold in $ Long-Term Savings Tip the winter or too warm in the summer, • One of the most cost-effective chances are you need to add insulation to ways to make your home more the exterior walls as well. This is a more comfortable year-round is to add expensive measure that usually requires insulation to your attic. a contractor, but it may be worth the cost Adding insulation to the attic is if you live in a very hot or cold climate. relatively easy and very cost effective. If you replace the exterior siding on To find out if you have enough attic your home, you should consider adding insulation, measure the thickness of insulation at the same time. the insulation. If it is less than R-30 You may also need to add insulation (11 inches of fiber glass or rock wool to your crawl space or basement. Check or 8 inches of cellulose), you could with a professional contractor. U.S. Department of Energy Recommended* Total R-Values for New Wood-Framed Houses 7 6 4 6 5 5 4 3 3 2 2 Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks 2 1 All of Alaska in Zone 7 except for the Zone 1 includes Hawaii, following boroughs in Zone 8: Guam, Puerto Rico and the How Much Insulation Virgin Islands Bethel Northwest Arctic Does My Home Need? Dellingham Southeast Fairbanks For insulation recommendations Fairbanks N. Star Wade Hampton tailored to your home, visit the DOE Zip Nome Yukon-Koyukuk Code Insulation Calculator at www.ornl. North Slope gov/~roofs/zip/ziphome.html. * These recommendations are cost-effective levels of insulation based on the best available information on local fuel and materials costs and weather conditions. Consequently, the levels may differ from current local building codes. 6

New Construction Today, new products are on the market that provide both insulation For new homes in most climates, you and structural support and should be will save money and energy if you considered for new home construction install a combination of cavity insulation or additions. Structural insulated panels, and insulative sheathing. Cavity known as SIPs, and masonry products insulation can be installed at levels like insulating concrete forms are up to R-15 in a 2 in. x 4 in. wall and among these. Some homebuilders are up to R-21 in a 2 in. x 6 in. wall. The even using an old technique borrowed insulative sheathing, used in addition to from the pioneers: building walls using this cavity insulation, helps to reduce straw bales. Check online at www. the energy that would otherwise be energysavers.gov for more information lost through the wood frame. The on structural insulation. table below shows the recommended combinations. For example, in Zone Radiant barriers (in hot climates), 5, you could use either a 2x4 wall with reflective insulation, and foundation R-13 or a 2x6 wall with R-21. For either insulation should all be considered for of those two walls, you should also use new home construction. Check with an inch of insulative sheathing that has your contractor for more information an R-value of R-5 or R-6. about these options. _____Wall_____ Cathedral Ceiling Electric Furnace Heat Pump Sheathing Insulation Fuel Oil Cavity Floor Zone Attic Gas     1 R30 to R49 R22 to R38 R13 to R15 None R13    2 R30 to R60 R22 to R38 R13 to R15 None R13  2 R30 to R60 R22 to R38 R13 to R15 None R19 - R25    3 R30 to R60 R22 to R38 R13 to R15 None R25  3 R30 to R60 R22 to R38 R13 to R15 R2.5 to R5 R25    4 R38 to R60 R30 to R38 R13 to R15 R2.5 to R6 R25 - R30 Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks  4 R38 to R60 R30 to R38 R13 to R15 R5 to R6 R25 - R30    5 R38 to R60 R30 to R38 R13 to R15 R2.5 to R6 R25 - R30  5 R38 to R60 R30 to R60 R13 to R21 R5 to R6 R25 - R30     6 R49 to R60 R30 to R60 R13 to R21 R5 to R6 R25 - R30     7 R49 to R60 R30 to R60 R13 to R21 R5 to R6 R25 - R30     8 R49 to R60 R30 to R60 R13 to R21 R5 to R6 R25 - R30 7

Sources of Air Leaks in Your Home Areas that leak air into and out of your home cost you lots of money. Check the areas listed below. 1 5 9 Window frames Dropped ceiling Water and furnace flues 2 6 10 Electrical outlets and switches Recessed light All ducts 3 7 11 Plumbing and utility access Attic entrance Door frames 4 8 Sill plates Chimney flashing Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks Sealing Air Leaks Tips for Sealing Air Leaks • First, test your home for air tightness. Warm air leaking into your home On a windy day, carefully hold a lit during the summer and out of your incense stick or a smoke pen next home during the winter can waste a to your windows, doors, electrical lot of your energy dollars. One of the boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical quickest dollar-saving tasks you can outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip all and other locations where there is a seams, cracks, and openings to the possible air path to the outside. If the outside. You can save on your heating smoke stream travels horizontally, you and cooling bill by reducing the air have located an air leak that may need leaks in your home. caulking, sealing, or weatherstripping. 8

• Caulk and weatherstrip doors and Electric Outlets Fans and Vents 2% 4% windows that leak air. • Caulk and seal air leaks where Windows Floors, Walls, plumbing, ducting, or electrical 10% and Ceiling Doors wiring penetrates through walls, 31% 11% floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets. Plumbing Penetrations Ducts • Install foam gaskets behind outlet 13% Fireplace 15% and switch plates on walls. 14% • Look for dirty spots in your insulation, which often indicate How Does the Air Escape? holes where air leaks into and out Air infiltrates into and out of your home through of your house. You can seal the holes every hole and crack. About one-third of this with low-expansion spray foam made air infiltrates through openings in your ceilings, for this purpose. walls, and floors. • Look for dirty spots on your ceiling paint and carpet, which may indicate • Replacing existing door bottoms air leaks at interior wall/ceiling joints and thresholds with ones that have and wall/floor joists. These joints can pliable sealing gaskets is a great way be caulked. to eliminate conditioned air leaking • Install storm windows over single-pane out from underneath the doors. windows or replace them with more • Fireplace flues are made from metal, efficient windows, such as double- and over time repeated heating and pane. See Windows on page 18 for cooling can cause the metal to warp more information. or break, creating a channel for hot • When the fireplace is not in use, keep or cold air loss. Inflatable chimney the flue damper tightly closed. A balloons are designed to fit beneath chimney is designed specifically for your fireplace flue during periods smoke to escape, so until you close it, of non-use. They are made from warm air escapes—24 hours a day! several layers of durable plastic and can be removed easily and reused • For new construction, reduce exterior hundreds of times. Should you wall leaks by installing house wrap, forget to remove the balloon before taping the joints of exterior sheathing, making a fire, the balloon will and comprehensively caulking and Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks automatically deflate within seconds sealing the exterior walls. of coming into contact with heat. • Use foam sealant around larger gaps around windows, baseboards, and other places where warm air may be leaking out. • Kitchen exhaust fan covers can keep air from leaking in when the exhaust fan is not in use. The covers typically attach via magnets for ease of replacement. 9

