Energy and Water Saving Tips | Vegas4Locals.com

Energy and water-saving tips to help preserve our resources and save on utility bills.

No Cost Tips at Home

Turn your lights and appliances off when you aren’t using them. Also, remember to turn off your computer or put it in “sleep mode.”—it can use as much energy as a refrigerator.
In the colder months, set your thermostat to 68 degrees when home and to 58 degrees when sleeping or when you will not be home for more than four hours.
During warm months, set your thermostat to 78-80 degrees when at home and warmer at night and when you’re not home.
Do not turn your air conditioning off in the hot months when you’re not home. Your house will store up the heat, and you’ll likely have to run the air conditioning for hours to feel comfortable.
In the winter, open blinds and drapes during the day to take advantage of the sun’s free heat.
During warmer months, close blinds and drapes during the day to keep the heat out.
In the warm months, run your dishwasher, washer, and dryer, and cook later in the evening if possible.
Barbecue outside if practical, keeping in mind the heat and the sun’s effect on your body. Reducing the heat coming into your home from any source will reduce the load on your air conditioning.
Use a swimming pool tripper to reduce the time your pump runs. Eight to twelve hours a day is enough.
Set your water heater to 120 degrees.
Be sure to regularly vacuum the coils on your refrigerator’s underside and back, making sure they are unobstructed. Also, keep the seals and gaskets clean on refrigerators and freezers.
Keep your freezer as full as possible. In the empty spaces, place containers or plastic bottles filled with water.
Make sure food is cool and covered in the refrigerator.
Close doors and air-conditioning/heating vents in rooms that are not being used.
Run full loads in your washer and dryer, and use clotheslines for free solar drying!
Use the energy-saving option on your dishwasher, allowing your dishes to air-dry.
For ground A/C units, maintain airflow by keeping the area around it clean and free of obstructions.
Unplug your appliances, televisions, computers, etc., when not in use. They use power even when they’re turned off.
Keep lights and fixtures clean, as dirt absorbs light. Let lights cool before cleaning, and avoid touching halogen bulbs with your hands, as oil from your skin can damage them. Use a small piece of paper to hold the bulb when cleaning.
If your dishwasher has a filter, clean it.
Clean the reflectors underneath the burners on stovetops.

Low-Cost Tips for Home

Switch to LED or compact fluorescent bulbs instead of incandescent ones to save $1 to $2 per bulb (when used 4 to 6 hours daily) and reduce heat in your home. Incandescent bulbs generate most of their electricity as heat, so handle them carefully when changing.
Caulk windows and caulk and weatherstrip doors. Keep the outside air out and the inside air in.
Install a water heater blanket, but be careful not to cover vents or temperature settings.
Install hot water pipe insulation. Do keep the insulation at least six inches away from the flue (exhaust pipe) of gas water heaters.
Plant trees and shrubs on the south and west sides of your home. Vegetation works like insulation and provides shading, reducing thermal gain in a building.
Fix leaky faucets and install low-flow showerheads.
Use room fans to keep the air moving and reduce the feeling of heat in your home.
Replace furnace and air conditioner filters.
Spray filters with a light coating of lemon furniture polish or vegetable oil cooking spray to help trap dirt in the filter.
Check the seals on your refrigerator and freezer.
Replace ordinary thermostats with programmable thermostats.
Consider buying a cover for your pool to retain heat in the water.

Added Cost Tips for Home

Install floor and ceiling insulation: It is recommended that the attic have a minimum of R-30 to R-38 insulation and the subfloor have R19 insulation.
Replace inefficient and single-pane windows with energy-efficient multi-pane, thermally broken framed windows.
Replace appliances that are not energy efficient. All appliances have an Energy Guide Label that tells you how efficient they are and how much they will cost you to run. Often, an appliance more than ten years old is not likely to be energy efficient.
Service your air conditioning and heating systems once a year, replacing them if necessary.
Test and seal your ductwork. This will improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and make the house more comfortable.
Ceiling fans should be installed in all bedrooms and the family room. They can make you more comfortable while allowing you to save money by adjusting your thermostat.
Add window screens or window films to reduce solar energy from entering your home.
Add a solar heater for the water in your swimming pool.

