Tips on Saving Energy and Money at Home

Tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home “Technological advances and the development of energy-efficient products can help American families save a lot of money. Today, American families can choose refrigerators that use the same amount of power as a 75-watt light bulb, high efficiency light bulbs that last longer and require less electricity than traditional ones, and energy- efficient windows that can keep hot and cold air in and prevent hard-earned dollars from flowing out. Thanks to the development of innovative technologies, American families can make better energy choices.” – President George W. Bush

“High energy costs can really pinch American families. While the Department of Energy is working hard to develop new technologies to improve the efficiency of American homes and buildings over the long term, today, there are simple, inexpensive steps families can take to reduce their heating and cooling costs. I hope you will find this booklet helpful in making energy choices that are right for you and your family. As this booklet shows, when it comes to energy savings, a little effort can go a long way.” – Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman

Contents 1 Save Energy and Money Today 2 Your Home’s Energy Use 4 Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks 10 Heating and Cooling 16 Water Heating 18 Windows 20 Lighting 22 Appliances 29 Home Office and Home Electronics 31 Driving and Car Maintenance 32 Renewable Energy 33 References

To learn more about DOE programs in energy efficiency and renewable energy, visit the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s web site atwww.eere.energy.go v Save Energy and Money Today

id you know that the typical saving energy include tips you can use U.S. family spends more than today, throughout your home—from D $1,600 a year on home utility the roof, walls, and insulation that bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of enclose it to the appliances and lights that energy is wasted. And electricity inside. Please take a few moments to generated by fossil fuels for a single read the valuable tips in this booklet to home puts more carbon dioxide into the start saving energy and money today. air than two average cars. And as for the road, transportation accounts for 66% of Tips to Save Energy Today all U.S. oil consumption. The good news Easy low-cost and no-cost is that there is a lot you can do to save ways to save energy. energy and money at home and in your car. Start making small changes today • Set your thermostat comfortably (see sidebar). To cut your energy use up low in the winter and comfortably to 25%, see the Long-Term Savings Tips high in the summer. Install a throughout this booklet. programmable thermostat that is compatible with your heating and The key to achieving these savings in cooling system. your home is a whole-house energy • Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. efficiency plan. To take a whole-house • Air dry dishes instead of using your approach, view your home as an energy dishwasher’s drying cycle. system with interdependent parts. For • Turn off your computer and monitor example, your heating system is not just when not in use. a furnace—it’s a heat-delivery system • Plug home electronics, such as TVs that starts at the furnace and delivers and DVD players, into power strips; heat throughout your home using a turn the power strips off when the network of ducts. Even a top-of-the-line, equipment is not in use (TVs and energy-efficient furnace will burn a lot DVDs in standby mode still use of fuel if the ducts, walls, attic, windows, several watts of power). and doors are not insulated and leak. Taking a whole-house approach to • Lower the thermostat on your saving energy ensures that dollars you hot water heater to 120°F. invest to save energy are spent wisely. • Take short showers instead of baths. • Wash only full loads of dishes and Energy-efficient improvements not only clothes. make your home more comfortable, they • Drive sensibly. Aggressive driving can yield long-term financial rewards. (speeding, rapid acceleration and Reduced utility bills more than make up braking) wastes gasoline. for the higher price of energy-efficient • Look for the ENERGY STAR® label appliances and improvements over their on home appliances and products. lifetimes. In addition, your home could ENERGY STAR products meet strict bring in a higher price when you sell. efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. This booklet shows you how easy it is to Environmental Protection Agency and reduce your energy use at home and on the U.S. Department of Energy. the road. The easy, practical solutions for Today and Money Energy Save Your Home’s Energy Use he first step to taking a whole- switches, and electrical outlets that can Thouse energy efficiency approach leak air into or out of your home. is to find out which parts of your • Check for open fireplace dampers. house use the most energy. A home energy audit will pinpoint those • Make sure your appliances and heating areas and suggest the most effective and cooling systems are properly measures for cutting your energy maintained. Check your owner’s costs. You can conduct a simple manuals for the recommended home energy audit yourself, you can maintenance. contact your local utility, or you can • Study your family’s lighting needs call an independent energy auditor for and use patterns, paying special a more comprehensive examination. attention to high-use areas such as For more information about home the living room, kitchen, and outside energy audits, including free tools and lighting. Look for ways to use lighting calculators, visit www.energysavers. controls—like occupancy sensors, gov or www.natresnet.org/resources/ dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting consumer/default.htm. energy use, and replace standard (also called incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard fluorescent lamps. Formulating Your Plan After you have identified where your home is losing energy, assign priorities by asking yourself a few important questions: • How much money do you spend on energy? • Where are your greatest energy losses? • How long will it take for an investment in energy efficiency to pay How We Use Energy in Our Homes for itself in energy cost savings? Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of a typical utility bill. • Do the energy-saving measures Source: 2005 Buildings Energy Data Book, Table 4.2.1., provide additional benefits that 2003 energy cost data. are important to you (for example, Energy Auditing Tips increased comfort from installing • Check the insulation levels in your double-paned, efficient windows)? attic, exterior and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. • How long do you plan to own your Visit www.energysavers.gov for current home? instructions on checking your • Can you do the job yourself or insulation levels. will you need to hire a contractor? • Check for holes or cracks around • What is your budget and how your walls, ceilings, windows, much time do you have to spend on doors, light and plumbing fixtures,

Use Energy Home’s Your maintenance and repair? Once you assign priorities to your energy Tips for Finding a Contractor needs, you can form a whole house efficiency plan. Your plan will provide • Ask neighbors and friends for you with a strategy for making smart recommendations purchases and home improvements that • Look in the Yellow Pages maximize energy efficiency and save the • Focus on local companies most money. • Look for licensed, insured contractors Another option is to get the advice of a professional. Many utilities conduct • Get three bids with details in writing energy audits for free or for a small • Ask about previous experience charge. For a fee, a professional • Check references contractor will analyze how well • Check with the Better Business your home’s energy systems work Bureau together and compare the analysis to your utility bills. He or she will use a variety of equipment such as blower effective energy improvements doors, infrared cameras, and surface and enhanced comfort and safety. thermometers to find leaks and drafts. A good contractor will also calculate After gathering information about your the return on your investment in high- home, the contractor or auditor will give efficiency equipment compared with you a list of recommendations for cost- standard equipment. 997, Infraspection Institute, Inc., Shelburne, VT Shelburne, Inc., Infraspection Institute, Thermogram/photograph copyright 1 997, Cool Hot Heat Loss from a House A picture is worth...in this case, lost heating dollars. This thermal photograph shows heat leaking from a house during those expensive winter heating months. The white, yellow, and red colors show heat escaping. The red represents the area of the greatest heat loss. Use Energy Home’s Your Insulation and Sealing Air Leaks hecking your home’s insulation is Insulation one of the fastest and most cost- First, check the insulation in your attic, C efficient ways to use a whole- ceilings, exterior and basement walls, house approach to reduce energy floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets waste and make the most of your the levels recommended for your area. energy dollars. A good insulating Insulation is measured in R-values—the system includes a combination of higher the R-value, the better your products and construction techniques walls and roof will resist the transfer that protect a home from outside of heat. DOE recommends ranges of hot or cold temperatures, protect R-values based on local heating and it against air leaks, and control cooling costs and climate conditions in moisture. You can increase the different areas of the nation. The map comfort of your home while reducing and chart on pages 6 and 7 show the your heating and cooling needs by DOE recommendations for your area. up to 10% by investing in proper State and local codes in some parts of insulation and sealing air leaks. the country may require lower R-values than the DOE recommendations,

