There are many ways to reduce your energy use, here are a few tips:
- Seal all cracks and spaces around doors and windows. Air leaks often
account for 20% to 30% of home heat loss.
If you had just 1/16th inch or 1.5 millimeter space around just one exterior
door, it would leak as much air as a four inch hole in your outside wall.
- Lower your thermostat a little when you are at home, and even more when
you are not or sleeping. You can save 2% of your heating bill for every
degree that you lower your thermostat.
- Reduce the wattage of light bulbs in non-essential areas, or switch to
more efficient compact fluorescent lighting.
- Do laundry in cold water when possible.
- Make sure the furnace filters are cleaned or replaced regularly.
- Insulate hot water pipes to retain heat and cold water pipes to prevent
condensation.
- Install ceiling fans to recirculate rising heated air
- Supplement your heating energy needs with passive solar heat. Open up
the drapes, curtains, or blinds on the sunny side of the house and let
nature do it. Reverse this method for summer cooling.
- Dry your clothes outside during the summer and on a line inside during
foul weather.
- Look for the EnerGuide label when purchasing major appliances. The
lower the rating, the less energy the appliances will use and the more money
you save.
Sault Ste. Marie Naturally Green, a partner organization to Clean North, has
the contract locally to deliver the
EnerGuide for Houses energy-efficiency
service. Trained technicians can offer you sound, quantitative advice on
home energy savings, tailored to your home. Call 945-1573 for more
information or to book your EnerGuide visit.
