Make your home green! Energy-conscious tips help preserve the environment - and save YOU money!
Always look for the Energy Star® Symbol of energy efficiency.
Products with the ENERGY STAR label use less energy, save money and help protect our environment without sacrificing your style or comfort.
•visit http://www.energystar.gov/ for more information•
TOILETS
• A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water per day
• Two out of every 10 toilets leak on average
•Pre-1994 toilet guzzlers were replaced with high efficiency toilets, which use no more than 1.6 gallons per flush, the US could save as much as 800 billion gallons of water per year.
HEATING SYSTEM - FURNACE AND BOILER
ANNUAL SERVICE
• Have your furnace cleaned and serviced and the air filters in your heating system/furnace changed yearly and you could save up to 5 percent of heating costs.
PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS
• Consider installing a programmable thermostat - you can save energy year-round. The federal government estimates that programmable thermostats can save up to $150 per year in energy costs. Most programmable thermostats models cost less than $150 so the expense can often be recovered in the first year of installation.
• Turn up your A/C T-Stat by a mere 2 degrees in warm weather & turn on a ceiling fan. A/C costs will be lowered by as much as 14% over the cooling season without sacrificing your personal comfort.
WINTER TIME CARE OF WATER
Frozen pipes not only creat havoc, but require costly repairs and cleanup. To help protect your pipes in the winter, keep these tips in mind:
Before it gets cold:
1. Know what areas of your home, i.e. basements, crawl spaces, unheated room, outside walls, are most vulnerable to freezing
2. Eliminate sources of cold air near water lines by:
• Fix broken Windows • Insulate walls • Close off crawl spaces • Eliminate drafts near doors
3. Know where your water main shut off valve is. IF PIPES FREEZE OR BURST ~ SHUT OFF YOUR WATER AT THE WATER MAIN IMMEDIATELY.
4. Protect your pipes and water meter. Wrap exposed pipes with insulation or electrical heat tape.
SOURCES: Energy star; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; U.S. Dept of Energy; Watersense; Natural Resources Defense Counsel; CONSUMERENERGYCENTER.ORG