Attic

Walls

Floors

Crawl space Basement

Where to Insulate Adding insulation in the areas shown above may be the best way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation 02477406m which are based on cost effectiveness. Should I Insulate My Home? For more customized insulation recommendations, visit our site, The answer is probably “yes” if you: www.energysavers.gov, and check out • Have an older home and haven’t the Zip Code Insulation Calculator, added insulation. Only 20% of which lists the most economic insulation homes built before 1980 are well levels for your new or existing home insulated. based on your zip code and other basic • Are uncomfortably cold in the information about your home. winter or hot in the summer— adding insulation creates a more Although insulation can be made from uniform temperature and increases a variety of materials, it usually comes comfort. in four types; each type has different characteristics. • Build a new home, addition, or install new siding or roofing. Rolls and batts—or blankets—are • Pay high energy bills. flexible products made from mineral fibers, such as fiberglass and rock wool. • Are bothered by noise from outside—insulation muffles sound. They are available in widths suited to standard spacings of wall studs and attic or floor joists: 2x4 walls can hold R-13 Insulation Tips or R-15 batts; 2x6 walls can have R-19 • Consider factors such as your or R-21 products. climate, building design, and budget Loose-fill insulation—usually made of when selecting insulation R-values fiberglass, rock wool, or cellulose— for your home. comes in shreds, granules, or nodules. • Use higher density insulation, such These small particles should be blown as rigid foam boards, in cathedral into spaces using special pneumatic ceilings and on exterior walls. equipment. The blown-in material • Ventilation plays a large role in conforms readily to building cavities and providing moisture control and attics. Therefore, loose-fill insulation is reducing summer cooling bills. well suited for places where it is difficult Attic vents can be installed along to install other types of insulation. the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper airflow from the soffit Rigid foam insulation—foam insulation to the attic to make a home more typically is more expensive than fiber comfortable and energy efficient. insulation. But it’s very effective in Check with a qualified contractor. buildings with space limitations and where higher R-values are needed. Foam • Recessed light fixtures can be a insulation R-values range from R-4 to major source of heat loss, but you R-6.5 per inch of thickness (2.54 cm), need to be careful how close you which is up to 2 times greater than most place insulation next to a fixture other insulating materials of the same unless it is marked IC—designed thickness. for direct insulation contact. Check your local building codes for Foam-in-place insulation—this type recommendations. See Lighting can be blown into walls and reduces air for more about recessed cans. leakage. and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation • As specified on the product or 6 inches of cellulose), you could packaging, follow the product probably benefit by adding more. Most instructions on installation and wear U.S. homes should have between R-22 the proper protective gear when and R-49 insulation in the attic. installing insulation. If your attic has enough insulation and $ Long-Term Savings Tip your home still feels drafty and cold in • One of the most cost-effective the winter or too warm in the summer, ways to make your home more chances are you need to add insulation to comfortable year-round is to add the exterior walls as well. This is a more insulation to your attic. expensive measure that usually requires a contractor, but it may be worth the cost Adding insulation to the attic is if you live in a very hot or cold climate. relatively easy and very cost effective. To find out if you have enough attic You may also need to add insulation insulation, measure the thickness of to your crawl space. Either the walls or the insulation. If it is less than R-22 the floor above the crawl space should (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool be insulated.

U.S. Department of Energy Recommended* Total R-Values for New Houses in Six Climate Zones

How Much Insulation Does My Home Need? For insulation recommendations tailored to your home, visit the DOE Zip Code Insulation Calculator at www.ornl. gov/~roofs/zip/ziphome.html.

* These recommendations are cost-effective levels of insulation based on the best available information on local fuel and materials costs and weather conditions. Consequently, the levels may differ from current local building codes. In addition, the apparent fragmentation of the recommendations is an

and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation artifact of these data and should not be considered absolute minimum requirements. New Construction Today, new products are on the For new construction or home market that provide both insulation additions, R-11 to R-28 insulation and structural support and should be is recommended for exterior walls considered for new home construction depending on location (see map). To or additions. Structural insulated meet this recommendation, most homes panels, known as SIPS, and masonry and additions constructed with 2 in. products like insulating concrete forms x 4 in. walls require a combination of are among these. Some homebuilders wall cavity insulation, such as batts are even using an old technique and insulating sheathing or rigid foam borrowed from the pioneers, building boards. If you live in an area with an walls using straw bales. Check online insulation recommendation that is at www.energysavers.gov for more greater than R-20, you may want to information on structural insulation. consider building with 2 in. x 6 in. Radiant barriers (in hot climates), framing instead of 2 in. x 4 in. framing reflective insulation, and foundation to allow room for thicker wall cavity insulation should all be considered for insulation—R-19 to R-21. new home construction. Check with your contractor for more information about these options.

Ceiling Basement (B) (A) all Zone Gas Heat pump Fuel oil Electric furnace Attic Cathedral W Floor Crawl space Slab edge Interior Exterior

1 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10 1 R-49 R-60 R-28 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-19 R-15 2 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10 2 R-49 R-38 R-22 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-19 R-15 3 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10 4 R-38 R-38 R-13 R-13 R-19 R-4 R-11 R-4 4 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10 5 R-38 R-30 R-13 R-11 R-13 R-4 R-11 R-4 5 R-38 R-38 R-13 R-13 R-19 R-4 R-11 R-4 5 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10 6 R-22 R-22 R-11 R-11 R-11 (C) R-11 R-4 6 R-38 R-30 R-13 R-11 R-13 R-4 R-11 R-4 6 R-49 R-38 R-18 R-25 R-19 R-8 R-11 R-10

(A) R-18, R-22, and R-28 exterior wall systems can be achieved by either cavity insulation or cavity insulation with insulating sheathing. 1 1 For 2 in. x 4 in. walls, use either 3- /2-in. thick R-15 or 3- /2-in. thick R-13 fiberglass insulation with insulating sheathing. 1 1 For 2 in. x 6 in. walls, use either 5- /2-in. thick R-21 or 6- /4-in. thick R-19 fiberglass insulation. (B) Insulate crawl space walls only if the crawl space is dry all year, the floor above is not insulated, and all ventilation to the crawl space is blocked. A vapor retarder (e.g., 4- or 6-mil polyethylene film) should be installed on the ground to reduce moisture migration into the crawl space. (C) No slab edge insulation is recommended. and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation

Sources of Air Leaks in Your Home Areas that leak air into and out of your home cost you lots of money. Check the areas listed below. 1 Dropped ceiling 5 Water and furnace flues 9 Window frames 2 Recessed light 6 All ducts 10 Electrical outlets and switches 3 Attic entrance 7 Door frames 11 Plumbing and utility access 4 Sill plates 8 Chimney flashing

Sealing Air Leaks Tips for Sealing Air Leaks Warm air leaking into your home • First, test your home for air tightness. during the summer and out of your On a windy day, hold a lit incense stick home during the winter can waste a next to your windows, doors, electrical lot of your energy dollars. One of the boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical quickest dollar-saving tasks you can outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches, do is caulk, seal, and weatherstrip all and other locations where there is a seams, cracks, and openings to the possible air path to the outside. If the outside. You can save as much as 10% smoke stream travels horizontally, you on your heating and cooling bill by have located an air leak that may need reducing the air leaks in your home. caulking, sealing, or weatherstripping. and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation • Caulk and weatherstrip doors and windows that leak air.

