Energy Saving Tips for the Week of October 30
Energy saving tips for families.
Here are energy saving tips for the Week of October 30:
Home Cooling Tips
- Set your air conditioning thermostat to the warmest comfortable setting. Each degree above 75 degrees F saves approximately 3% of the energy used to cool your home.
Water Heating Tips
- Lower the setting on your water heater to 120 degrees F to 12 degrees F. Reducing the water heater temperature saves energy by reducing heat loss.
- Shorten showers. Cutting just two minutes per shower could save up to 1,533 kWh and $460 per year.
Refrigerator Tips
- Consider doing without an ice maker and ice dispenser. Automatic ice makers through-the-door dispensers increase energy use by 14% to 20% and raise the purchase price $75 to $250.
- Look for a refrigerator with automatic moisture control, which prevents moisture acumulation on the cabinet exterior without the use of a heater.
- Set refrigerator temperature between 37 degrees F and 40 degrees F in the refrigerator section and 0 degrees in the freezer.
Lighting Tips
- Choose Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) as they typically use 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs. Changing one regular 100-watt bulb to an energy saving CFL, can save 80 kWh and more than $24 per year per bulb, when used 3 hours a day.
- Consider three-way lamps as they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary.
- When possible, locate floor, table, and hanging lamps in the corner of a room to reflect more light rather than against a flat wall.
Clothes Washer Tips
- Use cold water wash whenever possible. Water heating accounts for 90% of the energy used by your washing machine.
- Set the correct water level on your washer for the size of the load for optimal efficiency.
For more energy saving tips, look under Programs. Click on Administration and click on Hawaiian Electric Home Energy Challenge. Energy tips taken from 101 Ways to Save Money.