Heating and Cooling H if in doubt about how to perform eating and cooling your home this task, call a professional. uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other • Place heat-resistant radiator system in your home. Typically, 46% reflectors between exterior walls of your utility bill goes for heating and the radiators. and cooling. What’s more, heating • Turn off kitchen, bath, and other and cooling systems in the United exhaust fans within 20 minutes after States together emit 150 million tons you are done cooking or bathing; of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when replacing exhaust fans, each year, adding to global climate consider installing high-efficiency, change. They also generate about low-noise models. 12% of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and • During the heating season, keep the 4% of the nitrogen oxides, the chief draperies and shades on your south- ingredients in acid rain. facing windows open during the day No matter what kind of heating, to allow the sunlight to enter your ventilation, and air-conditioning home and closed at night to reduce system you have in your house, you the chill you may feel from cold can save money and increase your windows. comfort by properly maintaining • During the cooling season, keep the and upgrading your equipment. But window coverings closed during the remember, an energy-efficient furnace day to prevent solar gain. alone will not have as great an impact $ Long-Term Savings Tips on your energy bills as using the whole-house approach. By combining • Select energy-efficient products proper equipment maintenance and when you buy new heating and upgrades with appropriate insulation, cooling equipment. Your contractor air sealing, and thermostat settings, should be able to give you energy you can cut your energy use for fact sheets for different types, heating and cooling, and reduce models, and designs to help you environmental emissions, from 20% to 50%. No Heating System 1% Heating and Cooling Tips Fuel • Set your thermostat as low as is Oil Other 7% comfortable in the winter and 9% as high as is comfortable in the Natural Gas summer. 53% Electricity • Clean or replace filters on furnaces 30% Heating and Cooling once a month or as needed. • Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by Household Heating Systems furniture, carpeting, or drapes. Although several different types of fuels are • Bleed trapped air from hot-water available to heat our homes, more than half of us radiators once or twice a season; use natural gas. 10

compare energy usage. For furnaces, will have to work longer to keep your look for high Annual Fuel Utilization house comfortable. Either way, your Efficiency (AFUE) ratings. The energy losses cost you money. national minimum is 78% AFUE, but Although minor duct repairs are there are ENERGY STAR models on easy to make, ducts in unconditioned the market that exceed 90% AFUE. spaces should be sealed and insulated • For air conditioners, look for a high by qualified professionals using Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio appropriate sealing materials. Here (SEER). The current minimum is 13 are a few simple tips to help with SEER for central air conditioners. minor duct repairs. ENERGY STAR models are 14 Duct Tips SEER or more. • Check your ducts for air leaks. Air Ducts First, look for sections that should be joined but have separated and One of the most important systems in then look for obvious holes. your home, though it’s hidden beneath your feet and over your head, may be • If you use tape to seal your ducts, wasting a lot of your energy dollars. avoid cloth-backed, rubber adhesive Your home’s duct system, a branching duct tape, which tends to fail network of tubes in the walls, floors, and quickly. Researchers recommend ceilings, carries the air from your home’s other products to seal ducts: mastic, furnace and central air conditioner to butyl tape, foil tape, or other heat- each room. Ducts are made of sheet approved tapes. Look for tape with metal, fiberglass, or other materials. the Underwriters Laboratories logo. Unfortunately, many duct systems • Remember that insulating ducts are poorly insulated or not insulated in the basement will make the properly. Ducts that leak heated air basement colder. If both the into unheated spaces can add hundreds ducts and the basement walls are of dollars a year to your heating and uninsulated, consider insulating cooling bills. Insulating ducts that are both. Water pipes and drains in in unconditioned spaces is usually very unconditioned spaces could freeze cost effective. If you are buying a new and burst in the space if the heat duct system, consider one that comes ducts are fully insulated, because with insulation already installed. there would be no heat source to prevent the space from freezing in Sealing your ducts to prevent leaks is cold weather. However, using an even more important if the ducts are electric heating tape wrap on the located in an unconditioned area such pipes can prevent this. Check with a as an attic or vented crawl space. If professional contractor. the supply ducts are leaking, heated or cooled air can be forced out of Heating and Cooling unsealed joints and lost. In addition, unconditioned air can be drawn into return ducts through unsealed joints. In the summer, hot attic air can be drawn in, increasing the load on the air conditioner. In the winter, your furnace 11

Ducts—Out-of-Sight, Out-of-Mind The unsealed ducts in your attic and crawlspaces lose air, and uninsulated ducts lose heat, wasting energy and money. and repairs to a duct system should • If your basement has been converted always be performed by a qualified to a living area, hire a professional professional. to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms. • Ducts that don’t work properly can create serious, life-threatening carbon • Be sure a well-sealed vapor monoxide (CO) problems in the barrier exists on the outside of home. Install a CO monitor to alert the insulation on cooling ducts to you to harmful CO levels if you have prevent moisture buildup. a fuel-burning furnace, stove or other • When doing ductwork, be sure to appliance, or an attached garage. get professional help. Changes $ Long-Term Savings Tip Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector • You can lose up to 60% of your heated Heating and Cooling air before it reaches the register if Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are your ducts aren’t insulated and travel highly recommended in homes with through unheated spaces such as the fuel-burning appliances, such as natural attic or crawlspace. Get a qualified gas furnaces, stoves, ovens, and water professional to help you insulate heaters, and fuel-burning space heaters. and repair ducts. An alarm signals homeowners if CO reaches potentially dangerous levels. 12