• Caulk and seal air leaks where Plumbing Windows plumbing, ducting, or electrical penetrations 10% wiring penetrates through exterior 13% Doors walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over 11% cabinets. Ducts 15% Fans and vents • Install rubber gaskets behind outlet and 4% switch plates on exterior walls. Electric Fireplace outlets 14% • Look for dirty spots in your insulation, 2% Floors, walls, which often indicate holes where air and ceiling leaks into and out of your house. You 31% can seal the holes by stapling sheets of plastic over the holes and caulking the edges of the plastic. How Does the Air Escape? 02477404m Air infiltrates into and out of your home through • Install storm windows over single-pane every hole, nook, and cranny. About one-third windows or replace them with double- of this air infiltrates through openings in your pane windows. See Windows on page ceilings, walls, and floors. 18 for more information. • When the fireplace is not in use, keep the flue damper tightly closed. A chimney is designed specifically for smoke to escape, so until you close it, warm air escapes—24 hours a day! • For new construction, reduce exterior wall leaks by either installing house wrap, taping the joints of exterior sheathing, or comprehensively caulking and sealing the exterior walls. and Sealing Air Leaks Insulation Heating and Cooling eating and cooling your home if in doubt about how to perform H uses more energy and drains this task, call a professional. more energy dollars than any other • Place heat-resistant radiator system in your home. Typically, 45% reflectors between exterior walls of your utility bill goes for heating and the radiators. and cooling. What’s more, heating • Turn off kitchen, bath, and other and cooling systems in the United exhaust fans within 20 minutes after States together emit 150 million tons you are done cooking or bathing; of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere when replacing exhaust fans, each year, adding to global climate consider installing high-efficiency, change. They also generate about low-noise models. 12% of the nation’s sulfur dioxide and 4% of the nitrogen oxides, the chief • During the heating season, keep the ingredients in acid rain. draperies and shades on your south- facing windows open during the day No matter what kind of heating, to allow the sunlight to enter your ventilation, and air-conditioning home and closed at night to reduce system you have in your house, you the chill you may feel from cold can save money and increase your windows. comfort by properly maintaining • During the cooling season, keep the and upgrading your equipment. But window coverings closed during the remember, an energy-efficient furnace day to prevent solar gain. alone will not have as great an impact on your energy bills as using the $ Long-Term Savings Tips whole-house approach. By combining • Select energy-efficient products proper equipment maintenance and when you buy new heating and upgrades with appropriate insulation, cooling equipment. Your contractor air sealing, and thermostat settings, should be able to give you energy you can cut your energy use for heating and cooling, and reduce environmental emissions, from 20% to 50%. Heating and Cooling Tips • Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as is comfortable in the summer. • Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed. • Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes. Household Heating Systems Although several different types of fuels are • Bleed trapped air from hot-water available to heat our homes, more than half of us radiators once or twice a season; use natural gas. and Cooling Heating 10 fact sheets for different types, models, or cooled air can be forced out of and designs to help you compare unsealed joints and lost. In addition, energy usage. For furnaces, look for unconditioned air can be drawn into high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency return ducts through unsealed joints. (AFUE) ratings. The national minimum In the summer, hot attic air can be is 78% AFUE, but there are ENERGY drawn in, increasing the load on the STAR models on the market that air conditioner. In the winter, your exceed 90% AFUE. furnace will have to work longer to • For air conditioners, look for a high keep your house comfortable. Either Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio way, your energy losses cost you (SEER). The current minimum is 13 money. SEER for central air conditioners. Although minor duct repairs are ENERGY STAR models are 13 SEER easy to make, ducts in unconditioned or more. The American Council for spaces should be sealed and insulated an Energy-Efficient Economy lists by qualified professionals using the energy performance of the most appropriate sealing materials. Here energy-efficient furnaces, boilers, AC are a few simple tips to help with units, and heat pumps on its web site: minor duct repairs. www.aceee.org. Duct Tips Ducts • Check your ducts for air leaks. One of the most important systems in First, look for sections that should your home, though it’s hidden beneath be joined but have separated and your feet and over your head, may be then look for obvious holes. wasting a lot of your energy dollars. • If you use tape to seal your ducts, Your home’s duct system, a branching avoid cloth-backed, rubber adhesive network of tubes in the walls, floors, and duct tape, which tends to fail ceilings, carries the air from your home’s quickly. Researchers recommend furnace and central air conditioner to other products to seal ducts: mastic, each room. Ducts are made of sheet butyl tape, foil tape, or other heat- metal, fiberglass, or other materials. approved tapes. Look for tape with Unfortunately, many duct systems the Underwriters Laboratories logo. are poorly insulated or not insulated • Remember that insulating ducts properly. Ducts that leak heated air in the basement will make the into unheated spaces can add hundreds basement colder. If both the of dollars a year to your heating and ducts and the basement walls are cooling bills. Insulating ducts that are uninsulated, consider insulating in unconditioned spaces is usually very both.* cost effective. If you are buying a new * Note: Water pipes and drains in unconditioned duct system, consider one that comes spaces could freeze and burst in the space if with insulation already installed. the heat ducts are fully insulated, because there would be no heat source to prevent the space Sealing your ducts to prevent leaks is from freezing in cold weather. However, using even more important if the ducts are an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes can located in an unconditioned area such prevent this. as an attic or vented crawl space. If the supply ducts are leaking, heated and Cooling Heating 11 • If your basement has been converted They collect heat from the air, water, to a living area, hire a professional or ground outside your home and to install both supply and return concentrate it for use inside. Heat registers in the basement rooms. pumps do double duty as a central air • Be sure a well-sealed vapor conditioner. They can also cool your barrier exists on the outside of home by collecting the heat inside the insulation on cooling ducts to your house and effectively pumping prevent moisture buildup. it outside. A heat pump can trim the • When doing ductwork, be sure to amount of electricity you use for get professional help. Changes and heating by as much as 30% to 40%. repairs to a duct system should Heat Pump Tips always be performed by a qualified • Do not set back the heat pump’s professional. thermostat manually if it causes the • Ducts that don’t work properly electric resistance heating to come can create serious, life-threatening on. This type of heating, which is carbon monoxide (CO) problems in often used as a backup to the heat the home. Install a CO monitor to pump, is more expensive. alert you to harmful CO levels if you • Clean or change filters once a month have a fuel-burning furnace, stove or as needed, and maintain the or other appliance, or an attached system according to manufacturer’s garage. instructions. • For new construction, consider placing ducts in conditioned $ Long-Term Savings Tip space—space that is heated and • If you use electricity to heat your cooled—instead of running ducts home and live in a moderate climate, through unconditioned areas like consider installing an energy- the crawlspace or attic, which is less efficient heat pump system. efficient. Solar Heating and Cooling $ Long-Term Savings Tip Using passive solar design techniques • You can lose up to 60% of your to heat and cool your home can be heated air before it reaches the both environmentally friendly and register if your ducts aren’t cost effective. Passive solar heating insulated and they travel through techniques include placing larger, unheated spaces such as the attic insulated windows on south-facing or crawlspace. Get a qualified walls and locating thermal mass, such professional to help you insulate as a concrete slab floor or a heat- and repair ducts. absorbing wall, close to the windows. Heat Pumps In many cases, your heating costs Heat pumps are the most efficient could be more than 50% lower than form of electric heating in moderate the cost of heating the same house that climates, providing three times more does not include passive solar design. heating than the equivalent amount Passive solar design can also help of energy they consume in electricity. reduce your cooling costs. Passive There are three types of heat pumps: solar cooling techniques include air-to-air, water source, and ground carefully designed overhangs, source. and Cooling Heating 12 windows with reflective coatings, and open the nearest window slightly— reflective coatings on exterior walls and approximately 1 inch—and close the roof. doors leading into the room. Lower A passive solar house requires careful the thermostat setting to between design and site orientation, which 50° and 55°F. depend on the local climate. So, if you • Install tempered glass doors and a are considering passive solar design for heat-air exchange system that blows new construction or a major remodeling, warmed air back into the room. you should consult an architect familiar • Check the seal on the flue damper with passive solar techniques. and make it as snug as possible. Solar Tips • Add caulking around the fireplace • Keep all south-facing glass clean. hearth. • Make sure that objects do not block • Use grates made of C-shaped metal the sunlight shining on concrete slab tubes to draw cool room air into the floors or heat-absorbing walls. fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room. Fireplaces When you cozy up next to a crackling Natural Gas and Oil Heating fire on a cold winter day, you probably Systems don’t realize that your fireplace is one If you plan to buy a new heating of the most inefficient heat sources you system, ask your local utility or state can possibly use. It literally sends your energy office for information about energy dollars right up the chimney the latest technologies available to along with volumes of warm air. A consumers. They can advise you about roaring fire can exhaust as much as more efficient systems on the market 24,000 cubic feet of air per hour to the today. For example, many newer outside, which must be replaced by models incorporate designs for burners cold air coming into the house from and heat exchangers that result in outside. Your heating system must warm higher efficiencies during operation and up this air, which is then exhausted reduce heat loss when the equipment through your chimney. If you use your is off. Consider a sealed combustion conventional fireplace while your central furnace; they are both safer and more heating system is on, these tips can help efficient. Check the shopping guide in reduce energy losses. the back of this booklet for additional information on how to understand Fireplace Tips heating system ratings. • If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue. $ Long-Term Savings Tip • Keep your fireplace damper closed • Install a new energy-efficient unless a fire is going. Keeping the furnace to save money over the long damper open is like keeping a window term. Look for the ENERGY STAR wide open during the winter; it allows and EnergyGuide labels. warm air to go right up the chimney. • When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or and Cooling Heating 13 Air Conditioners Install a Carbon Monoxide Detector It might surprise you to know that buying a bigger room air-conditioning Carbon monoxide (CO) detectors are unit won’t necessarily make you feel highly recommended in homes with more comfortable during the hot fuel-burning appliances, such as natural summer months. In fact, a room air gas furnaces, stoves, ovens, and water conditioner that’s too big for the area heaters, and fuel-burning space heaters. An alarm signals homeowners if CO it is supposed to cool will perform less reaches potentially dangerous levels. efficiently and less effectively than a smaller, properly sized unit. This is because room units work better if • Consider using an interior fan in they run for relatively long periods conjunction with your window air of time than if they are continually conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home switching off and on. Longer run times without greatly increasing your power allow air conditioners to maintain a use. more constant room temperature and remove excess humidity. • Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. Sizing is equally important for central The thermostat senses heat from air-conditioning systems, which these appliances, which can cause need to be sized by professionals. the air conditioner to run longer than If you have a central air system in necessary. your home, set the fan to shut off • Plant trees or shrubs to shade air at the same time as the cooling unit conditioning units but not to block (compressor). In other words, don’t the airflow. Place your room air use the system’s central fan to provide conditioner on the north side of the circulation, but instead use circulating house. A unit operating in the shade fans in individual rooms. uses as much as 10% less electricity Cooling Tips than the same one operating in the sun. • Whole-house fans help cool your • Keep in mind that insulation and home by pulling cool air through sealing air leaks will help your energy the house and exhausting warm air performance in the summertime by through the attic. They are effective keeping the cool air inside. when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside. $ Long-Term Savings Tips • If your air conditioner is old, consider • Set your thermostat as high as purchasing a new, energy-efficient comfortably possible in the summer. model. You could save up to 50% on The less difference between the your utility bill for cooling. Look for indoor and outdoor temperatures, the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide the lower your overall cooling bill labels. The shopping guide in the back will be. of this booklet will help you find the • Don’t set your thermostat at a colder right size unit for your needs. setting than normal when you turn • Consider installing a whole-house fan on your air conditioner. It will not or evaporative cooler if appropriate cool your home any faster and could for your climate. Check out www. result in excessive cooling and, energysavers.gov for more information therefore, unnecessary expense. on efficient cooling. and Cooling Heating 14 Hot Winter Tip Using a programmable thermostat, you can automatically turn down your heat at night or when you are not at home.

