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Northern Ontario Wires Inc.
services the following areas:
Cochrane Telecom Services
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100 Ways to Save Energy in Your Home
- Turn off both incandescent and fluorescent lights when
they aren't needed, even for a short time.
- Fluorescent tubes use 60% to 80% less energy than
incandescent bulbs, and last 10 to 20 times longer.
- Compact fluorescents are designed to fit most standard
light fixtures, last 10 times longer, and use 70% less energy.
- Halogen bulbs (spots or floods) use 50% less energy than
incandescent bulbs, last two to four times longer, and are compatible with
dimmer switches.
- Energy efficient incandescent bulbs are the same as
"regular" light bulbs, but with slightly less light output. They are
available in 34, 52, 90, and 135 watts to replace 40, 60, 100, and 150 watt
standard bulbs.
- Low voltage outdoor lighting used for landscaping is an
energy efficient choice.
- Dimmer switches can replace standard on/off switches.
They reduce light level, save energy and extend bulb life (Do not use with
fluorescent lights).
- Programmable timers turn selected lights on and off at
specified times, and make your house look occupied.
- Motion sensor lights turn lights on automatically when
movement is detected in a certain zone. Useful as security lighting, and to
light your way when you come home in the evening.
- Avoid multiple-light fixtures. Four 25 watt light bulbs
give off only two-thirds the light of one 100 watt bulb, yet use the same
100 watts of energy.
- Avoid long-life incandescent bulbs. They put out up to
30% less light, while using the same amount of energy.
- Use a reading lamp where you're seated, instead of
lighting the whole room.
- Dust your light bulbs and fixtures. Even a thin layer of
dust lowers lighting levels.
- Walls painted a light colour reflect more light. Less
energy is required to brighten the room.
- Avoid dark-coloured lampshades.
- Compare "Energuide" labels when purchasing appliances.
- Set your refrigerator to 3°C (37°F) and your freezer to
-18°C (0°F).
- Vacuum the condenser coils on your refrigerator and
freezer every six months.
- Don't overload your refrigerator.
- Don't open the refrigerator door more than necessary.
- Cool leftovers before refrigerating.
- Defrost frozen food in the refrigerator, rather than the
microwave.
- Locate your refrigerator and freezer away from heat
sources.
- If you're away for more than 10 days, you can empty and
clean the refrigerator and freezer compartment, unplug it, and prop doors
open.
- Purchasing an old refrigerator may not be the bargain you
hoped for. New refrigerators use up to 40% less than one built in 1972.
- Replace worn door seals on refrigerators and freezers.
- Select the best size fridge for your needs; 13 cu. ft.
for one or two people; 14 - 17 cu. ft. for three or four people and
additional 2 cu. ft. for each extra person.
- Two refrigerators use a lot more electricity than one
larger one. Think about whether you really need that second fridge.
- Leave cold drinks out in thermos bottles rather than in
the refrigerator on hot days.
- Keep your freezer 2/3 to 3/4 full.
- Defrost your freezer before ice deposit reaches 1/4 inch.
- Locate your freezer in a dry, heated area. Fluctuating
temperatures will cause it to operate inefficiently, and could damage the
compressor.
- Wait until your dishwasher is full before you wash. Two
half loads use twice as much energy as one full load.
- Use the short cycle on your dishwasher when you have easy
to clean dishes.
- If your dishwasher does not have and energy-saver
feature, turn it off at the end of the rinse cycle and open the door to let
the dishes air-dry.
- If used with full loads, dishwashers are actually more
efficient than washing by hand.
- Self-cleaning ranges are more energy efficient than
regular models because they have more oven insulation.
- Use the self-cleaning feature right after cooking, when
the oven is already hot.
- Pre-heat your oven for only 10 minutes, when baking.
- Pre-heating is not necessary for most roasts and
casseroles.
- Cooking more than one thing at a time in your oven saves
energy.
- Use glass or ceramic cookware in the oven and lower your
temperature by 25°F.
- About 20% of an oven's heat is lost when you open the
door. An oven with a window allows you to look in without opening it.
- Consider using the broiler. It saves energy and requires
no pre-heating.
- Cook two different foods on one stovetop element by using
a double boiler.
- Use pots and pans that are the same size as the element
to reduce heat loss.
- Energy efficient pans have flat, clean bottoms and tight
fitting lids. Cook with the lid on.
