Lighting Tips
If you are thinking about purchasing new lighting fixtures or bulbs, look for the ENERGY STAR label. Bulbs and fixtures bearing the ENERGY STAR label are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, money, and help the environment. 

• Turn off lights. This energy saving measure has been around since Edison first turned a light on, and it's as effective as ever. Keep in mind that a typical 100W light bulb kept on for 24 hours per day will cost you about $157.00 each year. Try motion sensors that turn lights off automatically when everyone leaves a room. 
• Invest in a timer. Timers that automatically turn lights on and off can reduce your energy use and at the same time increase safety by making a house seem occupied even when people are away.
• Keep fixtures and bulbs clean. Dirt, along with being unsightly, can absorb as much as 50% of the light. 
• Don't skimp on bulbs. Consider the cost of lighting your home. Do you realize that the money you spend on light bulbs is probably only 5-10% of the total cost? The other 90-95% is the cost of electricity to run those bulbs. That's why you should look for more efficient rather than cheaper light bulbs, and why compact fluorescent lights are so appealing. 
• More bulbs are not better. Use one bulb instead of multiple bulbs whenever possible. A single 100-watt incandescent bulb produces the same amount of light as two 60-watt bulbs, and it uses 20% less energy. Why not use a CFL at 20W and save 80% !
• Longer life bulbs can help. Do you have light bulbs that are difficult to get to and a real pain to change? Long-life incandescent bulbs last two to three times longer than a standard bulb and compact fluorescent lamps last up to ten times longer.
• Depends on the room. Light coloured walls and surfaces reflect light while dark colours absorb light. The same light fixture in two different rooms will provide different levels of light on a reading surface.
• Shades matter. Translucent lamp shades provide more light to a room than solid coloured shades.
• Avoid elaborate lighting schemes. Instead of elaborate outside lighting, try accenting walkways and drives. This will save energy and provide safe light for people walking in hazardous winter conditions.
• Always pull on the plug. When unplugging lights, always pull on the plug and not the cord. Over time pulling on the cord will damage it and create a hazard.
• Replace halogens with fluorescents. That halogen torchiere was cheap and attractive; but did you know you could be spending 2-3 times the purchase price per year in electricity costs. The lamps also have been shown to be fire hazards. A compact fluorescent torchiere is safe, and can save over $$$ per year in electricity costs.
• Keep lights off during the day. Use daylight whenever possible, rather than turning on redundant overhead lighting.

Heating Tips
Purchase an efficient heating system. If you are thinking about purchasing a new heating system, look for ENERGY STAR models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, save money, and help the environment.

• Can't heat up any faster. Your house won't warm up any faster if you raise the thermostat setting. When your heating system is on it runs at the same rate regardless of the temperature setting.
• Keep doors closed. Shut the door or at least try to minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed. Each time you open the door cold air enters the house.
• Seal ducts properly. Leaks develop in all air ducts over time. Sealing these leaks in ducts can reduce heating costs by up to 20% with reductions of 10% extremely common!
• Take advantage of the heat from the sun. Open shades on the northern and eastern windows during the day. Close these shades when the sun goes down to keep the heat from escaping.
• Don't let heat go up the chimney. Make sure the fireplace flue is closed when you are not using it.
• Distribute the heat evenly. Ceiling fans set at slow speed push warm air away from the ceiling and move it around the room without creating a chilling breeze. This spreads the heat more evenly and will make you feel more comfortable.
• Turn off the pilot light. If your heating system has a pilot light turn it off during the summer. A pilot light typically costs $3-$5 per month to keep lit so why not turn it off when you aren't using it.
• Tune up your heating system. Have your heating system tuned and inspected by a service professional. Losses from a poorly maintained system accumulate over time - sometimes at a rate of 1-2% each year.
• Insulate properly. Make sure that your wall and attic are properly insulated. Adding batts of fibreglass insulation in your attic is one of the most cost effective savings measures and one that you can do yourself.
• Seal Leaks. Leaks develop in all air ducts over time. Sealing these leaks in ducts can reduce heating costs by up to 20% with reductions of 10% common!
• Lower your thermostat. Lowering the thermostat by as little as 1⁰ C typically reduces your heating bill 1-3%. Most energy experts recommend setting the thermostat to 20⁰C or less, and several degrees cooler overnight. Make sure you lower you thermostat if you are leaving the house for any length of time. You use less energy to heat the house up when you return than to keep it heated while you are away.
• Conserve with a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat lets you easily lower the thermostat during periods when no one is home, as well as lower the temperature overnight without having to freeze in the morning while waiting for the heat to rise. You might save as much as 20% on your heating costs and recover your investment in the first year.
• Use the sun's heat. Open drapes and shades during the day to let in the heat from the sun.
• Insulate your hot water pipes. Hot water heating systems use a network of pipes to distribute heat through your house. Uninsulated pipes waste energy. Wrapping pipes that are readily accessible with insulation is easy to do and fairly inexpensive. Pipe and hot water insulation can be found by contacting us.
• Single pane windows can be a real pain. Not only are they inefficient, but worn and dirty windows can be unsightly as well. Replacing them with energy-efficient windows is a major investment, but in colder climates the heating savings can be considerable.
• Caulk. Caulk windows and doors to prevent drafts.
• Insulate outlets. Electric outlets let cold air into the house. Remove the outlet covers and insert special insulation underneath. Use special insulating plugs in all outlets that are not being used.