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Cool Summer Tip In the summer, you can save money by automatically turning your air- conditioning up at night or when you are at work.

02477411m Programmable Thermostats and reduce your energy bills. In You can save as much as 10% a year addition to adding aesthetic value and on your heating and cooling bills by environmental quality to your home, simply turning your thermostat back a well-placed tree, shrub, or vine 10% to 15% for 8 hours. You can do can deliver effective shade, act as a this automatically without sacrificing windbreak, and reduce your overall comfort by installing an automatic energy bills. setback or programmable thermostat. Carefully positioned trees can save Using a programmable thermostat, you up to 25% of the energy a typical can adjust the times you turn on the household uses for cooling. heating or air-conditioning according Studies conducted by Lawrence to a pre-set schedule. As a result, the Berkeley National Laboratory found equipment doesn’t operate as much summer daytime air temperatures to when you are asleep or when the be 3° to 6°F cooler in tree-shaded house, or a part of it, is not occupied. neighborhoods than in treeless areas. Programmable thermostats can store The energy-conserving landscape and repeat multiple daily settings strategies you should use for your (six or more temperature settings a home depend on the type of climate in day) that you can manually override which you live. without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program. When shopping for a programmable thermostat, be sure to look for the ENERGY STAR. Landscaping Landscaping is a natural and beautiful way to keep your home cool in summer and Cooling Heating 15 Water Heating ater heating is the third largest energy expense in your home. W It typically accounts for about 13% of your utility bill. There are four ways to cut your water heating bills: use less hot water, turn down the thermostat on your water heater, insulate your water heater, or buy a new, more efficient model.

