ENERGY-SAVING
tricks
By Melissa Erickson
L
ook around your house. If you
have to replace a leaky
faucet, install new win-
dows or tackle other home
improvements, it pays to go
green.
A first step to finding
the biggest bang for
your buck for your spe-
cific home and climate
zone can be obtaining
a home energy assess-
ment, according to the
U.S. Office of Energy
Efficiency and Renew-
able Energy. A certified
home energy professional
evaluates the home and
identifies and prioritizes
improvements, which usually
includes sealing air leaks before
adding insulation materials.
For many homes, particularly older
homes, this first step has the greatest
impact and best return. The priority
list you get from an energy assessment
should guide your home energy-efficien-
cy improvements going forward.
Here are some suggestions from the
EERE that will lower utility costs:
10 to 15 percent
Replacing old room air conditioners or
central air conditioners with Energy Star
models can reduce your energy use by 10
and 15 percent, respectively.
10 percent
You can save as much as 10 percent a
year on heating and cooling by adjusting your
thermostat 7 to 10 degrees for eight hours a day
from its normal setting. The percentage of savings is
greater for buildings in milder climates than for those in
more severe climates.
8 • 2017 Fall Vermont Home, Garden & Car
1/3 to 1/2
If you cook small meals, use small electric
pans, toaster ovens or convection ovens
rather than your large stove or oven. A
toaster or convection oven uses one-
third to one-half as much energy as
a full-sized oven. Use pressure
cookers and microwave ovens
whenever it is convenient.
They will save energy by
significantly reducing cook-
ing time.
10 percent
Use advanced power strips
that can prevent electron-
ics from drawing power
when they aren’t being used.
Features such as timers, activity
monitors and remotes provide
options that make it easy to save
energy. Many consumer electronics
continue to draw power even when they
are switched off. This could add an extra
10 percent to your monthly utility bill.
18 to 30 percent
Set your television to the “home” or “stan-
dard” setting to reduce the brightness and re-
duce your TV’s energy use by 18 to 30 percent.
20 to 25 percent
Replace your incandescent light bulbs with CFLs
or light-emitting diodes. Energy Star-qualified LEDs
use only about 20 to 25 percent of the energy and
last up to 25 times longer than traditional incandes-
cent bulbs. Be sure to read the packaging to make
sure the lighting product is designed for the fixture
or lamp you intend to use it with.
Recycle
If you have an old second refrigerator or freezer, recycle
it, particularly if you don’t store very much in it or if it is in
unconditioned space. These are big energy hogs. If you aren’t
using it at all, at least unplug it.