Conservation Tips

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• Lighting

  Always turn off the lights when leaving a room. It's a myth that it takes more energy to turn a light on than to leave it on.
  
  Use fewer bulbs. A single 100 watt bulb consumes the same amount of energy as four 25-watt bulbs, but gives off twice as much light
  
  Use devices like dimmers, motion detectors, occupancy sensors, photocells and timers to provide light only when you need it.
  
  Using lower-wattage bulbs. Your lights may be brighter than you need
  
  Use light timers. They help save energy and help to protect your home when you are away.
  
  Use compact fluorescent lights. They use up to 75% less energy than comparable standard light bulbs and can last up to 10 times longer.
  
  Keep fixtures and bulbs clean. Dirt can absorb as much as 50% of the light.
  
  Use natural light whenever you can. Lighter coloured ceiling and wall paint will help reflect sunlight into your rooms.
  
  Use task lighting, which focuses light where it's needed. For example, you'll save energy by using a reading lamp instead of lighting up your whole room.
  
  Try to put floor or table lamps in a corner. This allows light to reflect from the walls, making the room brighter without turning on more lights.
  
  Use motion sensors for outdoor lights instead of leaving them on all night. You'll save energy and still have a security feature for your home.
  
  Look for a compact fluorescent wattage that's about one-third of the incandescent wattage you usually use.
  
  Keep lamps away from thermostats; the heat produced can cause your furnace to run less than needed or your air conditioner more than needed.
  
  Use only a single bulb in a multi-socket fixture. Be sure to check the maximum wattage the fixture allows.
  
  Replace an incandescent outdoor light or high-intensity floodlights with a high-pressure sodium fixture. The bulbs will last longer, use less energy, and handle temperature extremes better.
  
  Use low-voltage lighting kits to light walkways, patios and decks. The soft light will also attract fewer annoying insects.
  
  Decorate with pale colours on walls, ceilings and floors. Soft tones reflect more light, so you can use lower wattage bulbs and delay turning on lights until later in the day. Using high-gloss paint can help as well.
  
  Read light bulb packages carefully. Watts measure the amount of energy needed; lumens measure how much light a bulb produces. Energy-saving bulbs produce more lumens per watt of electricity used.

• Cooking

  Use microwaves. They use approximately 50% less energy than conventional ovens.
  
  Check the reflectors under your stovetop burners. The cleaner they are, the better they will reflect the heat.
  
  Do not preheat your oven longer than necessary. Five to 10 minutes should be sufficient.
  
  Be sure to use the timer on your stove so your oven will turn off immediately at the end of the cooking time you have selected.
  
  Keep your oven door closed. Every time you open your oven door during cooking, the temperature drops 5 to 10 degrees C.
  
  During the summer, use your barbecue. This will save energy and reduce the need to run your air conditioner.

• Cooling

  Install your air conditioner in a shaded area. An air conditioner that is exposed to direct sunlight will consume 5% more energy than one that is shaded.
  
  Set the thermostat to the setting required. A higher setting will not cool the room any faster.
  
  Use fans. Using fans with air conditioning will make you feel cooler and reduce the amount of time you need to run your air conditioner. Ceiling fans should run clockwise during the summer, and counter-clockwise during the winter.
  
  Make sure the coils on your air conditioner are straight and kept clean. Clean clogged or dirty coils with a vacuum cleaner.
  
  Periodically check that the filter in your air conditioner is clean. Disposable filters should be replaced every one or two months.
  
  Use a programmable thermostat for central air conditioners.
  
  Make sure your attic is adequately ventilated and insulated to avoid heat build-up.
  
  Avoid using heat-producing appliances, like ovens and dishwashers, during the hottest part of the day.
  
  Match the capacity of a window air conditioner to the size of the area to be cooled. Oversized units waste electricity and can't dehumidify properly.
  
  Use foam insulation to seal any gaps on the sides of a room air conditioner. The unit must work harder if cool air is escaping.
  
  Keep window coverings closed during the day to prevent heat gain from the sun.
  