Water Heating Tips • Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads. • Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time. • Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses. • Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. • Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to

cover the thermostat. Follow the 02477412m manufacturer’s recommendations. Keep Your Energy Bills Out of Hot Water Insulate your water heater to save energy and money. • Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the water water-saving ENERGY STAR heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, model to reduce hot water use. See or burner compartment. Follow the Appliances on page 22 for more manufacturer’s recommendations; information. when in doubt, get professional help. • Install heat traps on the hot and cold • Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and pipes at the water heater to prevent cold water pipes connected to the heat loss. Some new water heaters water heater. have built-in heat traps. • If you are in the market for a new • Drain a quart of water from your dishwasher or clothes washer, water tank every 3 months to remove consider buying an efficient, sediment that impedes heat transfer Heating Water 16 and lowers the efficiency of your Average Hot Water Use heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take, so Activity Gallons per Use follow the manufacturer’s advice. Clothes washing 32 • Although most water heaters last Showering 20 10–15 years, it’s best to start shopping Bathing 20 for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research Automatic 12 before your heater fails will enable dishwashing you to select one that most Preparing food 5 appropriately meets your needs. Hand dishwashing 4 $ Long-Term Savings Tips Source: ACEEE • Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more initially More than 1.5 million homes and than a standard water heater, the businesses in the United States energy savings will continue during have invested in solar water heating the lifetime of the appliance. Look for systems, and surveys indicate the EnergyGuide label. The American thhat more than 94% of these Council for an Energy-Efficient customers consider the systems Economy lists the energy performance a good investment. Solar water of the most energy-efficient water heating systems are also good for heaters on its web site: www.aceee.org. the environment. Solar water heaters avoid the harmful greenhouse gas • Consider installing a drain water waste emissions associated with electricity heat recovery system. A recent DOE production. During a 20-year period, study showed energy savings of 25% one solar water heater can avoid to about 30% for water heating using more than 50 tons of carbon dioxide such a system. emissions. When shopping for a solar • Consider natural gas on-demand or water heater, look for systems certified tankless water heaters. Researchers by the Solar Rating and Certification have found savings can be up to 30% Corporation or the Florida Solar compared with a standard natural gas Energy Center. storage tank water heater. $ Long-Term Savings Tip • Heat pump water heaters are very • Visit the Database of State Incentives economical in some areas. for Renewable Energy web site (www.dsireusa.org) to see if you Solar Water Heaters might qualify for tax credits or If you heat water with electricity, rebates for buying a solar water have high electric rates, and have an heater. unshaded, south-facing location (such as a roof) on your property, consider installing a solar water heater. The solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be installed on your roof to blend with the architecture of your house. Heating Water 17 Windows

indows can be one of your winter months. Remember, the plastic home’s most attractive features. must be sealed tightly to the frame to W Windows provide views, help reduce infiltration. daylighting, ventilation, and solar • Install tight-fitting, insulating window heating in the winter. Unfortunately, shades on windows that feel drafty they can also account for 10% to after weatherizing. 25% of your heating bill. During the • Close your curtains and shades at summer, your air conditioner must night; open them during the day. work harder to cool hot air from sunny • Keep windows on the south side of your windows. Install ENERGY STAR house clean to let in the winter sun. windows and use curtains and shade to give your air conditioner and energy • Install exterior or interior storm bill a break. If you live in the Sun Belt, windows; storm windows can reduce look into new solar control spectrally heat loss through the windows by 25% selective windows, which can cut the to 50%. Storm windows should have cooling load by 10% to 15%. weatherstripping at all movable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; If your home has single-pane windows, and have interlocking or overlapping as almost half of U.S. homes do, joints. Low-e storm windows save consider replacing them. New double- even more energy. pane windows with high-performance glass (e.g., low-e or spectrally selective) are available on the market. In colder climates, select windows that are gas filled with low emissivity (low-e) coatings on the glass to reduce heat loss. In warmer climates, select windows with spectrally selective coatings to reduce heat gain. If you are building a new home, you can offset some of the cost of installing more efficient windows because they allow you to buy smaller, less expensive heating and cooling equipment. 02477413m Cold-Climate Windows Keep Heat In If you decide not to replace your Double-pane windows with low-e coating on the windows, the simpler, less costly glass reflect heat back into the room during the measures listed below can improve winter months. their performance. • Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary. Cold-Climate Window Tips • You can use a heavy-duty, clear Warm-Climate Window Tips plastic sheet on a frame or tape • Install white window shades, drapes, clear plastic film to the inside of or blinds to reflect heat away from your window frames during the cold the house. Windows 18 Shopping Tips for Windows • Look for the ENERGY STAR and EnergyGuide labels. • When you’re shopping for new windows, look for the National Fenestration Rating Council label; it means the window’s performance is certified. • Remember, the lower the U-value, the better the insulation. In colder climates, a U-value of 0.35 or below is recommended. These windows have at least double glazing and a low-e coating. Warm-Climate Windows Keep Heat Out 02477414m• In warm climates, where In the summertime, the sun shining through summertime heat gain is the main your windows heats up the room. Windows with concern, look for windows with spectrally selective coatings on the glass reflect double glazing and spectrally some of the sunlight, keeping your rooms cooler. selective coatings that reduce heat gain. • Close curtains on south- and west- • Select windows with air leakage facing windows during the day. ratings of 0.3 cubic feet per minute • Install awnings on south- and west- or less. facing windows. • In temperate climates with both • Apply sun-control or other reflective heating and cooling seasons, select films on south-facing windows to windows with both low U-values reduce solar gain. and low solar heat gain coefficiency (SHGC) to maximize energy $ Long-Term Savings Tip benefits. • Installing new, high-performance windows will improve your home’s • Remember that new windows must energy performance. While it may be installed correctly to avoid air take many years for new windows to leaks around the frame. Look for pay off in energy savings, the benefits a reputable, qualified installer. of added comfort and improved aesthetics and functionality may make the investment worth it to you. Today, many new window technologies are available that are worth considering. Glazing materials (the glass part of the window) now come with a variety of selective coatings and other features; frames are available in aluminum, wood, vinyl, fiberglass, or combinations of these materials. Each type of glazing material and frame has advantages and disadvantages. Windows 19 now available that feature dimmers and Lighting operate much like incandescent fixtures. Indoor Lighting Tips aking improvements to your • Look for the ENERGY STAR label lighting is one of the fastest M when purchasing these products. ways to cut your energy bills. An average household dedicates 11% of • Turn off the lights in any room you’re its energy budget to lighting. Using not using, or consider installing timers, new lighting technologies can reduce photo cells, or occupancy sensors to lighting energy use in your home by reduce the amount of time your lights 50% to 75%. Advances in lighting are on. controls offer further energy savings • Use task lighting; instead of brightly by reducing the amount of time lights lighting an entire room, focus the light are on but not being used. where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops under cabinets. • Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary. • Use 4-foot fluorescent fixtures with reflective backing and electronic ballasts for your workroom, garage, and laundry areas. • Consider using 4-watt minifluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. Compact Fluorescent Bulbs— The luminescent lights are cool to the A Bright Idea! touch. Compact fluorescent bulbs are four times more • Use CFLs in all the portable table and energy efficient than incandescent bulbs and provide the same light levels. floor lamps in your home. Consider carefully the size and fit of these Indoor Lighting systems when you select them. Some Use tube fluorescent and energy- home fixtures may not accommodate efficient compact fluorescent lights some of the larger CFLs. (CFLs) in fixtures throughout your • Recessed downlights (also called home to provide high-quality and recessed cans) are now available that high-efficiency lighting. Fluorescent are rated for contact with insulation lamps are much more efficient than (IC rated), are designed specifically for incandescent (standard) bulbs and last pin-based CFLs, and can be used in up to 10 times longer. Today’s CFLs retrofits or new construction. offer brightness and color rendition • Take advantage of daylight by using that is comparable to incandescent light-colored, loose-weave curtains lights. Although fluorescent and on your windows to allow daylight to compact fluorescent lamps cost a bit penetrate the room while preserving more than incandescent bulbs, they privacy. Also, decorate with lighter pay for themselves by saving energy colors that reflect daylight. over their lifetime. CFL fixtures are Lighting 20 Save Energy and More 02477418m Halogen lamps generate excessive heat that can be a fire hazard. Use compact fluorescent lights in your torchieres, or better yet, buy a torchiere designed for compact fluorescent bulbs.

