15 tips for consumers: save money, energy and the environment

Quit Paying For Nothing
 
1. Absentee air conditioning: Air conditioners are a necessity for many people in the summer, and can account for up to 50 percent of your energy bill, but blasting them while you are away increases pollution, costs money, and does not keep you cool.  Turn your AC up to 82 degrees (but not off) when you leave for work, and save 5-10 percent on your cooling costs. Make the process even easier by installing a programmable thermostat.
 
2. Put your AC on auto: Trim up to $25 per month by sliding the AC switch from “on” to “auto.”  The adjustment stops the AC from idling, and needlessly siphoning energy.
 
3. Keep air-conditioning units shaded: The sun can force AC units to use 10 percent more electricity than if the same units were in the shade. Dawn an awning or plant a shade tree to reduce costs. Be sure to keep the unit free of brush and other objects.  
 
4. Reduce your phantom load: Electronic appliances slurp 75 percent of their electricity when they are not in use. They waste coal and nuclear fuel, and ramp up the energy bill for no reason. Plug electronics, like TVs, computers, and DVD players, into power strips, and click off the power strip when not using them.
 
5. Get better performance from your electric water heater: Water heating accounts for 13 percent of home energy consumption, according to the Department of Energy. They guzzle electricity by keeping water hot all of the time, during the day when people are at work, and at night while people are sleeping. To shave 5 percent off your energy bill, lower the temperature to 120 degrees, and slip a $20 insulation blanket, which is available at any home improvement store, over the heater (if permitted in manufacturer instructions). Install a heater timer that cycles the heater off and save even more.

6. Eliminate air leaks: Small spaces around windows and doors may be sapping 15-30 percent of your cooling costs. Grab some caulk and weather stripping, and seal all windows and doors.      
 
7. Clean air filters: Dirty air filters will congest the air flow, and can raise cooling costs by 20 percent. To save, change or clean them monthly.
 
8. Turn off lights and fans when you leave the room:  Lighting and appliances account for 34 percent of energy costs, according to the Department of Energy.  Leaving on lights and fans gobbles electricity, which causes pollution and wastes money. When you leave a room, turn off the lights, turn off the fan, and if you have power strips or switches for the sockets, turn those off, too. 
 
Flex Your Energy I.Q.
 
9. Light bulbs: Incandescent light bulbs require significantly more energy and burn out several times faster than compact fluorescent bulbs. Replacing just six will save you about $150 over the life of the bulbs. Want to see how much you can save?  Check out the handy calculator at the Environmental Defense Web site.

10. Temperature: Ditch the arctic urge. Adjust the thermostat to 78 degrees, and enjoy temperature cooler than winter in Hawaii.  Expect savings of 7 percent on your cooling costs, with an additional 7 percent for each degree above 78.
 
11. Fans: They cost less than one cent per hour, and like ocean breezes, they will make you feel several degrees cooler.  
 
12. Vents: Cool air cannot circulate if A/C vents are blocked. Clear furniture and blinds from vents and returns, allowing air-flow to cool your house more quickly.

13.  Dishwasher:  Forgo toasty dishes, and improve the efficiency of your dishwasher by 12 percent.  Select “low energy” or “no-heat” air-drying for savings.
 
14.  Greenhouse effect: To keep your windows from magnifying the sun’s heat in your home, shut the blinds during the brightest part of the day.
 
15. Cooking: Use your microwave to cook. They use less than one-half the power of conventional ovens and they don't heat up your kitchen.
 
Find Out More

• Find out how much your appliances are costing you, and how much you could save.

• For more information on efficiency and saving, check out the NC State Energy Office Web site and the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy site.