Cooling Tips
Look for ENERGY STAR air conditioners. If you are thinking about purchasing a new central air conditioning system or room air conditioner look for ENERGY STAR models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy.

• Walk away from the thermostat. Your house won't cool down any faster if you lower the thermostat setting. When your air conditioner is on it cools at the same rate regardless of the temperature setting.
• Get rid of hot air. Use an exhaust fan to blow hot air out of you kitchen while cooking. The savings in your cooling costs far outweigh the electricity use of the fan.
• Open the doors. A breeze on a summer day can be enough to keep you cool. Instead of turning the air conditioner on, open doors and windows on opposite sides of the house for cross ventilation.
• Save the chores for later. Avoid activities that add heat or humidity to your home, particularly during the hottest parts of the day or limit them to times when nobody is home. For example, turn on your dishwasher as you leave the house or let dishes air dry rather than use the dishwasher's heater.
• Block the sun. Plant shade trees to block the heat from the sun. As the trees grow, they can dramatically cut your cooling bills. Each degree that you raise the thermostat on your cooling system typically saves 2% on your cooling bill. Energy experts recommend setting your thermostat at 25?F or higher.
• Close the curtains. Close drapes and shades on windows during the day to keep heat from the sun out of your house (particularly on windows with an eastern and western exposure). In the evening opening drapes and shades lets heat escape through the windows.
• Raise the thermostat. The breeze created by a ceiling fan or portable fan typically makes you feel just as comfortable at a temperature 6⁰ C warmer. Raising the thermostat 6⁰C can save 10% on your cooling bill.
• Dehumidifier Benefits. Consider using a dehumidifier instead of turning on the air conditioning. You will be comfortable at much higher temperatures if you reduce the humidity.
• Turn on the fan. Whole house fans can often be used in the evening instead of the air conditioner. The electricity consumption of the fan is much less than that of the air conditioner.
• Do away with heat from your attic. Use an attic fan to get rid of the heat build-up in your roof cavity. Heat from your roof cavity eventually finds its way into your home.
• Keep the air conditioner out of the sun. Don't let a room air conditioner bake in the sun. Room air conditioners work best when kept cool. Installing the unit in a south-facing wall is ideal. Another option is to take advantage of shade from trees.
• Don't let the air escape. Seal any gaps along the sides of your room air conditioners with foam insulation. Your air conditioner needs to work much harder if the cool air is escaping.
• Shut the vents. Closing off air conditioning vents in an unoccupied room can save 5-10% on your cooling costs.
• Resist opening and closing doors. Shut the door or at least try to minimize the number of times that doors to the outside are opened and closed. Each time you open the door heat enters the house.

Water Heating and Laundry Tips
If you are thinking about purchasing a new clothes washer or dishwasher, look for ENERGY STAR (r) models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, save money, and help the environment.

