Saving Energy

They say old habits are hard to change, but there are many easy ways to reduce your home energy consumption. If you look at the ways you use electricity – for heating and cooling, to run appliances and electronics, and to light your home – you’ll find many painless opportunities to save resources and money. Vital Power Texas has some helpful tips to keep your electricity costs down in Houston Texas.

Heating and Cooling

• Heating and cooling typically account for half of residential energy consumption. Making even minor adjustments in temperature can add up to significant savings.
• Adjust the temperature: 1 to 2 degrees down for heat; 1 to 2 degrees up for air conditioning.
• Set or program your heat to 55 degrees when you’re gone for more than 4 hours or sleeping.
• During the day, try to keep your heat at 68 degrees or lower.
• Similarly, when the air conditioning is on, set or program the thermostat for 5 degrees warmer when you’re gone for more than 4 hours.
• A programmable thermostat makes the most of such temperature changes. It helps you save automatically.

Other practical ways to save on heating and cooling involve simple, DIY methods

• Check that windows and doors are closed tightly and have an adequate seal.
• Follow the sun with window treatments. During heating season, open them when it’s light -especially south facing windows – and close them when it’s dark. During hot weather, use them to keep out the heat of the sun.
• Move furniture and other items away from vents, and vacuum the vents often to keep them clean.
• Use ceiling fans (counter-clockwise) to push warm air down during heating season and cool air up (clockwise) during cooling season.

Electronics and Appliances

Did you know that all electrical items drain power when they’re plugged in? Or that 20% of your electricity cost is probably appliance usage?

• When you can, unplug appliances and electronics when they’re not in use.
• Unplug phone and hand-held device chargers when batteries are fully charged.
• Use a power strip to turn off multiple items with one easy motion.
• Use sleep mode for computer and home theater components.
• Smart power strips turn off accessories when the main device, such as the television or computer, is off.
• Keep a full refrigerator and freezer, using water jugs to fill in empty spaces.
• Wash most laundry with cold water.
• Air-dry your laundry and then use the air-only cycle on your dryer to fluff clothes and linens.

Lighting

Use energy-saving products to light your home, and keep lights off when a room is not being used.

• Replace incandescent light bulbs with more efficient options, such as compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).
• Use lamp timers and motion-sensing switches to automate lighting.