Heat Pumps the same house that does not include passive solar design. Heat pumps are the most efficient form of electric heating in moderate climates, Passive solar design can also help reduce providing three times more heating than your cooling costs. Passive solar cooling the equivalent amount of energy they techniques include carefully designed consume in electricity. There are three overhangs, windows with reflective types of heat pumps: air-to-air, water coatings, and reflective coatings on source, and ground source. They collect exterior walls and the roof. heat from the air, water, or ground A passive solar house requires careful outside your home and concentrate it for design and site orientation, which use inside. Heat pumps do double duty depend on the local climate. So, if you as a central air conditioner. They can are considering passive solar design for also cool your home by collecting the new construction or a major remodeling, heat inside your house and effectively you should consult an architect familiar pumping it outside. A heat pump can with passive solar techniques. trim the amount of electricity you use for heating by as much as 30% to 40%. Solar Tips • Keep all south-facing glass clean. Heat Pump Tips • Do not set back the heat pump’s • Make sure that objects do not block thermostat manually if it causes the the sunlight shining on concrete slab electric resistance heating to come on. floors or heat-absorbing walls. This type of heating, which is often Natural Gas and Oil Heating used as a backup to the heat pump, If you plan to buy a new heating system, is more expensive. ask your local utility or state energy • Clean or change filters once a month office for information about the latest or as needed, and maintain the technologies available to consumers. system according to manufacturer’s They can advise you about more instructions. efficient systems on the market today. For example, many newer models $ Long-Term Savings Tip incorporate designs for burners and • If you use electricity to heat your heat exchangers that result in higher home and live in a moderate climate, efficiencies during operation and reduce consider installing an energy- efficient heat loss when the equipment is off. heat pump system. Consider a sealed combustion furnace; they are both safer and more efficient. Solar Heating and Cooling Check the shopping guide in the back Using passive solar design techniques to of this booklet for additional information heat and cool your home can be on how to understand heating system both environmentally friendly and ratings. cost effective. Passive solar heating Heating and Cooling $ Long-Term Savings Tip techniques include placing larger, insulated windows on south-facing walls • Install a new energy-efficient furnace and locating thermal mass, such as a to save money over the long term. concrete slab floor or a heat-absorbing Look for the ENERGY STAR and wall, close to the windows. In many EnergyGuide labels. cases, your heating costs could be more than 50% lower than the cost of heating 13

Hot Winter Tip Using a programmable thermostat, you can automatically turn down your heat at night or when you are not at home. Cool Summer Tip In the summer, you can save money by automatically turning your air-conditioning up at night or when you are at work. conditioner that’s too big for the area Programmable Thermostats it is supposed to cool will perform less You can save as much as 10% a year efficiently and less effectively than a on your heating and cooling bills by smaller, properly sized unit. simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do Sizing is equally important for central this automatically by installing an air-conditioning systems, which need to automatic setback or programmable be sized by professionals. If you have thermostat. a central air system in your home, set the fan to shut off at the same time as Using a programmable thermostat, you the cooling unit (compressor). In other can adjust the times you turn on the words, don’t use the system’s central fan heating or air-conditioning according to provide circulation, but instead use to a preset schedule. As a result, the circulating fans in individual rooms. equipment doesn’t operate as much when you are asleep or when the Cooling Tips house, or a part of it, is not occupied. • Whole-house fans help cool your home Programmable thermostats can store by pulling cool air through the house and repeat multiple daily settings and exhausting warm air through the (six or more temperature settings a attic. day) that you can manually override • Set your thermostat as high as without affecting the rest of the daily comfortably possible in the summer. or weekly program. When shopping for The smaller the difference between the a programmable thermostat, be sure to indoor and outdoor temperatures, the Heating and Cooling look for the ENERGY STAR label. lower your overall cooling bill will be. • Avoid setting your thermostat at a Air Conditioners colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will Buying a bigger room air-conditioning not cool your home any faster and unit won’t necessarily make you feel could result in excessive cooling and, more comfortable during the hot therefore, unnecessary expense. summer months. In fact, a room air 14

Buildings and Trees—Natural Partners Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides will help keep your house cool in the summer and 02477415m allow sun to shine in the windows in the winter. of this booklet will help you find the • Consider using an interior fan in right size unit for your needs. conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air • Consider installing a whole- more effectively through your home house fan or evaporative cooler if without greatly increasing your power appropriate for your climate. Check use. out www.energysavers.gov for more information on efficient cooling. • Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. Landscaping The thermostat senses heat from Landscaping is a natural and beautiful these appliances, which can cause way to keep your home cool in the air conditioner to run longer than summer and reduce your energy bills. necessary. A well-placed tree, shrub, or vine • Plant trees or shrubs to shade air can deliver effective shade, act as a conditioning units but not to block the windbreak, and reduce your energy airflow. Place your room air conditioner bills. Carefully positioned trees can on the north side of the house. A unit save up to 25% of the energy a typical operating in the shade uses as much as household uses for energy. Research 10% less electricity than the same one shows that summer daytime air operating in the sun. temperatures can be 3° to 6° cooler Heating and Cooling $ Long-Term Savings Tips in tree-shaded neighborhoods than in treeless areas. • If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient A lattice or trellis with climbing model. You could save up to 50% on vines, or a planter box with trailing your utility bill for cooling. Look for vines, shades the home’s perimeter the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide while admitting cooling breezes to the labels. The shopping guide in the back shaded area. 15

