|
|
|
Energy Saving and
Dollar-Stretching Tips
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In the Kitchen --
Appliances
-
Thaw frozen foods
before cooking them in the oven (except
convection models).
-
Dust or vacuum the
grills and coils of your refrigerator and freezer
regularly, especially in homes where pet hair is
abundant.
-
Air spaces between
foods in a refrigerator improve cooling
efficiency. Freezers cost less to operate when
packed full of food.
-
Defrost your freezer
before frost gets one-quarter-inch thick.
-
Make sure
refrigerator door seals fit airtight. (This may
only require adjusting doors.)
-
Don't use an oven for
toasting bread or for heating the house.
-
Plan meals that
require as few cooking appliances as possible.
For example, cook several dishes in the oven at
the same time.
-
Use a timer instead
of looking into the oven to see if food is done.
The oven temperature drops at least 25 degrees
each time you open the oven door.
-
Keep range-top and
burners clean.
-
Match the size of
your cooking pan to the electric range surface
units used.
-
Keep range grease
vent clean.
-
Cover pots to speed
boiling.
-
Microwave ovens are
more efficient than conventional ovens.
-
Only run your
dishwasher with a full load of dishes.
-
Rinse dishes in cold
water.
-
If your dishwasher
doesn't have an energy-saver (fan only) drying
cycle, open the door and air-dry the dishes.
-
Use cold water to run
your garbage disposal.
In
the Laundry --
WashWise
-
Use cold-water washes
whenever possible. Cold water rinses save money
and prevent wrinkling.
-
Don't over-dry
clothes.
-
Wait until you have a
full load to use the washer and dryer, but don't
overload. Clean the dryer’s lint filter
before each load.
-
Iron clothes which
require cool temperatures first. Don't repeatedly
heat up and cool the iron.
Water
and Lighting --
Energy Efficient Bulbs & Fixtures
-
Set water heater at
120 degrees. This saves electricity and prevents
scalding.
-
Put an insulation
jacket on your water heater and insulate hot
water pipes.
-
Repair leaky faucets.
-
Take short showers.
Install a low-flow shower head.
-
Turn off lights when
not needed, keep lamps and lighting fixtures
clean.
-
Fluorescent lamps
provide three to five times more light for each
kilowatt-hour of electricity than do incandescent
lamps.
-
Use lower wattage
lighting whenever possible.
-
Shop for energy
efficient light bulbs those that give off the
most lumens of light per watt of electricity.
Compare bulb ratings by dividing lumens by watts.
Heating
-
Set your thermostat
for 65 - 70 degrees during the day and 50 - 60
degrees at night.
-
Clean or replace
furnace filters often.
-
Caulk, weather-strip
and insulate.
-
Don't block furnace
ducts with draperies or furniture.
-
Insulate your windows
or add storm windows.
-
Close off unoccupied
rooms (unless you have a heat pump).
-
Open draperies and
shades in sunny windows. Close them at night.
-
Use portable heaters
only in small areas for short periods of time.
-
Stop drafts at the
bottom of doors and along window sills - - use a
3-inch by 36-inch cloth tube ("door
snake") filled with sand or small beans or
use a rolled up towel or rug.
For a brochure of energy-saving tips, you may download and print "
Saving Electricity at Home". This file is in Adobe Acrobat .pdf format, and
requires Acrobat Reader for viewing, downloadable from adobe.com:
 
Call the Conservation Help Line at 206.684.3800 or send email to rescons.scl@seattle.gov if you'd like us to mail you a copy of the appliance chart, or if you'd like more information on saving energy in the home.
|
|
Customer Service
|
|
Call (206) 684-3000
|
|
|