  Plant a tree. One well-placed shade tree can reduce your cooling costs by 25%. For maximum benefit, place leafy shade trees to the south and west, and evergreens to the north.
  
  Maintain your central air conditioner by cleaning the outside compressor with a garden hose (be sure to shut off power at the fuse or breaker first). Keep plantings at least one foot away for adequate airflow.
  
  Set the fan on your central air conditioner to "on" rather than "auto." This will circulate air continuously, keeping the temperature more even throughout the house and aiding in dehumidification.
  
  Close the vents in rooms you aren't using to cool with central air conditioning.
  
  Make sure your window air conditioner is the proper size. It's better to get one that's too small than too large - a larger unit will start up and turn off more frequently and won't do as good a job dehumidifying the air.
  
  Don't judge the efficiency of your air conditioner by the sound of the fan shutting on and off. The blower will continue to circulate cooled air throughout your home up to 15 minutes after the compressor has stopped. (The same holds true for the furnace.)
  
  Raise the thermostat to about 78 to 80 degrees whenever you go to bed or leave the house. A programmable thermostat will do this for you automatically.
  
  If your home can't accommodate central air conditioning, try a whole-house attic fan. This device pushes hot air out through attic vents, lowering the temperature throughout your home about five degrees in less than ten minutes. Attic fans cost less than 25 cents per day to operate.
  
  During the winter, cover your central air compressor with tarp to keep it clean.

• Heating

  Lower your thermostat by 1 degree. During the winter months, as much as 3% of the energy your furnace uses can be saved.
  
  Install a programmable thermostat. It will automatically turn the heat up before you wake, turn the heat down when you leave home and back up when you return. If you use it to set back the temperature by 10 degrees for eight hours every night, you'll lower your heating bills by 10%. A $50 digital thermostat can pay for itself in energy savings in less than a year.
  
  Recommended thermostat settings for a comfortable environment are 21 degrees C when you are home relaxing, 18 degrees C when you are sleeping, and 15 degrees C when you are away from your home for an extended period of time.
  
  Ensure that the hole in the wall behind the thermostat is insulated. This will prevent any drafts. Also, install your thermostat out of direct sunlight and away from cold air or drafts.
  
  Every few months, remove the thermostat cover and dust it gently with a soft brush.
  
  If your furnace is more than 18 or 20 years old, it may be more cost-effective in the long run to replace it with a newer unit offering greater efficiency and lower operating costs.
  
  During the winter, remove window air conditioners and seal the windows with caulk and weather-stripping.
  
  Change or clean your furnace filter once a month. Dust and dirt can quickly clog vital parts, making your furnace run harder and eventually break down.
  
  Have your heating system inspected regularly - especially if it's natural gas. A $50-$100 annual tune-up can help reduce your heating costs by up to 5%.
  
  If you have a forced-air furnace, do NOT close off heat registers in unused rooms. Your furnace is designed to heat a specific square footage of space and can't sense a register is closed - it will continue working at the same pace. In addition, the cold air from unheated rooms can escape into the rest of the house, reducing the effectiveness of all your insulating and weatherizing.
  
  Don't set the thermostat higher than required. It won't heat your home any faster, and it will keep your furnace running longer than necessary.
  
  Vacuum registers and vents regularly, and don't let furniture and draperies block the air flow. Inexpensive plastic deflectors can direct air under tables and chairs.
  
  If your home has a boiler system, avoid covering radiators with screens or blocking them with furniture. It's also a good idea to add a reflecting panel behind radiators - you can purchase one at a home center or make one yourself with a plywood panel and aluminum foil.
  
  If your home has electric baseboard heating, be sure to keep furniture and draperies away from the heaters, and leave at least a three-inch clearance under the heating unit.
  
  Keep curtains and blinds closed at night to keep cold air out, but open them during the day to let the sun warm the room.
  
  Avoid using space heaters, including electric, kerosene or propane models. Not only are they expensive to operate, they're also very dangerous.
  