• Don't let the water run. Minimize water use while brushing teeth, shaving, and washing hands in bathroom sinks.
• Fix drippy taps. A tap that leaks one drip per second can waste 1500 litres of water a year. If the water is hot, that 1,500 litres will cost you about $24 if you heat water with electricity or $12 if you heat water with gas, plus the cost of the water itself.
• Upgrade your showerhead. New showerheads use no more than 9 litres per minute, and the energy and water savings are enormous. Replacing older showerheads with low flow units could save a family of four as much as 56,000 litres of water per year, reducing water heating costs by over $400 for electric hot water and over $180 for gas.
• Install a water softener. Install a water softener unit in-line before the water heater. This will prevent sediment from building up in the bottom of the water heater.
• Turn down your water heater. Ouch, not so hot! Lower the temperature of your water heater. This not only saves energy, but it reduces the chance of scalding. A 10⁰ C reduction in temperature saves about 13% of your water heating costs. For an average family this amounts to savings of $90 if you heat water with gas or $180 with electricity. A temperature setting of 60⁰C is fine, unless your dishwasher doesn't have a booster heater.
• Insulate your water heater. Wrap and reap (the energy savings). Wrapping your water heater with an insulating blanket can save $80 annually if you have gas hot water or $150 if you have electric. To see if your tank needs an insulation blanket, place your hand on the tank. If it feels warm then you need a blanket.
• Insulate water lines. Simple valves, known as heat traps, can be attached to the water lines near the water heater to keep heat from escaping. You can recoup an investment of about $100 in one year if you heat your water with electricity, or two years if you use gas.
• Rinse with cold water. Use a suds-saver option (if you have one) when washing lightly soiled clothes. This saves the rinse water for the next load. Most people in the appliance industry agree that cold water washes just as effectively as warm. By eliminating warm rinse cycles, the average consumer will save about $75 per year with electric hot water, or $30 with gas.
• Soak your clothes first. Soak cycles can allow for shorter wash times. For heavily soiled clothes, instead of a heavy wash cycle, try soaking and then using a shorter wash cycle.
• Use shorter washing cycles. Sort clothes by degree of dirtiness. Use shorter wash cycles for lightly soiled clothes.
• Adjust your load setting. Match the load setting to the size of the load. The load setting on your washer determines how much water is used. Smaller sized loads require less water.
• Eliminate small loads. Your clothes washer uses just about the same amount of energy regardless of how much clothing is being washed. Washing two small loads uses approximately twice as much energy as combining them into one full load. By combining loads together you reduce the number of loads you wash which in turn reduces your energy use.
• Front-loading washers are more energy-efficient. If you are thinking of replacing your washing machine, consider a horizontal axis, or front-loading unit. Recent research has shown that these machines can reduce energy use by over 50%, use significantly less water, require less detergent and shorter drying cycles, and reduce wear and tear on clothes. Several U.S. manufacturers now have front load models in the larger sizes preferred by Americans.
• Don't overload the dryer. Overloading makes the dryer work harder and may cause excessive lint and wrinkling.
• Clean the lint filter after every load. Lint on the filter reduces air flow and makes the dryer work harder.
• Dry like weight items together. Lightweight items take less time to dry than heavier items like towels.
• Dry loads consecutively. This will take advantage of heat build-up in your dryer.
• Remove clothes right away. Removing clothes as soon as the cycle is complete not only saves energy but also prevents wrinkling.
• Your dryer is most efficient when fully loaded. Combine smaller loads of wash into one dryer load, but be careful not to overload.
• Line dry clothes during periods of nice weather. Take advantage of the free, environmentally friendly energy from the sun.
• Minimize pre-rinse. Newer dishwashers are better able to handle heavily soiled dishes and so require less pre-rinse.
• Load properly. Proper loading takes full advantage of the spraying action of your dishwasher. Load dishes according to the dishwasher manufacturer's instructions.
• Wash full dish loads. Your dishwasher uses the same amount of water regardless of how many dishes are washed. Wash full loads whenever possible.

Food Storage Tips
If you are thinking about purchasing a new refrigerator, look for ENERGY STAR models. These are the most energy efficient models on the market and will save energy, save money, and help the environment.

• Defrost your freezer. For manual defrost freezers, don't let ice build up more than 8mm. When this happens, the efficiency of the freezer drops significantly.
• Check your freezer temperature. Keep your freezer at a temperature between ^-17 - ^-15 degrees C. Settings below this use more energy and are not necessary.
• Keep your freezer away from heat. Try to locate your freezer in a cooler part of the house. Make sure you keep it out of direct sunlight and away from appliances that generate heat like ovens and water heaters.
• Close the refrigerator door. Opening the refrigerator door accounts for between $30-$60 of a typical family's electricity bill each year based on 40-60 openings per day.
• Inspect refrigerator door seals. Check the door seals on your refrigerator by closing the door on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the dollar out then you would probably benefit by replacing the seal. The right seal for your refrigerator can be difficult to find, but you might try a refrigeration parts store.
• Keep your refrigerator cool. Keep your refrigerator out of direct sunlight and in as cool a location as possible. Keep away from oven, stoves, water heaters, etc.
• Keep the refrigerator level. If it is not level the door might not close fully.
• Keep refrigerator foods covered. Keep foods covered to prevent moisture build-up. Your refrigerator has to work harder if the air inside is humid.
• Reduce the load. Refrigerators operate most efficiently when full but not overloaded.
• Don't put hot food in the refrigerator. Allow leftovers to cool before putting in the refrigerator.
• Give your refrigerator some space. Allow at least 25mm of space on each side of the refrigerator for good circulation. Poor circulation can increase energy consumption by 10%.
• Turn off moisture control when not needed. If your refrigerator has a moisture control switch ('anti sweat' heater) you can generally safely turn it off on all but the hottest days (and even then if you have central air), and reduce the energy cost of your refrigerator by about 10%.
• Replace old refrigerators. A new refrigerator uses a third of the energy of 15-20 year old models. This could mean savings of over $450 per year, making a new refrigerator a very good investment.
• Clean the cooling coils. Vacuum behind your refrigerator at least once a year, making sure to remove dirt and dust from the coils. Dust build-up not only increases energy use, but it may cause the unit to break down. (Some refrigerators have the coils inside or underneath where you can't get at them. Most built-in models have them readily accessible on top, typically behind a removable grille).
• Turn off spare refrigerators. An older second refrigerator consumes a significant amount of energy. It could be costing you over $600 per year! Perhaps you can get all your food into one refrigerator and turn the other off permanently. Alternatively, if you only need the second unit on during certain occasions, you can pull the plug and then plug it back in only when you need it. This won't hurt the refrigerator and can result in significant savings.
• Keep refrigerators in a cool spot. A five degree difference in air temperature can have a 20% impact on the energy consumption of your refrigerator. Keep spare refrigerators in the coolest part of the house.
• Organize your freezer. Mark items in your freezer for quick identification so that you do not have to keep the door open while you sort through packages.
• Fill your freezer. Freezers operate most efficiently when full, and in the event of a power outage foods will stay frozen longer.