Water Heating W ater heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. It typically accounts for about 13%–17% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model. Water Heating Tips • Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads. • Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time. • Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses. • Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. • Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be Keep Your Energy Bills Out of Hot Water careful not to cover the water Insulate your water heater to save energy and money. heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; • Install heat traps on the hot and cold when in doubt, get professional help. pipes at the water heater to prevent • Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and heat loss. Some new water heaters cold water pipes connected to the have built-in heat traps. water heater. • Drain a quart of water from your • If you are in the market for a new water tank every 3 months to remove dishwasher or clothes washer, sediment that impedes heat transfer Water Heating consider buying an efficient, and lowers the efficiency of your water-saving ENERGY STAR heater. The type of water tank you model to reduce hot water use. See have determines the steps to take, so Appliances on page 22 for more follow the manufacturer’s advice. information. 16

Average Hot Water Use • Although most water heaters last Activity Gallons per Use 10–15 years, it’s best to start shopping Clothes washing 32 now for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research Showering 20 before your heater fails will enable Bathing 20 you to select one that most Automatic 12 appropriately meets your needs. dishwashing $ Long-Term Savings Tips Preparing food 5 • Buy a new energy-efficient water Hand dishwashing 4 heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the Source: ACEEE energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance. Look for the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide More than 1.5 million homes and businesses in the United States labels. have invested in solar water heating • Look for the ENERGY STAR label on systems, and surveys indicate that efficient water heaters in the following more than 94% of these customers categories: high efficiency gas non- consider the systems a good condensing, gas condensing, electric investment. Solar water heating heat pump, gas tankless, and solar. systems are also good for the • Consider installing a drain water waste environment. Solar water heaters heat recovery system. A recent DOE avoid the greenhouse gas emissions study showed energy savings of 25% associated with electricity production. to about 30% for water heating using During a 20-year period, one solar such a system. water heater can avoid more than 50 • Consider natural gas on-demand or tons of carbon dioxide emissions. tankless water heaters. Researchers When shopping for a solar water have found savings can be up to 30% heater, look for the ENERGY STAR compared with a standard natural gas label and for systems certified by storage tank water heater. the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation or the Florida Solar • Heat pump water heaters can be very Energy Center. cost-effective in some areas. $ Long-Term Savings Tip Solar Water Heaters • Visit the Database of State Incentives If you heat water with electricity, for Renewables & Efficiency Web have high electric rates, and have an site (www.dsireusa.org) to see if unshaded, south-facing location (such you might qualify for tax credits as a roof) on your property, consider or rebates for buying a solar water installing an ENERGY STAR qualified heater. solar water heater. The solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be Water Heating installed on your roof to blend with the architecture of your house. 17

Windows W indows can be one of your home’s most attractive features. Windows provide views, daylighting, ventilation, and solar heating in the winter. Unfortunately, they can also account for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. During the summer, your air conditioner must work harder to cool hot air from sunny windows. Install ENERGY STAR windows and use curtains and shade to give your air conditioner and energy bill a break. If you live in the 02477413m Cold-Climate Windows Keep Heat In Sun Belt, look into low-e Double-pane windows with low-e coating on the glass reflect windows, which can cut the heat back into the room during the winter months. cooling load by 10% to 15%. Cold-Climate Window Tips If your home has single- • You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic pane windows, as many U.S. homes sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic do, consider replacing them with film to the inside of your window new double-pane windows with frames during the cold winter months. high-performance glass (e.g., low-e Remember, the plastic must be sealed or spectrally selective). In colder tightly to the frame to help reduce climates, select windows that are gas infiltration. filled with low emissivity (low-e) coatings on the glass to reduce • Install tight-fitting, insulating window heat loss. In warmer climates, select shades on windows that feel drafty windows with spectrally selective after weatherizing. coatings to reduce heat gain. If you are • Close your curtains and shades at building a new home, you can offset night; open them during the day. some of the cost of installing more • Keep windows on the south side of your efficient windows because they house clean to let in the winter sun. allow you to buy smaller, less • Install exterior or interior storm expensive heating and cooling windows; storm windows can reduce equipment. heat loss through the windows by 25% If you decide not to replace your to 50%. Storm windows should have windows, the simpler, less costly weatherstripping at all movable joints; measures listed here can improve their be made of strong, durable materials; Windows performance. and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more energy. 18

Efficient windows may have two or more panes of glass, warm- edge spacers between the window panes, improved framing materials, and low-e coating(s), which are microscopically thin coatings that help keep heat inside during the winter and outside during the summer. Shopping Tips for Windows • Look for the ENERGY STAR label. • Check with local utilities to see what rebates or other financial incentives are available for window Warm-Climate Windows Keep Heat Out replacement. In the summertime, the sun shining through your windows heats up the room. Windows with low-e • High-performance windows have coatings on the glass reflect some of the sunlight, at least two panes of glass and a keeping your rooms cooler. low-e (low emissivity) coating. • Remember, the lower the U-factor, the better the insulation. In colder • Repair and weatherize your current climates, focus on finding a low storm windows, if necessary. U-factor. Warm-Climate Window Tips • Low solar heat gain coefficients • Install white window shades, drapes, (SHGCs) reduce heat gain. In or blinds to reflect heat away from warm climates, look for a low the house. SHGC. • Close curtains on south- and west- • In temperate climates with both facing windows during the day. heating and cooling seasons, select • Install awnings on south- and west- windows with both low U-factors facing windows. and low SHGCs to maximize • Apply sun-control or other reflective energy savings. films on south-facing windows to • Look for whole-unit U-factors reduce solar gain. and SHGCs, rather than center- $ Long-Term Savings Tip of-glass, or COG, U-factors and SHGCs. Whole-unit numbers • Installing, high-performance windows more accurately reflect the energy will improve your home’s energy performance of the entire product. performance. While it may take many years for new windows to pay off in • Have your windows installed energy savings, the benefits of added by trained professionals. Be comfort and improved aesthetics and sure they’re installed according functionality may make the investment to manufacturer’s instructions; Windows worth it to you. Many window otherwise, your warranty may be technologies are available that are void. worth considering. 19