Summer

In warm climates, where summer heat is a significant concern, it is advisable to choose windows with double glazing and spectrally selective coatings for minimal heat gain.
If your air conditioner is old, consider buying a new, energy-efficient model to save up to 50% on your utility bills. Look for ENERGY STAR and Energy Guide labels, and improve insulation and seal air leaks for better summer efficiency.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air your conditioning units without blocking airflow. Position the unit on the north side of the house, as shaded units can use up to 10% less electricity than those in the sun.
Do not place lamps or televisions near your air conditioning thermostat. The thermostat detects heat from these appliances, which can make the air conditioner run longer than necessary.
Use an indoor fan near your window air conditioner to significantly reduce your power use by spreading the cooled air through your home.
Don’t set your thermostat to colder than normal when you turn the AC on. It doesn’t cool your home any faster and could result in unnecessary expenses.
In the Summer, set your thermostat as high as possible while staying comfortable. The less difference there is between the indoor and outdoor temps, the lower your cooling cost will be.
Whole-house fans will help to cool your home by drawing cool air inside the house and exhausting warm air out through the attic. They are the most effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside.
Look for a high SEER number for air conditioners. This stands for Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The current minimum in the Southwest is 14 SEER for central air conditioners.

Winter

During the colder months, keep the draperies and shades open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home.
When home, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable. Setting your thermostat between 65 and 72 degrees for eight hours a day could reduce your heating bill by up to 10 percent.
Weatherize your home’s doors and windows that leak air with caulk and weatherstrip.
Properly maintain and clean heating equipment.
Replace furnace filters regularly.
Check the insulation in your attic, walls, floors, and crawl spaces to ensure it meets local standards.

Insulation and Air Sealing

Ensure new windows are correctly installed to prevent air leaks around the frame. Choose a qualified, reputable installer.
In temperate climates that experience both heating and cooling seasons, choose windows with low U-values and low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) for maximum energy efficiency.
Select windows with air leakage ratings of 0.3 cubic feet per minute or less.
In colder climates, it’s recommended to have windows with a U-value of 0.35 or lower for better insulation. These windows should ideally feature at least double glazing and a low-E coating.
When shopping for new windows, look for the National Fenestration Rating Council label. This label indicates that the window’s performance has been certified.
Installing high-performance windows can boost your home’s energy efficiency. While it may take years to see energy savings, the increased comfort and improved appearance can make the investment worthwhile.
To reduce solar gain, apply sun control or other reflective films to south-facing windows. Install awnings on south—and west-facing windows.
Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.
Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
Repair and weatherize your home’s storm windows, if necessary.
Installing storm windows can reduce heat loss by 25% to 50%. Ensure they have weatherstripping at movable joints, are made of durable materials, and feature interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-emissivity (low-e) storm windows offer additional energy savings.
Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter sun.
Close your curtains and shades at night and open them during the day.
Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
To stay warm in winter, use a heavy-duty transparent plastic sheet on a frame or apply clear plastic film to your window frames. Ensure it’s sealed tightly to minimize drafts and heat loss.
Conduct an energy audit of your home to find air leaks and to check for the proper level of insulation.
Common air leak sources include cracks around windows and doors, gaps along baseboards, and points where external lines (phone, cable, electric, gas) enter the home.
On a windy day, check for air leaks by holding a lit candle next to windows, doors, electrical outlets, or light fixtures. If you see drafts, condensation, or frost, tape clear plastic sheeting to the inside of the window frames.
Seal air leaks with caulking, sealing, or weather stripping to save 10% or more on your energy bill.
Proper insulation in your attic, ceilings, exterior walls, basement walls, floors, and crawlspaces can reduce home energy bills by up to 30 percent.
Installing storm windows or ENERGY STAR windows will reduce heat loss and reflect warmth back into the room during winter, saving energy.
According to the Efficient Windows Collaborative, ENERGY STAR windows can reduce heating bills by 30 to 40 percent in cold climates compared to uncoated, single-pane windows.
Close fireplace dampers when not in use. A chimney is designed for the smoke to escape, so unless closed, warm air escapes.

