| Hot Water Heater |
Wrap heater and pipes with insulation (check heater’s
manual as some do not recommend this). |
| Set water temperature at 140°F, the minimum
required to kill bacteria in the dishwasher unless
the dishwasher has a supplemental heater, in which
case the water heater can be set to 120°F.
Reducing the water heater temperature saves about
3% to 5% in water heating costs for each 10°F
reduction. |
| Set dial to “pilot” or “vacation”
when leaving on vacation. |
| HVAC |
Replace furnace filter monthly, or buy a reusable
filter that can be vacuumed/washed monthly. |
| Tune the furnace annually (cost is about $100). |
| Run the furnace fan to evenly distribute air in
home, drawing cooler air out of basement in summer
and bringing warm air to lower floors during the
winter. Older or less expensive furnaces fans
may not have the ability to run the fan without
heat. Upgrading such a furnace costs about $200. |
| Install a programmable thermostat, and set it
appropriately to reduce energy use at night or
when house is unoccupied. |
| Install an attic fan; these bring cool air into
a warm house during Colorado’s cool summer
nights. |
| Without restricting airflow, plant shrubs or trees
to shade air-conditioning units. |
| Windows |
Close window coverings against sun in summer and
cold in winter. |
| Caulk around windows. |
| Lighting |
Use compact fluorescents instead of incandescent
lighting. |
| Replace incandescent spotlights with halogen bulbs. |
Freezers and
Refrigerators |
Both refrigerators and freezers work
best when full. Freezer tip: fill gallon jugs
with water and freeze to take up freezer space
(use water for plants when thawed.) |
| Vacuum condenser coils quarterly. |
| Defrost units regularly. |
Clothes Dryers |
Remove lint from filters regularly
(this also reduces fire hazard). |
Fireplace |
Make sure damper/flue is closed when
not in use. |