Lighting than incandescent bulbs initially, over their lifetime they are cheaper because M of how little electricity they use. CFL aking improvements to your lighting fixtures are now available lighting is one of the fastest that are compatible with dimmers and ways to cut your energy bills. An operate like incandescent fixtures. average household dedicates 10% of Indoor Lighting Tips its energy budget to lighting. Using • Be sure to buy ENERGY STAR new lighting technologies can reduce qualified CFLs. lighting energy use in your home by - They will save you about $30 or more 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting in electricity costs over each bulb’s controls offer further energy savings lifetime. by reducing the amount of time lights - Producing about 75% less heat, they are on but not being used. are safer to operate and can cut home cooling costs. - Visit www.energystar.gov to find the right light bulbs for your fixtures. They are available in sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture. - They provide the greatest savings in fixtures that are on for a long time each day. The best fixtures to use qualified CFLs in are usually found in your family and living rooms, kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, and outdoors. • Consider purchasing ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures. They are available in Compact Fluorescent Bulbs— many styles including table, desk and A Bright Idea! floor lamps — and hard-wired options ENERGY STAR qualified lighting provides bright, for front porches, dining rooms, warm light and uses about 75% less energy bathroom vanity fixtures, and more. than standard lighting, produces 75% less heat, and lasts up to 10 times longer. Indoor Lighting Use linear fluorescent tubes and energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your home to provide high-quality and high-efficiency lighting. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent (standard) bulbs and last about 6 to 12 times longer. Today’s CFLs offer brightness and color rendition that is comparable to CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury sealed Lighting incandescent bulbs. Although linear within the glass tubing. Many retailers are offering fluorescent and CFLs cost a bit more free recycling services for consumers at their stores. 20

Outdoor Lighting Many homeowners use outdoor lighting for decoration and security. When shopping for outdoor lights, you will find a variety of products, from low-voltage pathway lighting to motion-detector floodlights. Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, thrive in outdoor environments because of their durability and performance in cold weather. Look for ENERGY STAR LED products such as pathway lights, step lights, and porch lights for outdoor use. Outdoor Lighting Tips ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs are available in • Because outdoor lights are usually sizes and shapes to fit in almost any fixture. left on a long time, using CFLs in these fixtures will save a lot of energy. Most bare spiral CFLs can be • ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures used in enclosed fixtures that protect distribute light more efficiently and them from the weather. evenly than standard fixtures and they deliver convenient features such as • CFLs are also available as flood dimming on some indoor models. lights. These models have been tested to withstand the rain and snow so • Controls such as timers and photo they can be used in exposed fixtures. cells save electricity by turning lights Most though, cannot be used with off when not in use. Dimmers save motion detectors. electricity when used to lower light levels. Be sure to select products that • Look for ENERGY STAR qualified are compatible with CFL bulbs; not all fixtures that are designed for outdoor products work with CFLs. use and come with features like • When remodeling, look for recessed automatic daylight shut-off and downlights, or “cans”, that are rated for motion sensors. contact with insulation (IC rated). • Take advantage of daylight by using LED—A New Kind of Light light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to Light emitting diodes, or LEDs, offer penetrate the room while preserving better light quality than incandescent privacy. Also, decorate with lighter bulbs, last 25 times as long, and use colors that reflect daylight. even less energy than CFLs. Look for • If you have torchiere fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified LED products at halogen lamps, consider replacing them home improvement centers and lighting with compact fluorescent torchieres. showrooms. Compact fluorescent torchieres use 60% to 80% less energy and do not get as hot as halogen torchieres. Lighting 21

Appliances and 28 lists some of the major appliances that carry the ENERGY STAR label and A provides helpful information on what to ppliances account for about look for when shopping for an appliance. 17% of your household’s energy consumption, with refrigerators, To help you figure out whether an clothes washers, and clothes dryers at appliance is energy efficient, the federal the top of the consumption list. government requires most appliances to display the bright yellow and black When you’re shopping for appliances, EnergyGuide label. Although these think of two price tags. The first one labels will not tell you which appliance covers the purchase price—think of is the most efficient, they will tell you it as a down payment. The second the annual energy consumption and price tag is the cost of operating the operating cost for each appliance so appliance during its lifetime. You’ll be you can compare them yourself. The paying on that second price tag every American Council for an Energy- month with your utility bill for the Efficient Economy lists the energy next 10 to 20 years, depending on the performance of top-rated energy- appliance. Refrigerators last an average saving appliances on its web site: of 14 years; clothes washers about 11 www.aceee.org. years; dishwashers about 10 years; and room air conditioners last 9 years. Dishwashers Most of the energy used by a dishwasher When you do shop for a new is for water heating. The EnergyGuide appliance, look for the ENERGY label estimates how much power is STAR label. ENERGY STAR products needed per year to run the appliance and usually exceed minimum federal to heat the water based on the yearly cost standards by a substantial amount. The of natural gas and electric water heating. appliance shopping guide on pages 27 Appliances What’s the Real Cost? Every appliance has two price tags—the purchase price and the operating cost. Consider both when buying a new appliance. 22