- Use a thermos, not the stove, for keeping coffee warm.
- A microwave uses up to 50% less then a conventional
electric oven.
- Since a microwave heats only the food, and not the oven,
use it on especially hot summer days.
- For large quantities of liquids, soups or stews, your
stovetop element is twice as efficient as a microwave.
- An electric kettle heats water more efficiently then a
stove element or a microwave oven.
- Electric coffee makers are more energy efficient than a
surface element on a stove.
- Remove mineral deposits from kettles and coffee makers
with a commercial cleaner or vinegar.
- A toaster oven (1500 watts) is less expensive to use then
a conventional oven (3200 watts).
- Electric frying pans use less energy then electric stoves
for cooking small amounts of food.
- Slow cookers are economical for foods that require a long
cooking time.
- 1/4 of your hot water is used for clothes washing. Wash
with warm or cold water and always rinse with cold water.
- Buy a washing machine with water level controls and short
wash cycles, and use them.
- Buy a clothes dryer with and electronic moisture sensor
and a cool down (permanent press) cycle.
- Drying one full load of laundry takes less energy than
two small loads.
- Avoid over-drying.
- Overloading your washer and dryer make them less energy
efficient.
- Clean the dryer's filter every time between loads.
- Twice a year, turn off the power at the panel and vacuum
lint from the dryer motor, drum and exhaust hose.
- Use the washer spin cycle twice to save energy when
drying clothes.
- The most energy efficient clothes dryer is a clothesline.
- Take quick showers, instead of baths. An eight minute or
shorter shower uses less hot water.
- An energy efficient (low flow) showerhead reduces the
amount of water needed for a shower by 50% to 75%.
- Fix leaky taps. One drop per second wastes 800 litres
(175 gallons) of hot water per month.
- Turn your electric water heater's thermostat down to
130°F (or 140°F if you have a dishwasher).
- Insulate the first three to six feet of hot water pipe
from your water heater with pipe insulation.
- Wrap your electric water heater with an insulating
blanket.
- Turn off your water heater if you're going to be away for
5 days or more.
- Install faucet aerators to reduce water flow.
- All those little drafts in winter can add up to a hole
the size of a window. This air leakage accounts for 30% to 40% of your
home's heat loss.
- Weatherstrip around doors and windows and caulk (from the
inside). Don't forget your attic hatch.
- If your basement is unfinished, caulk where the wood
frame wall (sill plate) meets the foundation.
- Install foam switch and plug gaskets.
- With a stick of incense, check pipe and wire entrances,
vents, baseboards, and light fixtures. Caulk where you detect a draft.
- Put glass doors on your fireplace.
- The easiest and least expensive area to insulate is your
attic. Insulate to R40. (Note: all openings in the attic should be sealed
before insulating to protect against moisture damage.)
- Insulate unfinished basement walls.
- Insulate upper walls from the inside when renovating or
from the outside when siding.
- Double glaze all windows. If replacing them, consider Low
"E" (Argon filled) windows.
- Set your thermostat at about 20°C (68°F) in winter. For
every degree above this, your energy use and heating costs rise about 5%.
- A programmable setback thermostat automatically lowers
house heat at night and turns it up in the morning.
- Furnace filters should be cleaned or changed once a month
during the heating season, and during the air conditioning season if you
have central air.
- The same insulation in your attic that keeps you warm in
the winter also keeps you cool in summer. Make sure you add attic vents, so
hot air can escape.
- Shade east, south, and especially west-facing windows in
summer by simply closing curtains and blinds. Or install awnings or wooden
louvers.
- Plant deciduous trees to shade your house in summer.
- In summer, minimize washing and drying clothes, ironing,
and cooking during the hottest times of the day.
- Recommended setting for air conditioning is 24°C (75°F).
- Purchase an air conditioner with an Energy Efficiency
Rating (EER) of at least 9; it will save you 30 to 60 cents an hour.
- Wash or replace your air conditioner's filter once a
month.
- Fans and ceiling fans keep you comfortable at a fraction
of the cost of air conditioning.
- Turn your pool filter off on cooler summer nights (and
save up to $85.00 on a two-month bill).
- Keep your water bed covered and the temperature in that
room relatively warm.
- Read and understand your owner's manuals. If your
appliances have energy saving settings...use them.
- Keep all your appliances, furnace, and air conditioning
well maintained. If you notice something not operating, call a
serviceperson.
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