  Add area rugs to rooms with hardwood or tile floors to keep your feet warm.
  
  Lower the thermostat to 55 degrees when on vacation. This will save energy while preventing water pipes from freezing.

• Fireplaces

  Keep your fireplace's glass doors clean to maximize radiant heat transfer.
  
  Install glass doors and an insert in your wood-burning fireplace to prevent heat from escaping your home.
  
  Keep the thermostat on your gas fireplace at the lowest setting possible.
  
  Turn down your main thermostat to 55 degrees when your fireplace is operating. This will prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney.
  
  Turn off the pilot light on your gas fireplace during the summer. It can cost about $3-$5 per month to keep lit.
  
  Grates made of C-shaped metal tubes help draw cool air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
  
  If you have a wood-burning fireplace, have the chimney cleaned and inspected regularly, and burn only fully dried hardwoods to produce the most heat output.
  
  Check the seal on the damper by closing it off and holding a piece of tissue paper inside the firebox. If drafts blow the tissue around, repair or replace the damper.
  
  Add fireproof caulk where the chimney meets the wall, inside and outside.
  
  When the fireplace is not in use, make sure fireplace dampers are sealed tight, and keep the glass doors closed. If you never use your fireplace, plug the chimney with glass fibre insulation and seal the doors with silicone caulk.

• Insulation

  Check insulation levels throughout your house. Measure attic insulation with a ruler, and check behind switchplates for sidewall insulation.
  
  Install more attic insulation. Upgrading from 3 inches to 12 inches can cut heating costs by 20%, and cooling costs by 10%.
  
  Add pieces of batt insulation to the rim joists - the area along the top of the foundation where it meets the exterior walls.
  
  If your basement is unheated, install blanket insulation in between exposed floor joists.
  
  Choose the new "no-itch" or poly-wrapped insulation products. They're much easier to handle and safer to work with - making them worth the extra cost.
  
  Install additional attic insulation at right angles to the previous layer. You don't have to use the same type of insulation - it's fine to use batts or blankets over loose-fill, or vice versa.
  
  When using loose-fill, be sure to distribute the insulation evenly. Any inconsistencies can reduce the insulating value.
  
  While shopping for insulation, remember that R-value measures the amount of thermal resistance. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.
  
  Never cover attic vents or recessed light fixtures with insulation, and allow a 3-inch clearance around chimneys and flue pipes to prevent overheating and avoid the risk of fire.
  
  Have a leaky roof repaired and make sure your basement is waterproofed. Wet insulation is worthless.

• Water Heating

  Wrapping your hot water tank with an insulating blanket will reduce standby heat loss. If your tank feels warm near the top or is more than 15 years old, then it needs a blanket.
  
  Insulate hot water pipes that run through unheated areas of your house.
  
  Insulate at least the first metre of pipe leading to and from the hot water tank - but do not insulate plastic pipes.
  
  Lower the temperature or turn your water heater off when you're away for an extended period. Turn an electric water heater off at the circuit breaker; turn a gas water heater to the pilot setting. Many new water heaters have vacation settings.
  
  Lowering the temperature of your hot water heater saves energy and reduces the chance of scalding. Try setting your hot water tank's thermostat at 47°C (115°F).
  
  Take showers, not baths. A five-minute shower will use about 7.5 gallons of hot water, while filling a bathtub can use up to 20 gallons.
  
  Install a water-saving showerhead. A family of four, each taking a five-minute shower a day, can save $250 a year in water heating costs by switching to a low-flow showerhead without reducing water pressure.
  
  Fix leaky faucets, especially if it's a hot water faucet. One drop per second can add up to 165 gallons a month - that's more than one person uses in two weeks.
  
  Use aerators on kitchen and bathroom sink faucets. If you have hard water, clean aerators and showerheads with vinegar regularly to reduce deposits and build-up.

• Electronics

  Notebook computers are more energy efficient than desktop models. That's because notebooks include energy-saving features to enhance battery life, such as an LCD display and automatic sleep mode.
  