• Let your dishes air dry; if you don’t What’s a kilowatt? have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the When you use electricity to cook a pot of final rinse and prop the door open rice for 1 hour, you use 1000 watt-hours of electricity! One thousand watt-hours equals slightly so the dishes will dry faster. 1 kilowatt-hour, or 1 kWh. Your utility bill usually shows what you are charged for the $ Long-Term Savings Tip kilowatt-hours you use. The average residential • When shopping for a new rate is 9.4 cents per kWh. A typical U.S. dishwasher, look for the ENERGY household consumes about 11,000 kWh per STAR label to find a dishwasher that year, costing an average of $1,034 annually. uses less water and 41% less energy than required by federal standards. Dishwasher Tips • Check the manual that came with your Refrigerators dishwasher for the manufacturer’s The EnergyGuide label on new recommendations on water refrigerators tells you how much temperature; many have internal electricity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) a heating elements that allow you to particular model uses in one year. The set the water heater in your home smaller the number, the less energy to a lower temperature (120°F). the refrigerator uses and the less it • Scrape, don’t rinse, off large will cost you to operate. In addition food pieces and bones. Soaking to the EnergyGuide label, don’t forget or prewashing is generally only to look for the ENERGY STAR label. recommended in cases of burned-on A new refrigerator with an ENERGY or dried-on food. STAR label uses at least 20% less • Be sure your dishwasher is full, but energy than required by current not overloaded, when you run it. federal standards and 40% less energy • Avoid using the “rinse hold” on your than the conventional models sold in machine for just a few soiled dishes. 2001. It uses 3 to 7 gallons of hot water each time you use it. How to Read the EnergyGuide Label The EnergyGuide label gives you two important pieces of information you can use to compare different brands and models when shopping for a new refrigerator: • Estimated yearly operating cost based on the national average cost of electricity. • Estimated energy consumption on a scale showing a range for similar models Appliances 23

Refrigerator/Freezer Energy Tips • Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods • Look for a refrigerator with release moisture and make the automatic moisture control. compressor work harder. Models with this feature have been engineered to prevent moisture $ Long-Term Savings Tip accumulation on the cabinet exterior • Look for the ENERGY STAR label without the addition of a heater. when buying a new refrigerator. Select This is not the same thing as an a new refrigerator that is the right “anti-sweat” heater. Models with an size for your household. Top freezer anti-sweat heater will consume 5% models are more energy efficient than to 10% more energy than models side-by-side models. Features like without this feature. icemakers and water dispensers, while • Don’t keep your refrigerator or convenient, will increase energy use. 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. • To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours. • Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup decreases the energy efficiency of the unit. Don’t allow frost to build up more than one- quarter of an inch. • Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider ENERGY STAR Refrigerators Are Cool! buying a new unit. Appliances Refrigerators with the freezer on the top are more efficient than those with freezers on the side. 24

Other Energy-Saving Kitchen Tips or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of • Be sure to place the faucet lever on the cleaning your clothes. Switching your kitchen sink in the cold position when temperature setting from hot to warm using small amounts of water; placing can cut a load’s energy use in half. the lever in the hot position uses energy to heat the water even though it Laundry Tips may never reach the faucet. • Wash your clothes in cold water • If you need to purchase a natural gas using cold-water detergents oven or range, look for one with an whenever possible. automatic, electric ignition system. • Wash and dry full loads. If you An electric ignition saves natural gas are washing a small load, use the because a pilot light is not burning appropriate water-level setting. continuously. • Dry towels and heavier cottons in • In natural gas appliances, look for a separate load from lighter-weight blue flames; yellow flames indicate clothes. the gas is burning inefficiently and an adjustment may be needed. Consult the • Don’t over-dry your clothes. If your manufacturer or your local utility. machine has a moisture sensor, use it. • Keep range-top burners and reflectors • Clean the lint filter in the dryer clean; they will reflect the heat better, after every load to improve air and you will save energy. circulation. • Use a covered kettle or pan to boil • Use the cool-down cycle to allow water; it’s faster and it uses less energy. the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer. • Match the size of the pan to the heating element. • Periodically inspect your dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will • Use small electric pans or toaster ovens save energy and may prevent a fire. for small meals rather than your large Manufacturers recommend using stove or oven. A toaster oven uses a rigid venting material, not plastic third to half as much energy as a full- vents that may collapse and cause sized oven. blockages. • Use pressure cookers and microwave • Consider air-drying clothes on ovens whenever it is convenient clothes lines or drying racks. Air- to do so. They will save energy by drying is recommended by clothing significantly reducing cooking time. manufacturers for some fabrics. Laundry About 90% of the energy used for $ Long-Term Savings Tips washing clothes in a conventional • Look for the ENERGY STAR and top-load washer is for heating the water. EnergyGuide labels. ENERGY There are two ways to reduce the amount STAR clothes washers clean clothes of energy used for washing clothes—use using 50% less energy than standard less water and use cooler water. Unless Appliances washers. Most full-sized ENERGY you’re dealing with oily stains, the warm 25

How Much Electricity Do Appliances Use? This chart shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost based on national averages. For example, a refrigerator uses almost five times the electricity the average television uses. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on calculating the electrical use of your appliances. STAR washers use 15 gallons of water per load, compared to the 32.5 gallons used by a new standard machine. ENERGY STAR models also spin the clothes better, resulting in less drying time. • When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only will this save energy, it will save the wear and tear on Save Energy and More with ENERGY STAR your clothes caused by over-drying. ENERGY STAR clothes washers use 50% less • ENERGY STAR does not label energy to wash clothes than standard washing machines. clothes dryers because most of them use similar amounts of energy, which means there is little difference Appliances in energy use between models. 26

