This document provides many tips and strategies for reducing household electricity use and saving money. Some key recommendations include: - Washing clothes in cold water and replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs to save on energy costs. - Installing a programmable thermostat and using window shades strategically can cut cooling and heating costs by up to 10%. - Purchasing ENERGY STAR certified appliances and electronics can lower electricity bills by up to 30%. - Additional tips are given for improving insulation, sealing air leaks, cleaning HVAC filters regularly, adjusting water heater temperature, and more. The document encourages developing a whole-home energy savings plan.

1. How Can We Reduce Our Electricity Use?
We can also save money with these great ideas.

2. Think about it, plan, try it out, use
what works, and check to see how
well it works.
Conceive
Develop
Test
Implement
Analyze

3. Laundry
Wash clothes in cold
water to save $63 a
year.
(Department of Energy) Photos from Creative
Commons

4. Lighting
Energy for lighting accounts for
about 10% of your electric bill.
Examine the light bulbs in your
house and consider replacing
inefficient bulbs with a more
efficient choice, such as energy-
saving incandescents, compact
fluorescent lamps (CFLs), or light-
emitting diodes (LEDs). When
shopping for bulbs, consider the
brightness of the bulbs you want
and look for lumens and the Lighting
Facts label. Your electric utility may
offer rebates or other incentives for
purchasing energy-efficient lamps.
Also look for ways to use controls
such as sensors, dimmers, or timers
to reduce lighting use.
(Department of Energy) Photos from
Creative Commons

5. Lighting
Turn off all lights,
appliances and
electronics not in
use. A power strip
can help turn off
multiple items at
once.
(Department of Energy) Photos from Creative
Commons

6. Window shades
work
Use your window
shades. Close blinds
on the sunny side in
summer to keep out
the hot sun, and
open them in winter
to bring in warm
rays. (Department of Energy) Photos
from Creative Commons

7. Control
Install a
programmable
thermostat to
save up to 10%
on cooling and
heating costs.
(Department of Energy) Photos from
Creative Commons

8. Modern efficient
electronics
Look for the Energy Star
label, the government’s
symbol of energy
efficiency, on a wide
range of consumer
products to save up to
30% on related
electricity bills.
(Department of Energy) Photos from
Creative Commons

9. Control water
use
Use low-flow faucets
and shower heads to
save on water bills.
Your hot water is
heated with gas or
electricity, so the less
you use, the more you
save on fuel costs,
too.
(Department of Energy) Photos from
Creative Commons

10. Air flows better
through clean
filters.
Clean or change filters
regularly. A dirty
furnace or A/C filter will
slow down air flow and
make the system work
harder to keep you
warm or cool.
(Department of Energy: and Photos
from Creative Commons)

11. What can we do
with the water
heater?
Reduce water heater
temperature to 130° F
to save energy and
money on heating
water; and wrap the
water storage tank in a
specially-designed
“blanket” to retain the
heat. (Department of Energy: and
Photos from Creative Commons)

12. Caulk neatly
around windows
and doors.
Seal air leaks and
properly insulate to
save up to 20% on
heating and cooling
bills, while also
increasing home
comfort.
(Department of Energy) Photos from
Creative Commons

13. Seal places where air
leaks.
You can use
weatherstripping in your
home to seal air leaks
around movable joints, such
as windows or doors. To
determine how much
weatherstripping you will
need, add the perimeters of
all windows and doors to be
weatherstripped, then add
about 10 percent to
accommodate any waste.
(Department of Energy: and Photos from
Creative Commons)

14. You might consider the following:
•Unplugging an item when it is not in use to prevent phantom loads
•Changing the settings or using the item less often
•Purchasing a new, more efficient product. Learn more about shopping for efficient appliances
and electronics.
• "U.S. Department of Energy“ and Creative Commons

15. Appliances and
Electronics
The appliances and
electronics you choose and
how you use them affect
your energy use and costs.
Examine the appliances and
electronics in your home and
estimate their energy use.
Consider strategies for
reducing the energy use of
your appliances and
electronics.
http://energy.gov/energysaver/do-it-yourself-home-
energy-audits
"U.S. Department of Energy“ and Creative Commons

16. Prevent carbon
monoxide poisoning
The International Association of Fire Chiefs recommend a
carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home,
including the basement. A detector should be located
within 10 feet of each bedroom door and there should be
one near or over any attached garage. Each detector
should be replaced every five to six years.
http://www.homesafe.com/coalert/cofacts.htm
When sealing any home, you must always be aware of the
danger of indoor air pollution and combustion appliance
"backdrafts.
" Backdrafting is when the various combustion appliances
and exhaust fans in the home compete for air. An exhaust
fan may pull the combustion gases back into the living
space. This can obviously create a very dangerous and
unhealthy situation in the home.
"U.S. Department of Energy“ and Creative Commons

17. HOW DOES CO
ENTER THE HOME?
Carbon monoxide can escape from any fuel-
burning appliance, furnace, water heater,
fireplace, woodstove, or space heater.
Most newer homes are built very air-tight, thus
cutting down on the supply of fresh air to your
furnace - and creating an oxygen starved flame.
Tight closing replacement windows and doors, as
well as additional insulation can cause similar
problems in older homes.
Carbon monoxide can spill from vent
connections in poorly maintained or blocked
chimneys. If the flue liner is cracked or
deteriorated, CO can seep through the liner and
into the house - slowly creeping up to dangerous
levels. If a nest or other materials restrict or
block the flue, CO will mostly spill back into the
house.
http://www.homesafe.com/coalert/cofacts.htm

18. YOUR WHOLE-HOUSE PLAN
After you know where your home is losing energy, make a plan by asking yourself a few questions:
How much money do you spend on energy?
Where are your greatest energy losses?
How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay for itself in energy cost savings?
Do the energy-saving measures provide additional benefits that are important to you—for example,
increased comfort from installing double-paned, efficient windows?
How long do you plan to own your current home?
Can you do the job yourself or do you need a contractor?
What is your budget?
How much time do you have for maintenance and repairs?
"U.S. Department of Energy"

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