There are lots of ways to conserve power at your home. Below are just a few tips, with links to some great resources!
Year-round
- Flip the switch. Make sure you turn lights off in rooms when you aren’t in them and use natural light as much as possible.
- Seal it up. Make sure windows and doors aren’t leaking air, and seal them up if you find a leak.
- Unplug it. Unplug appliances like computers, coffee makers and gaming equipment when they aren’t in use.
- Check the flow. Make sure HVAC vents are free from obstructions. Have your central heating and air units checked annually and change air filters every 90 days. You should change the air filters more often if you have pets, smoke inside the home or live in a dusty environment.
- Switch the bulb. Replace your standard lights (incandescent or halogen bulbs) with LEDs. LEDs cost about 75% less to operate and last about 10 times longer.
- Consider installing switch plate occupancy sensors in proper locations to automatically turn off lighting when no one is present and back on when people return.
- Consider installing additional insulation in your attic or walls to retain better heating and cooling.
- Lower your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Some factory settings are 140 degrees but with a small decrease, you’ll see energy savings and the new setting will be OK to provide a hot shower and use the dishwasher.
- Use cold water for your laundry. While some clothes require washing in hot water, most clothes are just fine in cold water. A good chunk of energy is spent on warming up the water for your machine.
- Check your usage. Greer CPW electric, natural gas and water customers now have Advanced Metering Infrastructure that allows customers to see near real-time data of their usage. Log into your portal and choose “usage”. This data may allow customers to see usage patterns and improve efficiency.
Winter
- Set the temperature. Make sure your thermostat is set to 68 degrees or lower in the winter. For every degree you bump down the thermostat, that means energy savings for you. Consider wearing sweatshirts and using blankets before touching the thermostat.
- Avoid space heaters. Space heaters are energy vampires. They are good in small spaces like warming up a bathroom, but they are not efficient to heat an entire living room.
- Fan the heat. Change the direction of your fan blades to spin clockwise to circulate warm air through your home.
- Consider using a humidifier. Cold air can be extremely dry and makes the body feel cold. Humidifiers add moist air back into the home which can make you feel warm and need to use the furnace less.
- Use the sun to your benefit. Open blinds during the daytime to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home. Keep the blinds closed during dreary or cloudy days.
- Keep your garage door closed. Garage doors are one of the biggest culprits for energy loss. Keep your door down as much as possible in the winter.
- Check your thermostat. If your home has a heat pump, your thermostat may have a setting for “heat” and “emergency heat/ancillary heat”. It is important that your thermostat is set to the normal or automatic heat mode as the Em. Heat setting can double or triple your electricity usage. Emergency heat should only be turned on in emergency situations, just like the name implies.
Summer
- Operate your thermostat efficiently. Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable setting. For every degree higher on the thermostat, that means energy savings for you.
- Fan the heat. Change the direction of your fan blades to spin counterclockwise in the summer.
- Drink fluids. Staying hydrated and eating cold foods like popsicles and fruit can naturally cool off your body.
- Install window coverings. Make sure your home has blinds, drapes or curtains. These act as barriers to keep the heat out of your home.
- Cook outdoors. Avoid using electric ovens and stovetops in the summer as they create a lot of indoor heat. Consider firing up the grill outdoors.
- Use a programmable thermostat to program a warmer setting when you are not home and automatically start cooling your home right before your return.