Free Energy Saving Measures

There are many ways to save energy in your home that require no cost, hardly any time, and best of all, they can contribute to a significant energy savings.
1. Make sure all windows are closed and locked when heat or A/C is running. - Five closed, but unlocked windows is equivalent to leaving one window open an inch. The air you pay for costs more when it is leaking out of your home, and pulling outside air into the home.
2. Close your blinds or window shades during the day in the summer; leave them open in winter. - Buy not letting the sun's heat into the house in the summer, cooling the house requires less A/C. The home's interior temperatures can rise as much as 15 degrees when 3 standard sized windows are uncovered. The sun heats walls, floors, carpet, and furniture, which radiates this heat through the house. In winter, you want the sun to heat the interior of the home, but close shades and blinds at night. This slows the process of heat conducting through the glass by providing a barrier.
3. Don't block air vents in your home. - Move furniture and anything blocking air vents from filling the room with the heat or A/C you are paying for. This also holds true for return vents which pull unwanted air from the room back to the HVAC system to be heated or cooled. By blocking vents, it takes more time for the home to reach the desired temperature on the thermostat, causing unnecessary longer run times. Also, make sure your filter is replaced every three months. A properly run HVAC system can save over $250 per year in heating/cooling costs.
4. Clean the cooling fins on your refrigerator under or behind it. Unplug it first, use a long brush and vac attachment to completely clean these areas. Huge benefit. Consider taking off access panels behind and under fridge to get unside and clean more effectively. Plug unit back in when done. Try not to block ventilation to the unit which allows proper function of the cooling unit.
5. Keep gallon jugs of water filled to store in your freezer if it's not full. Especially important if you have a second refrigerator/freezer in the home. The ice jugs keep the freezer colder, which lessens the amount of cycling the refrigerator/freezer needs to run.
6. If you have a second refrigerator/freezer in the garage, strongly consider moving it inside. Big one here! If your garage temp is high in the summer, your fridge/freezer works triple OT in keeping the temp cold inside it. Also, in the winter, the ups and downs in temps cause the cooling unit to cycle erratically, causing higher energy consumption. Try keeping fridge/freezer in the basement if possible.
7. Unplug appliances, video games, chargers, and stereos/radios when not in use. Most of these electrical devices consume electricity even when "off".
8. Try not to use the oven in summer when A/C is on. Consider grilling or frying. Use of an oven when the A/C is running is counterproductive. Conversely, in the winter, the oven heat can radiate throughout the home and help in keeping it warm. Some people even leave the door open after baking to allow the heat to fill the home. Take caution with small children if considering this!
9. Once coffee is brewed, turn off the coffeemaker which shuts off the warming plate. The coil used to heat the warming plate uses a lot of electricity. Consider transferring coffee to a thermos or carafe.
10. Electricity normally costs more than gas, so if you have to cook or heat something, consider using the gas stove instead of the microwave which consumes a lot of electricity. Also instead of defrosting in the microwave, try a pot of cool water which also helps wash away any bacteria that can cook into meats during microwave defrosting.

That's it for today. Reply with your own tips or ideas of free things to do to save energy.
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