  Avoid using your power bar's control switch to turn on all your computer equipment. Power up your printer or scanner only when you need it.
  
  Use your computer's sleep or idle mode for periods of inactivity. This mode reduces energy consumption by 60% to 70%.
  
  Turn off your computer when not in use. Contrary to what many people think, turning your computer off and on several times a day does no harm.
  
  Consider a TV/VCR or VCR/DVD combination unit, which requires less energy than two separate machines. Similarly, an all-in-one fax/printer/scanner/copier machine will save energy in your home office.
  
  Even when turned off, TVs, VCRs, stereos and other electronics may consume energy to maintain features like a clock and channel/station memory. Try unplugging your electronics when you're away from home for an extended time.

• Appliances

  On major appliances, you may see the yellow and black U.S. EnergyGuide label alongside the black and white Canadian EnerGuide label. The Canadian and U.S. governments are working toward harmonizing these labels to make it easier for manufacturers.
  
  On appliances, the EnerGuide label shows the energy consumption in kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year. The lower the number, the more energy-efficient the appliance.
  
  For major appliances, an indicator arrow on the left side of the EnerGuide Label's bar scale means lower operating costs and long-term savings.
  
  The EnerGuide label shows how much energy an appliance consumes in a year of normal service, so you can compare the energy efficiency of each model.
  
  Remember: appliances have two price tags - the purchase price and the operating price. The less energy efficient an appliance is, the higher its operating price will be.
  
  An energy efficient appliance may cost more to purchase, but will save you money and energy over its lifetime.

• Ovens

  Use the self-cleaning cycle only for major cleaning jobs. Start self-cleaning right after cooking, while the oven is still hot.
  
  Use pots with tight-fitting lids on the right-size elements.
  
  Use your barbecue instead of your stove during the summer.
  
  Keep your oven door closed. Every time you open it during cooking, the temperature drops 5 to 10°C (41 to 50°F).
  
  Use the timer on your stove so your oven will turn off immediately at the end of the cooking time you have selected.
  
  Do not preheat your oven longer than necessary. Five to 10 minutes should be sufficient.
  
  Use smaller kitchen appliances whenever possible. Microwaves, toaster ovens and slow-cookers can use 75% less energy than a large electric oven.
  
  Keep the grease plates under range burners clean to reflect heat more efficiently.

• Fridges / Freezers

  Chest freezers are 10-25% more energy efficient than upright models.
  
  Don't keep an old fridge running if it's not needed or only partly full. Unplug it and consider disposing of it - safely - by removing the door.
  
  You can reduce refrigerator energy use up to 40% by replacing a 12-year-old or older unit with a new, energy efficient model.
  
  Keep refrigerated liquids and food covered and wrapped. This prevents the release of moisture which requires the compressor to work harder and use more energy.
  
  Check the seal on your refrigerator door by closing it on a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, it's time to replace the gaskets. You can purchase a replacement kit from an appliance dealer or a home centre.
  
  Vacuum the refrigerator coils about twice a year to keep the compressor running efficiently.
  
  Don't leave the refrigerator door open. Every time it's opened, up to 30% of the cooled air can escape. The same rule holds for the oven.
  
  Keep the refrigerator temperature about 36-38 degrees, and the freezer at 0-5 degrees.
  
  Don't overload the refrigerator or freezer. The cold air needs to circulate freely to keep foods at the proper temperature.
  
  Make sure the refrigerator is level, so the door automatically swings shut instead of open.
  
  Don't worry about placing hot leftovers in the refrigerator. It won't affect energy use significantly, and cooling food to room temperature first can increase the chance of food-borne illnesses.

• Dishwashers

  Many new dishwashers have internal booster heaters that allow you to turn down the temperature on your hot water heater to 47°C (115°F).
  
  Keep the filter at the bottom of your dishwasher clean to keep your machine running efficiently.
  
  If your dishwasher has the option, choosing air drying rather than heat drying. If not, stop the machine before the drying cycle starts and open the door to let dishes air dry.
  