Cooking Tips

• Save when cleaning your oven. In the self-cleaning mode your oven reaches temperatures approaching 450⁰C. You can minimize the energy consumption by starting the self-cleaning cycle while the oven is still warm from prior cooking. 
• Preheat only when necessary. Do not preheat oven or broiler except when baked goods require a precise starting temperature. If you must preheat, keep in mind that most ovens will preheat in 10 minutes or less.
• Arrange oven racks before preheating. You don't want to spend time with the oven door open while you fumble with hot metal racks.
• Don't peek in the oven! Each time you open the oven door the temperature drops 25-50 degrees. Avoid lifting pot lids for the same reason.
• Turn the oven off sooner. Turn off the oven or range a few minutes before cooking time has elapsed. It will still retain enough heat to finish the cooking.
• Cook dishes together. Cook multiple dishes in the oven at one time. When doing so, you should leave at least one inch on all sides of cookware surfaces, and avoid placing cookware on racks directly on top of each other.
• Place aluminium foil properly. If you use aluminium foil to catch drips in the oven, do not place the foil on the rack with the cookware. This reflects heat away from the cooking surface. Place foil on the rack below the cookware.
• Don't over-boil. Once water reaches a state of boiling, it doesn't get any hotter. You can turn down the burner and still maintain a boiling temperature.
• Keep oven and range clean. A clean oven and range cooks more efficiently. Keep drip-pans and oven surfaces bright and shining.
• Thaw foods completely before cooking. If you have time, thaw foods in the refrigerator. It takes longer, but you are also saving energy in your refrigerator. If you are really pressed for time, it is more efficient to thaw foods in the microwave than in the oven.
• Use toaster oven or microwave. Full size ovens are not very efficient when cooking smaller quantities of food. Cooking a potato in an electric oven will cost about $0.30 as compared to $0.15 in a toaster oven or $0.06 in a microwave.
• Use a smaller pan. Bigger isn't always better. Use the smallest pan that will do the job. It takes less time to heat a smaller volume.
• Use the right pan for the burner. With electric cook tops, use flat bottomed pots and pans that completely cover the burner. Any burner surface that is not touching the cookware is wasting energy.
• Use copper bottom pans. Copper bottom pans heat up faster than regular pans.
• Save with glass or ceramic pans. Glass or ceramic pans in ovens are more efficient than metal. You can lower the temperature approximately 25 degrees C and cook in the same time.
• Time your cooking. Use meat timers to avoid overcooking.

Pool and Spa Tips

Appliances: General Tips

• Home Electronics. If you are thinking about purchasing a new TV or VCR, look for ENERGY STAR models. These TVs and VCRs save money and help protect the environment by using less energy.
• Turn computers off when not in use. Turn off your computer and monitor when you're not using them. If you leave your computer on all the time you are likely spending well over $300 per year on electricity!
• Enable computer 'sleep' mode. If your computer has a 'sleep' mode make sure that this feature is enabled. With this feature active, the computer will automatically convert to a low energy mode when not in use, cutting energy usage to less than half.
• Screen savers do not save energy. The best way to reduce your monitor's energy consumption is to turn it off.
• Keep waterbeds away from outside walls. Position your waterbed as far as possible from exterior walls. Cold air passes through exterior walls and will make your waterbed heater work harder.
• Keep your heated waterbed covered. Make your waterbed just like your parents always told you to. Covering you waterbed can reduce heat loss by as much as 30%. This means savings of $75 annually for a typical waterbed.
• Lower waterbed temperature. Lower the temperature of your waterbed heater to the coolest setting at which you are comfortable.