Outdoor Lighting Tips • Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motion sensor so they will turn on only at night or when someone is present. A combined 02477417m photocell and motion sensor will • If you have torchiere fixtures with increase your energy savings even halogen lamps, consider replacing them more. with compact fluorescent torchieres. Compact fluorescent torchieres use • Turn off decorative outdoor natural 60% to 80% less energy, can produce gas lamps; just eight such lamps more light (lumens), and do not get as burning year-round use as much hot as the halogen torchieres. Halogen natural gas as it takes to heat an torchieres are a fire risk because of the average-size home during an entire high temperature of the halogen bulb. winter. • Exterior lighting is one of the best places to use CFLs because of their Outdoor Lighting long life. If you live in a cold climate, Many homeowners use outdoor lighting be sure to buy a lamp with a cold for decoration and security. When weather ballast since standard CFLs shopping for outdoor lights, you will find may not work well below 40ºF. a variety of products, from low-voltage • Also consider high-intensity pathway lighting to motion-detector discharge (also called HID) or floodlights. Some stores also carry lights low-pressure sodium lights. powered by small photovoltaic (PV) modules that convert sunlight directly into electricity; consider PV-powered lights for areas that are not close to an existing power supply line. Lighting 21 and 28 lists some of the major appliances Appliances that carry the ENERGY STAR label and provides helpful information on what to ppliances account for about look for when shopping for an appliance. A 20% of your household’s energy consumption, with refrigerators, To help you figure out whether an clothes washers, and clothes dryers at appliance is energy efficient, the federal the top of the consumption list. government requires most appliances to display the bright yellow and black When you’re shopping for appliances, EnergyGuide label. Although these think of two price tags. The first one labels will not tell you which appliance covers the purchase price—think of is the most efficient, they will tell you it as a down payment. The second the annual energy consumption and price tag is the cost of operating the operating cost for each appliance so appliance during its lifetime. You’ll be you can compare them yourself. The paying on that second price tag every American Council for an Energy- month with your utility bill for the Efficient Economy lists the energy next 10 to 20 years, depending on the performance of top-rated energy- appliance. Refrigerators last an average saving appliances on its web site: of 13 years; room air conditioners and www.aceee.org. clothes washers, about 11 years each; dishwashers about 9 years. Dishwashers Most of the energy used by a dishwasher When you do have to shop for a new is for water heating. The EnergyGuide appliance, look for the ENERGY label estimates how much power is STAR label. ENERGY STAR products needed per year to run the appliance and usually exceed minimum federal to heat the water based on the yearly cost standards by a substantial amount. The of natural gas and electric water heating. appliance shopping guide on pages 27

What’s the Real Cost? Every appliance has two price tags—the purchase price and the operating cost. Consider both when buying a new appliance. Appliances 22 • Let your dishes air dry; if you don’t What’s a kilowatt? have an automatic air-dry switch, When you use electricity to cook a pot of turn off the control knob after the rice for 1 hour, you use 1000 watt-hours of final rinse and prop the door open a electricity! One thousand watt-hours equals little so the dishes will dry faster. 1 kilowatt-hour, or 1 kWh. Your utility bill usually shows what you are charged for $ Long-Term Savings Tips the kilowatt-hours you use. The average • When shopping for a new residential rate is 8.3 cents per kWh. A typical dishwasher, look for the ENERGY U.S. household consumes about 11,000 kWh STAR label to find a dishwasher that per year, costing an average of $900 annually. uses less water and 25% less energy Dishwasher Tips than required by federal standards. • Check the manual that came with your dishwasher for the manufacturer’s Refrigerators recommendations on water The EnergyGuide label on new temperature; many have internal refrigerators will tell you how much heating elements that allow you to electricity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) a set the water heater in your home particular model uses in one year. The to a lower temperature (120°F). smaller the number, the less energy • Scrape, don’t rinse, off large the refrigerator uses and the less it food pieces and bones. Soaking will cost you to operate. In addition or prewashing is generally only to the EnergyGuide label, don’t forget recommended in cases of burned-on to look for the ENERGY STAR label. or dried-on food. A new refrigerator with an ENERGY • Be sure your dishwasher is full, but STAR label uses at least 15% less not overloaded, when you run it. energy than required by current • Don’t use the “rinse hold” on your federal standards and 40% less energy machine for just a few soiled dishes. than the conventional models sold in It uses 3 to 7 gallons of hot water each 2001. time you use it.

How to Read the EnergyGuide Label The EnergyGuide label gives you two important pieces of information you can use to compare different brands and models when shopping for a new refrigerator: • Estimated energy consumption on a scale showing a range for similar models • Estimated yearly operating cost based on the national average cost of electricity. Appliances 23 Refrigerator/Freezer Energy Tips • Cover liquids and wrap foods stored • Look for a refrigerator with in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods automatic moisture control. release moisture and make the Models with this feature have been compressor work harder. engineered to prevent moisture $ Long-Term Savings Tip accumulation on the cabinet exterior • Look for the ENERGY STAR when without the addition of a heater. buying a new refrigerator. Select This is not the same thing as an a new refrigerator that is the right “anti-sweat” heater. Models with an size for your household. Top freezer anti-sweat heater will consume 5% models are more energy efficient than to 10% more energy than models side-by-side models. Features like without this feature. icemakers and water dispensers, while • Don’t keep your refrigerator or convenient, will increase energy use. freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0°F. • To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours. • Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup decreases the energy efficiency of the unit. Don’t allow frost to build up more than one- quarter of an inch. • Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider buying a new unit. ENERGY STAR Refrigerators Are Cool!02477422m Refrigerators with the freezer on the top are more efficient than those with freezers on the side. Appliances 24 Other Energy-Saving Kitchen Tips will generally do a good job of • Be sure to place the faucet lever on the cleaning your clothes. Switching your kitchen sink in the cold position when temperature setting from hot to warm using small amounts of water; placing can cut a load’s energy use in half. the lever in the hot position uses energy to heat the water even though it Laundry Tips may never reach the faucet. • Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents • If you need to purchase a natural gas whenever possible. oven or range, look for one with an automatic, electric ignition system. • Wash and dry full loads. If you An electric ignition saves natural gas are washing a small load, use the because a pilot light is not burning appropriate water-level setting. continuously. • Dry towels and heavier cottons in • In natural gas appliances, look for a separate load from lighter-weight blue flames; yellow flames indicate clothes. the gas is burning inefficiently and an • Don’t over-dry your clothes. If your adjustment may be needed. Consult the machine has a moisture sensor, use it. manufacturer or your local utility. • Clean the lint filter in the dryer • Keep range-top burners and reflectors after every load to improve air clean; they will reflect the heat better, circulation. and you will save energy. • Use the cool-down cycle to allow • Use a covered kettle or pan to boil the clothes to finish drying with the water; it’s faster and it uses less energy. residual heat in the dryer. • Match the size of the pan to the heating • Periodically inspect your dryer vent element. to ensure it is not blocked. This will • Use small electric pans or toaster ovens save energy and may prevent a fire. for small meals rather than your large Manufacturers recommend using stove or oven. A toaster oven uses a rigid venting material, not plastic third to half as much energy as a full- vents that may collapse and cause sized oven. blockages. • Use pressure cookers and microwave • Consider air-drying clothes on ovens whenever it is convenient clothes lines or drying racks. Air- to do so. They will save energy by drying is recommended by clothing significantly reducing cooking time. manufacturers for some fabrics.