  Avoid running small loads in your dishwasher.
  
  Always use the energy saver option on your dishwasher.

• Washers / Dryers

  Ensure your dryer's outside vent is tightly closed to prevent outside air from leaking in and running up your heating or air conditioning costs.
  
  Clean the lint screen on the dryer every time you use the machine. A clogged lint screen can make your dryer use up to 30% more energy - and it can be a fire hazard.
  
  Dry towels and heavier clothes separately from lighter loads.
  
  Don't overdry - use your dryer's moisture sensor or timer and remove loads promptly. This saves energy and prevents wrinkles.
  
  Drying two or more loads in a row makes the most of the heat already generated by your dryer.
  
  Remove clothes from the dryer while they're still damp and hang them up. This will save energy, prevent static and reduce wrinkles and shrinkage.
  
  Wash only full loads of clothes, and be sure to set the water level appropriately.
  
  Use hot water only for very dirty loads, and always use cold water for the rinse cycle.

• Weatherizing

  Seal doors and windows with caulk, weatherstripping and plastic film. An investment of $50 in weatherizing supplies can reduce heating costs by two to three times that much. Don't forget the basement windows!
  
  Add foam gaskets behind all outlet covers and switchplates, and use safety plugs in all unused outlets. These are prime places for outside air to leak into your home. Be sure to shut off power at the fuse box or circuit panel first.
  
  Check the exterior of your home for air leaks, especially around openings for water spigots, air conditioner hoses, dryer vents and gas pipes. Use caulk or expanding foam to seal spaces.
  
  If your home has a large, single-pane picture window, use heavy draperies during the winter to help hold back cold air.
  
  Tinted window film can help reduce heat gain during the summer, and it will keep furniture and carpets from fading.
  
  Check window panes to see if they need new glazing. If the glass is loose, replace the putty holding the pane in place. Most types of window glazing require painting for a proper seal.
  
  If drafts sneak in under exterior doors, replace the threshold. If that's not practical, block the drafts with a rolled-up towel or blanket.
  
  Seal the edges of unused doors and windows with rope caulk. Don't seal them shut permanently - you might need quick ventilation or escape during an emergency.
  
  Choose the right kind of caulk for the job. Use latex or acrylic caulk inside - it's easy to clean and more forgiving if you're a beginner. Silicone caulk is great for outside use because it lasts longer and seals virtually any type of surface.
  
  Don't forget to weatherize the attic access. Secure batt insulation to the back of the hatch or door, and use weatherstripping to seal the opening.

• Miscellaneous

  Get rid of spare refrigerators or freezers. An extra appliance can add more than $100 to your energy bills every year, and it's a safety hazard for small children.
  
  Keep outdoor hot tubs covered when not in use. If you have a pool, use a solar cover to use the natural warmth of the sun to heat the water.
  
  Keep waterbeds covered with quilts or blankets to help retain their heat. You might also want to insulate the bottom with a sheet of rigid foam insulation.
  
  Keep the garage door closed, especially during the winter.
  
  If you need a new lawnmower, consider an electric model. They're less expensive to operate (about three cents of electricity per use), 75% quieter, and they significantly reduce toxic emissions.
  
  Instead of air-polluting and expensive charcoal or propane, try an electric or natural gas grill. They're more economical and more convenient - you'll never run out of fuel.
  
  Unplug any electrical device that's not being used. Many appliances, especially computers, televisions and VCRs draw power even when turned off.
  
  Place humidifiers and dehumidifiers away from walls and bulky furniture. These appliances work best when air circulates freely around them. Be sure to clean the unit often to prevent unhealthy mold and bacteria from developing.
  
  If your home has no sidewall insulation, place heavy furniture like bookshelves, armoires and sofas along exterior walls, and use decorative quilts as wall hangings. This will help block cold air.
  
  When you take a vacation, don't forget to give your appliances a rest too. Turn off and unplug everything you can, set your water heater to the lowest setting and shut off the water supply to the dishwasher and washing machine.