Lighting and Daylighting

Think about using high-intensity discharge (also called HID) or low-pressure sodium lights.
Because of their long life, CFLs are best used in exterior lighting. If you live in a cold climate, buy a lamp with a cold-weather ballast because standard CFLs do not always work below 40°F.
Turn off outdoor natural gas lamps; just eight burning year-round can use as much gas as heating an average-sized home for winter.
Use outdoor lights with a photocell or motion sensor to turn on at night or when someone is present. A combination of both will enhance your energy savings.
If you have halogen torchiere fixtures, consider replacing them with compact fluorescent torchieres. They use 60% to 80% less energy, produce more light, and are cooler to the touch, reducing fire risk.
Utilize daylight by hanging light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows, allowing natural light to enter. Additionally, choose decorative elements in lighter hues that will reflect daylight.
Recessed downlights (also called recessed cans) that are IC-rated for contact with insulation are explicitly designed for pin-based CFLs and can be used in retrofits or new construction.
Use CFLs in all the portable tables and floor lamps in your home. When you select these systems, consider carefully the size and fit. Some home fixtures may not accommodate larger CFLs.
Use 4-watt mini-fluorescent or electroluminescent night lights for better energy efficiency than incandescent bulbs. Electroluminescent lights stay cool to the touch. In workrooms, garages, and laundry areas, choose 4-foot fluorescent fixtures with electronic ballasts and reflective backing.
Use three-way lamps to adjust lighting levels when bright light isn’t needed.
Focus on task lighting rather than illuminating the entire room—install fluorescent under-cabinet lights in kitchens to target specific areas.
Always turn off lights in unused rooms, and consider timers, photocells, or occupancy sensors to minimize usage.
Implement task lighting, like under-counter or mirror lights, to reduce reliance on ambient lighting.
Utilize dimmers and sensors to automate lighting and prevent energy waste.
For fixtures in use for more than two hours daily, install fluorescent lighting.
Use ENERGY STAR-labeled lighting fixtures.
Use light wall colors to reduce the need for artificial lighting.
Switch from incandescent bulbs to CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) to save about 50% on lighting costs, as CFLs use one-fourth of the energy and last up to 10 times longer. Always turn off lights when leaving a room; incandescent bulbs should be turned off when not needed, and fluorescent lights should be off if you’ll be away for 15 minutes or longer.
In the winter, keep south-facing curtains open during the day to let in sunlight and closed at night to keep out the cold. You may also want to consider fitting an energy-efficient skylight that will not only help with lighting but will save you heating and cooling in the long run.

Water Heating

Only run full wash loads of dishes and clothes.
Take short showers instead of baths.
Lower your water heater thermostat to about 120° F.
You may be eligible for tax credits or rebates for purchasing a solar water heater. Visit the website of the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy for more information.
Heat pump water heaters are economical in some areas.
Consider using natural gas on-demand or tankless water heaters, which can save up to 30% compared to standard storage tank models.
Also, think about installing a drain water waste heat recovery system. According to a recent Department of Energy study, can provide energy savings of 25% to 30% for water heating.
When selecting a new water heater, choose an energy-efficient model with an EnergyGuide label. If your current heater is over seven years old, it’s a good idea to start shopping for a replacement.
Drain a quart of water from your tank around every three months to remove sediment and maintain efficiency.
Install heat traps on both the hot and cold pipes of your water heater to prevent heat loss. Some newer water heaters come with built-in heat traps.
If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clotheswasher, consider an efficient, water-saving ENERGY STAR model.
Insulate the first six feet of the hot and cold water pipes that connect to the water heater. Also, insulate the storage tank, but leave the top, bottom, thermostat, and burner compartment uncovered.
Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but do not cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Take a shower instead of a bath. Bathing uses the most hot water.
Lower your water heater’s thermostat to 120°F for comfortable hot water. Also, fix leaky faucets quickly to prevent wasting gallons of water.
Install aerating, low-flow faucets, and shower heads.
For optimal water efficiency, select a showerhead with a 2.5 gallons per minute rate of flow or less. If your showerhead is older and might be 5.5 gpm, consider replacing it.
Insulating hot water pipes decreases heat loss and raises water temperature by 2ºF–4ºF, allowing for a lower temperature setting.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater by 10ºF to save between 3% and 5% in energy costs.
Most households only require your water heater thermostat to be set at 120ºF or even 115ºF.
90% of the energy from hot water is wasted when it goes down the drain? But, you can install a drain-water heat recovery system to pre-heat water using the heat from drained water.
If heating a swimming pool is necessary, consider a swimming pool cover. Evaporation is the biggest source of energy loss in swimming pools.