Laundry $ Long-Term Savings Tips About 90% of the energy used for • Look for the ENERGY STAR and washing clothes is for heating the water. EnergyGuide labels. ENERGY There are two ways to reduce the amount STAR clothes washers clean clothes of energy used for washing clothes—use using 50% less energy than standard less water and use cooler water. Unless washers. Most full-sized ENERGY you’re dealing with oily stains, the warm STAR washers use 18–25 gallons of or cold water setting on your machine water per load, compared to the 40 Appliances 25 How Much Electricity Do Appliances Use? This chart shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost based on national averages. For example, a refrigerator uses almost five times the electricity the average television uses. Visit www.energysavers.gov for instructions on calculating the electrical use of your appliances.

gallons used by a standard machine. ENERGY STAR models also spin the clothes better, resulting in less drying time. • When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only will this save energy, it will save the wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying. • ENERGY STAR does not label clothes dryers because most of them use similar amounts of energy, which means there is little difference in energy use between models. Appliances 26 Major Appliance Shopping Guide This easy-to-read guide may help you understand how appliances are rated for efficiency, what the ratings mean, and what to look for while shopping for new appliances.

Appliances Rating Special Considerations Natural Look for the FTC (Federal Trade Bigger is not always better! Too large a Gas and Oil Commission) EnergyGuide label with system costs more and operates inefficiently. Systems an AFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Have a professional assess your needs and Efficiency) rating for natural gas- and recommend the type and size of system you oil-fired furnaces and boilers. The should purchase. AFUE measures the seasonal or annual efficiency. ENERGY STAR furnaces have a 90 AFUE or higher.

Air-Source Look for the EnergyGuide label that If you live in a cool climate, look for a heat Heat Pumps lists the SEER (Seasonal Energy pump with a high HSPF. ENERGY STAR heat Efficiency Ratio) and HSPF (Heating pumps are about 20% more efficient than Seasonal Performance Factor) for heat standard models. Contact a professional for pumps. The SEER measures the energy advice on purchasing a heat pump. efficiency during the cooling season and HSPF measures the efficiency during the heating season. The ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency level is 13 SEER or higher. Central Air Look for the EnergyGuide label with Air conditioners that bear the ENERGY Conditioners a SEER for central air conditioners. STAR label may be 25% more efficient than The ENERGY STAR minimum efficiency standard models. Contact a professional for level is 13 SEER. advice on sizing a central air system.

Room Air Look for the EnergyGuide label with an What size to buy? Conditioners EER (Energy Efficiency Ratio) for room Area in Btu/ Two major factors air conditioners. The higher the EER, square feet hour should guide your the more efficient the unit is. ENERGY purchase: correct STAR units are among the most energy- 100 to 150 5,000 size and energy efficient products. 150 to 250 6,000 efficiency. If the 250 to 350 7,000 room is very sunny, 350 to 450 9,000 increase capacity 400 to 450 10,000 by 10%. If the unit 450 to 550 12,000 is for a kitchen, 550 to 700 14,000 increase the 700 to 1,000 18,000 capacity by 4,000 Btu per hour. Appliances Shopping Guide Major 27 Appliances Rating Special Considerations Programmable For minimum ENERGY STAR efficiency, Look for a the ENERGY STAR label and Thermostats thermostats should have at least two a thermostat that allows you to easily programs, four temperature settings use two separate programs, one that each, a hold feature that allows users can be programmed to reach the desired to temporarily override settings, and the temperature at a specific time, and a ability to maintain room temperature hold feature that temporarily overrides within 2ºF of desired temperature. the setting without deleting the preset programs.

Water Heaters Look for the EnergyGuide label that tells If you typically need a lot of hot water at how much energy the water heater once, the FHR will be important to you. uses in one year. Also, look for the FHR Sizing is important—call your local utility (first hour rating) of the water heater, for advice. which measures the maximum hot water the heater will deliver in the first hour of use. Windows Look for the NFRC (National Look at the Climate Region Map on the Fenestration Rating Council) label that ENERGY STAR label to be sure that the provides U-values and SHGC (solar heat window, door, or skylight you have selected gain coefficient) values. The lower the is appropriate for where you live. U-value, the better the insulation.

Refrigerators Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for energy-efficient refrigerators and and Freezers tells how much electricity, in kWh, the freezers. Refrigerators with freezers on top refrigerator will use in one year. The are more efficient than those with freezers smaller the number, the less energy it on the side. Also look for heavy door hinges uses. ENERGY STAR refrigerators use at that create a good door seal. least 15% less energy than required by federal standards.

Dishwashers Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for features that will reduce water tells how much electricity, in kWh, the use, such as booster heaters and smart dishwasher will use in one year. The controls. Ask how many gallons of water smaller the number, the less energy it the dishwasher uses during different uses. ENERGY STAR dishwashers use at cycles. Dishwashers that use the least least 25% less energy than required by amount of water will cost the least to federal standards. operate.

Clothes Look for the EnergyGuide label that Look for the following design features that Washers tells how much electricity, in kWh, the help clothes washers cut water usage: clothes washer will use in one year. The water level controls, “suds-saver” features, smaller the number, the less energy is spin cycle adjustments, and large capacity. uses. ENERGY STAR clothes washers For double the efficiency, buy an ENERGY use less than 50% of the energy used STAR unit. by standard washers. Appliances Shopping Guide Major Appliances Shopping Guide Major 28 Home Office and Home Electronics

n the U.S., nearly 4.2 million people Shop for ENERGY STAR I worked from home in 2000, up from Products for Offices 3.4 million in 1990. Working from home saves energy and time by cutting • Computers out the commute, but it may increase • Copiers your home energy bills a lot unless you • Fax Machines use energy-saving office equipment. • Monitors • Multifunction Devices ENERGY STAR office equipment is widely available: it provides users with (fax, scanner, copier) dramatic savings, as much as 90% • Printers savings for some products. Overall, • Scanners ENERGY STAR office products use about half the electricity of standard equipment. Along with saving energy and fax machines—and turning directly, this equipment can reduce off machines when they are not in air-conditioning loads, noise from fans use can result in enormous energy and transformers, and electromagnetic savings. field emissions from monitors. • An ENERGY STAR computer uses 70% less electricity than Home Office Tips computers without this designation. • Selecting energy-efficient office If left inactive, ENERGY STAR equipment—personal computers computers enter a low-power mode (PCs), monitors, copiers, printers, and use 15 watts or less.

