Consider the following tips to help you save on energy costs and stay safe and warm when it's cold outside.
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Cold Weather Energy Tips
Adjust your thermostat
Bundle up in heavier clothing and set your thermostat 2-4 degrees below what you’re used to. Aim to keep your thermostat at 68° F to help save energy and money.
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Cold Weather Energy Tips
Set water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
Water heaters are one of the biggest energy users in the home. Check the temperature and take quick showers to use less hot water.
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Cold Weather Energy Tips
Let the sun in
Use the sun’s energy to help heat your home. Open blinds and drapes to let the sun shine directly into a room. Remember to close them when the sun goes down to insulate heat in.
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Cold Weather Energy Tips
Set ceiling fans clockwise
Keep warm air circulating by running ceiling fans clockwise to draw air up.
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Cold Weather Energy Tips
Don't use ovens to heat your home
Never use ovens or stoves as a source of heat. Not only is this inefficient, it’s dangerous and could lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Simple steps to start saving
We want to help you manage energy use for your business, office, school, commercial or industrial facility in a way that helps your bottom line as much as possible. Here are simple tips that can result in savings for you and your business.
Lighting
- Install motion sensors to automatically turn off lights when rooms are not in use.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs.
- Lower light levels where appropriate such as around computer monitors.
- Install LED (light-emitting diode) exit signs.
- Install timers or photocells on outside lights.
- Avoid over lighting areas.
Water Heating/Conservation
- Use hot water wisely. Set water temperature only as hot as needed. (Check your local codes for specifications for your business.)
- Insulate hot water holding tanks and hot and cold water pipes.
- Install faucet aerators and efficient showerheads.
- Find and fix leaks.
- Use plants native to your climate that require minimal watering and possess better pest resistance.
Refrigeration/Freezing
- Perform routine maintenance, such as vacuuming, to remove dust.
- Turn off the lights in walk-in refrigerators/freezers.
- Add strip curtains to refrigerated spaces without doors.
- Defrost regularly.
- Retrofit or replace old refrigerators and freezers.
Equipment
- Turn off office equipment/machines when not in use, wherever possible. (Myth: Equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off.)
- Unplug appliances/equipment or use power strips. Devices draw power even when switched off.
- Maintain your equipment to ensure efficient performance.
- Use energy efficient computers and office equipment.
- Make sure your motors and motor systems are running at optimum efficiency.
- Buy ENERGY STAR® qualified products.
Heating and Cooling
- Make sure your HVAC system is operating efficiently.
- Inspect and clean or replace air filters on a regular basis.
- Repair leaks in system components such as pipes, steam traps or couplings.
- Adjust the thermostat during unoccupied times or install a programmable thermostat.
- Reduce air conditioning hours.
- Ensure radiators, air intake vents, etc., are not obstructed so that air can flow freely.
- Control direct sun through windows depending on season and climate.
Motor Management
- Electric motors make up the largest end use of electricity in the U.S., accounting for approximately 60-70 percent electricity consumption in industrial applications. Energy expenditures can be 10 percent or more of total operating costs.
- Electricity used by industrial motor-driven systems accounts for 25 percent of total electricity sales in the U.S. – representing the largest single category of electricity use in the country.
- Optimizing industrial motor systems by implementing, proven, cost-effective energy-saving techniques can reduce U.S. industrial energy costs.
- Industrial customers benefit from improved control of production processes, reduced waste materials and improved environmental compliance.
Tips/Links
We all know standing with the refrigerator door open lets out the cold. But there are lots of other ways you could be losing money. Find some ideas here.