No Cost Tips for Businesses

These simple steps are free but can potentially save you 10-25% on your monthly energy bill.

These simple steps are free but can save you between 10-25% on your monthly energy bill.
Keep the thermostat at 78-80 degrees when people are in the building, 85 degrees at night, and on weekends during the cooling season. In the heating season, keep the temperature at 68 degrees when people occupy the building, 55-60 degrees at night and on weekends.
Turn down the water heater to 120 degrees.
Make sure outdoor lighting is turned off during the day.
Don’t use screen savers – they prevent CPUs and monitors from going into the power-saver mode.
Turn off equipment overnight and on weekends. If the energy-saving feature is available on printers, monitors, copiers, and computers, use it.
Make double-sided copies whenever possible.
Allow your workers to wear comfortable clothing during hot weather.
Save energy by keeping exterior and freight doors tightly closed.
Ensure bulbs, fixtures, lenses, lamps, and reflective surfaces are cleaned regularly. Remove grease, dust, and other dirt to increase the output of your lights.
Remove under desk space heaters.

Low-Cost Tips for Businesses

There are plenty of low-cost, easy-to-do projects or steps you can take to save another 10-25% on your energy bill.

Repair any leaky faucets promptly.
Plant trees on the south and west sides of the building.
Use ceiling fans to keep the air moving. They can make it feel at least four degrees cooler.
Install low-flow showerheads in any on-site shower facilities.
Faucet aerators should be installed in restrooms.
Install low-water-use dishwashing equipment if a cafeteria is located on-site.
Make sure doors to the outside have enough weather stripping.
Caulk windows.
Use drapes, shutters, or window film to prevent heat loss and heat gain.
Change the furnace filters monthly.
Replace existing exit signs with more efficient LED exit signs.
Install a programmable thermostat. Consider putting a lockable cover over it to prevent employees from changing temperature settings.
Insulate water heaters and supply pipes.
If your building has a cafeteria, consider replacing broilers with smooth or grooved griddles. This will significantly reduce your energy consumption.
Use insulated night covers on display cases.

Added Cost Tips for Business

These steps can save you an additional 25% on your bill every month with the help of a contractor. Do thorough research before you sign a contract or put down a deposit.

Change incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs. Use T-8 fluorescents in overhead lighting.
Use electronic ballasts. They increase fluorescent lamp efficiency by up to 25% and increase light output by 10-15%.
Install skylights and use less artificial lighting.
Make sure there is enough insulation above the ceiling and in the walls.
Consider installing double-pane or storm windows.
Install low-emissivity coatings on windows. A low-E coating is a transparent, thin coating of tin or silver oxide on the glass or on a suspended plastic film that lets short-wavelength sunlight pass through but blocks longer-wavelength heat radiation.
Purchase ENERGY STAR®-labeled products. For more information and a list of vendors, visit the Energy Star Website.
Install occupancy sensors and timers for lighting. Sporadically used areas, such as offices, restrooms, and supply rooms, are good candidates for sensors or timers. The lights will only be on when someone is in the room, reducing unnecessary energy use.
Install an air conditioning economizer to bring outside air in when it is cool outdoors.
Install ground source heat pumps, which transfer heat between the building and the ground. Despite the installation costs, they have low operating costs.

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