- “Check the condition of the weather seal on the bottom of your garage door and around the exterior doors in your home.”
- “Spend a little time and wash dishes by hand in the sink. It uses less water, less heating energy for hot water, gives you smoother, hydrated skin on your hands, and is a great team-building activity if you can get the kids to help.”
- “An easy way to reduce energy use in the office is to turn the brightness down on your computer monitor. It also helps your eyes.”
- “Use a mug or glass instead of Styrofoam or paper cups. Conserve by printing only what you need.”
- “If allowed, work with your employer’s HR representative to establish a four-day work week. This helps cut down on commuting time.”
- “Turn off the lights and the computer monitor when you step away from the desk for a meeting.”
- “Have your dog lay on your lap when it’s cold outside. The heat his body puts off plus a blanket really keeps you warm without having to turn the heat way up.”
Consider implementing these tips or a similar campaign in your home and workplace.
Don’t forget to help others conserve energy and save money by sharing this page.
6 comments:
I was curious if Dominion has considered making available to it's customer this Electricity Monitoring Device that claims that just by paying attention and being aware of one's usage, that 20% can be shaved.
The average household pays $1,200 a year for electricity. TED will easily help you save hundreds of dollars - and the more you save, the more you help your neighbors, the community, and protect our environment.
http://www.theenergydetective.com/index.html
there are other brands also but it sure seems like the device would easily pay for itself within a year or less especially if Dominion bought them in bulk and allowed customers to pay them off with their electric bills.
thoughts?
Larry G,
Great comment. Devices like TEDs and Blue’s Line Power Cost Monitor (http://www.bluelineinnovations.com) are great resources to help consumers understand their energy consumption in real time with an in-home display. It goes to show that knowledge is power.
Currently, one of Dominion’s nine Energy Conservation pilot programs includes the Power Cost Monitor. We provided a free Power Cost Monitor to 1,000 randomly selected customers across our VA service area in early 2008. We are now in the process of collecting data on all aspects of the program. The Power Cost Monitor pilot program has potential to go full scale – pending the results from the data collected.
You can also check out the other 8 pilot programs at our Energy Conservation Page:
http://www.dom.com/customer/efficiency/programs.jsp
Tom
For your Natural Gas customers, can you publish some information on ideal settings for our thermostats this winter? What's the recommended max/min set-back temperatures when we're away from home, or for overnight? 5 degrees? 8 degrees? 10 degrees?
Thanks!
My personal favorite is the tip about having a 4 day work week to decrease commute time...And does washing dishes really hydrate your hands? I always figured it dried out mine.
Another tip is to turn lights off in your home or office when you leave a room, so that they do not stay on when they are not being used.
Thank you for the great post!
In response to Anonymous' inquiry:
In the winter, set your thermostat setting at a comfortable setting between 65 and 70 degrees during the day and down to 58 degrees at night or when away from home for several hours. This goes for any type of heating unit.
As a general rule of thumb, energy savings are typically 1% for each degree per 8 hour period. So setting the thermostat down while at work, can reap big energy savings.
Bob
How To Reduce Your Energy Bills / Energy Conservation Begins at Home
Imagine leaving a window open all winter long -- the heat loss, cold drafts and wasted energy! If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan or AC Return, a fireplace or a clothes dryer, that may be just what is occurring in your home every day.
These often overlooked sources of heat loss and air leakage can cause heat to pour out and the cold outside air to rush in -- costing you higher heating bills.
Air leaks are the largest source of heating and cooling loss in the home. Air leaks occur through the small cracks around doors, windows, pipes, etc. Most homeowners are well aware of the benefits caulk and weatherstripping provide to minimize heat loss and cold drafts.
But what can you do about the four largest “holes” in your home -- the folding attic stair, the whole house fan or AC return, the fireplace, and the clothes dryer? Here are some tips and techniques that can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Attic Stairs
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add an attic stair cover. An attic stair cover provides an air seal, reducing the air leaks. Add the desired amount of insulation over the cover to restore the insulation removed from the ceiling.
Whole House Fans and AC Returns
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a whole house fan cover. Installed from the attic side, the whole house fan cover is invisible. Cover the fan to reduce heating and air-conditioning loss, remove it when use of the fan is desired.
Fireplaces
A recent study showed that for many consumers, their heating bills may be more than $500 higher per winter due to the air leakage and wasted energy caused by fireplaces.
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a fireplace draftstopper. Available from Battic Door, a company known for their energy conservation products, a fireplace draftstopper is an inflatable pillow that seals the damper, eliminating any air leaks. The pillow is removed whenever the fireplace is used, then reinserted after.
Clothes Dryer Exhaust Ducts
An easy, low-cost solution to this problem is to add a dryer vent seal. This will reduce unwanted air infiltration, and keep out pests, bees and rodents as well. The vent will remain closed unless the dryer is in use. When the dryer is in use, a floating shuttle rises to allow warm air, lint and moisture to escape.
If your home has a folding attic stair, a whole house fan, an AC return, a fireplace, and/or a clothes dryer, you can easily, quickly and inexpensively seal and insulate these holes.
Mark D. Tyrol is a Professional Engineer specializing in cause and origin of construction defects. He developed several residential energy conservation products including an attic stair cover, an attic access door, and is the U.S. distributor of the fireplace draftstopper. To learn more visit www.batticdoor.com
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