Major Appliance Shopping Guide This easy-to-read guide may help you understand how appliances are rated for efficiency, what the ratings mean, and what to look for while shopping for new appliances. Appliances Rating Special Considerations Natural Look for the FTC (Federal Trade Bigger is not always better! Too large a Gas and Oil Commission) EnergyGuide label with system costs more and operates inefficiently. an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Have a professional assess your needs and Systems Efficiency) rating for natural gas- and recommend the type and size of system you oil-fired furnaces and boilers. The should purchase. AFUE measures the seasonal or annual efficiency. ENERGY STAR furnaces have a 90 AFUE or higher. Air-Source Look for the EnergyGuide label that If you live in a cool climate, look for a heat Heat Pumps lists the SEER (Seasonal Energy pump with a high HSPF. ENERGY STAR heat Efficiency Ratio) and HSPF (Heating pumps are about 20% more efficient than Seasonal Performance Factor) for heat standard models. Contact a professional for pumps. The SEER measures the energy advice on purchasing a heat pump. efficiency during the cooling season and HSPF measures the efficiency during the heating season. The ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency level is 13 SEER or higher. Central Air Look for the EnergyGuide label with Air conditioners that bear the ENERGY Conditioners a SEER for central air conditioners. STAR label may be 25% more efficient than The ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency standard models. Contact a professional for level is 13 SEER. advice on sizing a central air system. What size to buy? Room Air Look for the EnergyGuide label with an Conditioners EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) for room Area in Btu/ Two major factors air conditioners. The higher the EER, square feet hour should guide your the more efficient the unit is. ENERGY purchase: correct STAR units are among the most energy- 100 to 150 5,000 size and energy efficient products. 150 to 250 6,000 efficiency. If the 250 to 350 7,000 room is very sunny, increase capacity 350 to 450 9,000 by 10%. If the unit 400 to 450 10,000 is for a kitchen, 450 to 550 12,000 increase the 550 to 700 14,000 Appliances capacity by 4,000 700 to 1,000 18,000 Btu per hour. 27

Appliances Rating Special Considerations Programmable For minimum ENERGY STAR efficiency, Look for a the ENERGY STAR label and Thermostats thermostats should have at least two a thermostat that allows you to easily programs, four temperature settings use two separate programs, one that each, a hold feature that allows users can be programmed to reach the desired to temporarily override settings, and the temperature at a specific time, and a ability to maintain room temperature hold feature that temporarily overrides within 2ºF of desired temperature. the setting without deleting the preset programs. Water Heaters Look for the EnergyGuide label that If you typically need a lot of hot water at tells how much energy the water once, the FHR will be important to you. heater uses in one year. Also, look for Sizing is important—call your local utility the FHR (first hour rating) of the water for advice. heater, which measures the maximum hot water the heater will deliver in the first hour of use. ENERGY STAR labeled water heaters available January 2009. Windows Look for the NFRC (National Look at the Climate Region Map on the Fenestration Rating Council) label that ENERGY STAR label to be sure that the provides U-values and SHGC (solar heat window, door, or skylight you have selected gain coefficient) values. The lower the is appropriate for where you live. U-value, the better the insulation. Refrigerators Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for energy-efficient refrigerators and and Freezers tells how much electricity, in kWh, the freezers. Refrigerators with freezers on top refrigerator will use in one year. The are more efficient than those with freezers smaller the number, the less energy it on the side. Also look for heavy door hinges uses. ENERGY STAR refrigerators use at that create a good door seal. least 20% less energy than required by federal standards. Dishwashers Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for features that will reduce water tells how much electricity, in kWh, the use, such as booster heaters and smart dishwasher will use in one year. The controls. Ask how many gallons of water smaller the number, the less energy it the dishwasher uses during different Major Appliances Shopping Guide Major Appliances Shopping Guide uses. ENERGY STAR dishwashers use at cycles. Dishwashers that use the least least 41% less energy than required by amount of water will cost the least to federal standards. operate. Clothes Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for the following design features that Washers tells how much electricity, in kWh, the help clothes washers cut water usage: clothes washer will use in one year. The water level controls, “suds-saver” features, smaller the number, the less energy is spin cycle adjustments, and large capacity. uses. ENERGY STAR clothes washers For double the efficiency, buy an ENERGY use less than 50% of the energy used STAR unit. by standard washers. 28

Home Office and Home Electronics I n the U.S., nearly 4.2 million Shop for ENERGY STAR people worked from home in 2000, Products for Offices up from 3.4 million in 1990. Working • Computers from home saves energy and time by cutting out the commute, but it may • Copiers increase your home energy bills a lot • Fax Machines unless you use energy-saving office • Monitors equipment. • Multifunction Devices (fax, scanner, copier) ENERGY STAR labeled office • Printers equipment is widely available: it • Scanners provides users with dramatic savings, as much as 90% savings for some products. Overall, ENERGY STAR machines when they are not in labeled office products use about half use can result in enormous energy the electricity of standard equipment. savings. Along with saving energy directly, • An ENERGY STAR labeled this equipment can reduce air- computer uses 70% less electricity conditioning loads, noise from fans than computers without this and transformers, and electromagnetic designation. If left inactive, field emissions from monitors. ENERGY STAR labeled desktop Home Office Tips computers enter a sleep mode and • Selecting energy-efficient office use 4 watts or less. equipment—personal computers (PCs), monitors, copiers, printers, and fax machines—and turning off Home Office and Home Electronics Keep Your Home Office Efficient with ENERGY STAR Home offices are increasingly popular. Be sure to use ENERGY STAR office equipment to save electricity. 29

Spending a large portion of time Shop for ENERGY STAR in low-power mode not only saves Home Electronics energy, but helps equipment run • Cordless Phones cooler and last longer. • Televisions • To maximize savings with a laptop, • VCRs and DVD Players put the AC adapter on a power strip • Combination Units (TV/VCR; that can be turned off (or will turn TV/DVD) off automatically); the transformer • Home Audio in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop • Set-Top Boxes is not plugged into the adapter. • Common misconceptions sometimes kitchen appliances. These phantom account for the failure to turn off loads can be avoided by unplugging equipment. Many people believe the appliance or using a power strip that equipment lasts longer if it is and using the switch on the power strip never turned off. This incorrect to cut all power to the appliance. perception carries over from the • Unplug battery chargers when the days of older mainframe computers. batteries are fully charged or the • ENERGY STAR labeled computers chargers are not in use. and monitors save energy only when • Studies have shown that using the power management features rechargeable batteries for products are activated, so make sure power like cordless phones and PDAs is management is activated on your more cost effective than throwaway computer. batteries. If you must use throaways, • There is a common misconception check with your trash removal that screen savers reduce energy use company about safe disposal options. by monitors; they do not. Automatic switching to sleep mode or manually turning monitors off is always the better energy-saving strategy. $ Long-Term Savings Tip • Consider buying a laptop for your Home Office and Home Electronics next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers. Home Electronics Tips • Look for energy-saving ENERGY STAR labeled home electronics. • Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and Smart power strips help save wasted energy. 30

Driving and Car Maintenance T Car Maintenance Tips ransportation accounts for 67% of • Use the grade of motor oil U.S. oil use—mainly in the form of recommended by your car’s gasoline. Luckily, there are plenty of manufacturer. Using a different ways to improve gas mileage. motor oil can lower your gasoline Driving Tips mileage by 1% to 2%. • Idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. • Keep tires properly inflated and The best way to warm up a vehicle is aligned to improve your gasoline to drive it. No more than 30 seconds mileage by around 3.3%. of idling on winter days is needed. Anything more simply wastes fuel • Get regular engine tune-ups and car and increases emissions. maintenance checks to avoid fuel economy problems due to worn • Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid spark plugs, dragging brakes, low acceleration, and hard braking) transmission fluid, or transmission wastes gas. It can lower your problems. highway gas mileage 33% and city mileage 5%. • Replace clogged air filters to improve gas mileage by as much • Avoid high speeds. Above 60 mph, as 10% and protect your engine. gas mileage drops rapidly. • Combine errands into one trip. • Clear out your car; extra weight Several short trips, each one taken decreases gas mileage by 1% to 2% for from a cold start, can use twice as every 100 pounds. much fuel as one trip covering the • Reduce drag by placing items inside same distance when the engine is the car or trunk rather than on roof warm. racks. A roof rack or carrier $ Long-Term Savings Tip provides additional • Consider buying a highly cargo space fuel-efficient vehicle. A fuel- and may efficient vehicle, a hybrid allow you to vehicle, or an alternative buy a smaller fuel vehicle could save you car. However, a lot at the gas pump and a loaded help the environment. See roof rack can the Fuel Economy Guide decrease your Driving and Car Maintenance (www.fueleconomy.gov) fuel economy for more on buying a by 5% or more. new fuel-efficient car or • Check into truck. telecommuting, carpooling and public transit to cut mileage and car maintenance costs. 31

Renewable Energy Y and a good solar resource, you might ou have many options for using want to consider generating your renewable energy at home—from own electricity using PV cells. New solar-powered outdoor lights to buying products are available that integrate renewable energy from your utility PV cells with the roof, making them to even producing solar electricity at much less visible than older systems. home with photovoltaic (PV) cells. If the following conditions apply, you Renewable Energy Tips might want to do more research to see • A new home provides the best if investing in PV is right for you: opportunity for designing and orienting the home to take advantage • Your site has adequate solar resources. of the sun’s rays. A well-oriented • A grid connection is not available in home admits low-angle winter sun your area or can be made only through to reduce heating bills and rejects an expensive power line extension. overhead summer sun to reduce cooling bills. See the Heating and Cooling section for more about using passive solar energy in your home. • Many U.S. consumers buy electricity made from renewable energy sources like the sun, wind, water, plants, and Earth’s internal heat. This power is sometimes called “green power.” Buying green power from the utility is one of the easiest ways to use renewable energy without having to invest in equipment or take on extra maintenance. • Another use of solar power is for heating water. Solar water heating is covered in the Water Heating section Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting on page 16. If you have a swimming Installing solar lighting around your home and garden pool or hot tub, you can use solar is quick and easy with an added bonus—no wires or power to cut pool heating costs. electricity costs! Most solar pool heating systems are • You are willing to pay more up front cost competitive with conventional to reduce the environmental impact of systems. And solar pool systems your electricity use. have very low operating costs. It’s • Your power provider will connect your actually the most cost-effective use Renewable Energy system to the electricity grid and buy of solar energy. any excess power you produce. $ Long-Term Savings Tip • Your state, city, or utility offers • If you’ve made your home as rebates, tax credits, or other incentives. energy efficient as possible, and Visit www.dsireusa.org to find out you have very high electricity bills about financial incentives in your area. 32

References American Council for an ENERGY SAVERS Energy-Efficient Economy www.energysavers.gov www.aceee.org/consumer/ ENERGY STAR® Census Bureau Press Release, www.energystar.gov Information on Home Workers Home Energy Magazine October 20, 2004. CB04-183. www.homeenergy.org DOE Building America Rocky Mountain Institute www.BuildingAmerica.gov Home Energy Briefs DOE Building Technologies Program www.rmi.org www.buildings.energy.gov Wilson, Alex; Thorne, Jennifer; Morrill, John. DOE Building Technologies Program, Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, 2007 Buildings Energy Databook 8th Edition. 2003. Washington, D.C.: ACEEE buildingsdatabook.eere.energy.gov DOE Consumer Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy www.eere.energy.gov/consumer DOE/EPA Fuel Economy Guide www.fueleconomy.gov DOE Energy Information Administration Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2005 www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/contents.html NOTICE: This booklet was prepared by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, References recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. 33

Visit www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips/ to order booklets, download the PDF, and view the booklet online. A Strong Energy Portfolio for a Strong America For more information contact: Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a EERE Information Center stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy 1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) independence for America. Working with a wide array of state, www.eere.energy.gov community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in a diverse portfolio of energy technologies. Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585 by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE National Laboratory October 2008 Printed with renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% postconsumer waste. Inside illustrations © 1998 Greening America Printing paid for by the partner organization identified on the back cover.

1 U S Dept Of Energy Energy Savers Booklet

by Jennifer Rathbun on May 03, 2009

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

Statistics

1 U S Dept Of Energy Energy Savers Booklet — Document Transcript