Keep Your Home Office Efficient with ENERGY STAR Home offices are increasingly popular. Be sure to use ENERGY STAR office equipment to save02477415m electricity. Appliances Shopping Guide Major Electronics Office and Home Home 29 Spending a large portion of time Shop for ENERGY STAR in low-power mode not only saves energy, but helps equipment run Home Electronics cooler and last longer. • Cordless Phones • To maximize savings with a laptop, • Televisions put the AC adapter on a power strip • VCRs and DVD Players that can be turned off (or will turn • Combination Units (TV/VCR; off automatically); the transformer TV/DVD) in the AC adapter draws power • Home Audio continuously, even when the laptop • Set-Top Boxes is not plugged into the adapter. • Common misconceptions sometimes kitchen appliances. In the average account for the failure to turn off home, 75% of the electricity used to equipment. Many people believe power home electronics is consumed that equipment lasts longer if it is while the products are turned off. never turned off. This incorrect This can be avoided by unplugging perception carries over from the the appliance or using a power strip days of older mainframe computers. and using the switch on the power strip • ENERGY STAR computers and to cut all power to the appliance. monitors save energy only when • Unplug battery chargers when the the power management features batteries are fully charged or the are activated, so make sure power chargers are not in use. management is activated on your • Studies have shown that using computer. rechargeable batteries for products • There is a common misconception like cordless phones and PDAs is that screen savers reduce energy use more cost effective than throwaway by monitors; they do not. Automatic batteries. If you must use throwaways, switching to sleep mode or manually check with your trash removal turning monitors off is always the company about safe disposal options. better energy-saving strategy.

$ Long-Term Savings Tip • Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers. Home Electronics Tips • Look for energy-saving ENERGY STAR home electronics. • Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and Electronics Office and Home Home 30 Driving and Car Maintenance ransportation accounts for 66% of Car Maintenance Tips TU.S. oil use—mainly in the form of • Use the grade of motor oil gasoline. Luckily, there are plenty of recommended by your car’s ways to improve gas mileage. manufacturer. Using a different motor oil can lower your gasoline Driving Tips mileage by 1% to 2%. • Idling gets you 0 miles per gallon. The best way to warm up a vehicle is • Keep tires properly inflated and to drive it. No more than 30 seconds aligned to improve your gasoline of idling on winter days is needed. mileage by around 3.3%. Anything more simply wastes fuel • Get regular engine tune-ups and car and increases emissions. maintenance checks to avoid fuel • Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid economy problems due to worn acceleration, and hard braking) spark plugs, dragging brakes, low wastes gas. It can lower your transmission fluid, or transmission highway gas mileage 33% and problems. city mileage 5%. • Replace clogged air filters to • Avoid high speeds. Driving 75 mph, improve gas mileage by as much rather than 65 mph, could cut your as 10% and protect your engine. fuel economy by 15%. • Combine errands into one trip. • When you use overdrive gearing, Several short trips, each one taken your car’s engine speed goes down. from a cold start, can use twice as This saves gas and reduces wear. much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when • Use air conditioning the engine is warm. only when necessary. $ Long-Term • Clear out your Savings Tip car; extra weight • Consider buying a decreases gas mileage. highly fuel-efficient • Reduce drag by vehicle. A fuel- placing items inside efficient vehicle, a the car or trunk rather hybrid vehicle, or than on roof racks. an alternative fuel A roof rack or carrier vehicle could provides additional cargo save you a lot at space and may allow the gas pump you to buy a smaller car. and help the However, a loaded roof environment. rack can decrease your fuel See the Fuel economy by 5%. Economy Guide • Check into carpooling and (www.fueleconomy.gov) for public transit to cut mileage more on buying a new fuel-efficient and car maintenance costs. car or truck. Driving and Car Maintenance 31 Renewable Energy

ou have many options for using want to consider generating your Y renewable energy at home—from own electricity using PV cells. New solar-powered outdoor lights to buying products are available that integrate renewable energy from your utility PV cells with the roof, making them to even producing solar electricity at much less visible than older systems. home with photovoltaic (PV) cells. If the following conditions apply, you Renewable Energy Tips might want to do more research to see • A new home provides the best if investing in PV is right for you: opportunity for designing and • Your site has adequate solar resources. orienting the home to take advantage of the sun’s rays. A well-oriented • A grid connection is not available in home admits low-angle winter sun your area or can be made only through to reduce heating bills and rejects an expensive power line extension. overhead summer sun to reduce cooling bills. See the Heating and Cooling section for more about using passive solar energy in your home. • Many U.S. consumers buy electricity made from renewable energy sources like the sun, wind, water, plants, and Earth’s internal heat. This power is sometimes called “green power.” Buying green power from the utility is one of the easiest ways to use renewable energy without having to invest in equipment or take on extra maintenance. • Another use of solar power is for heating water. Solar water heating is covered in the Water Heating section. Solar-Powered Outdoor Lighting If you have a swimming pool or hot tub, you can use solar power to cut • You want to gain energy independence pool heating costs. Most solar pool from your power provider. heating systems are cost competitive • You are willing to pay more up front with conventional systems. And to reduce the environmental impact of solar pool systems have very low your electricity use. operating costs. It’s actually the most • Your power provider will connect your cost-effective use of solar energy. system to the electricity grid and buy $ Long-Term Savings Tip any excess power you produce. • If you’ve made your home as energy • Your state, city, or utility offers efficient as possible, and you have rebates, tax credits or other incentives. very high electricity bills and a Visit www.dsireusa.org to find out good solar resource, you might about financial incentives in your area. Renewable Energy 32 References

American Council for an Energy-Efficient ENERGY STAR® Economy, The Most Efficient Appliances www.energystar.gov www.aceee.org/consumerguide/mostenef.htm Home Energy Magazine Census Bureau Press Release, www.homeenergy.org Information on Home Workers October 20, 2004. CB04-183. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Home Energy Saver DOE Building America hes.lbl.gov www.BuildingAmerica.gov Pacific Northwest National Laboratory DOE Building Technologies Program CFL Downlights Project www.buildings.gov www.pnl.gov/CFLdownlights

DOE Building Technologies Program, Rocky Mountain Institute 2005 Buildings Energy Databook Home Energy Briefs buildingsdatabook.eere.energy.gov/ www.rmi.org

DOE Consumer Guide to Energy Efficiency and Wilson, Alex; Thorne, Jennifer; Morrill, John. Renewable Energy Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, www.eere.energy.gov/consumerinfo/ 8th Edition. 2003. Washington, D.C.: ACEEE DOE/EPA Fuel Economy Guide www.fueleconomy.gov

DOE Energy Information Administration Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2001 www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/recs/contents.html

NOTICE: This booklet was prepared by an agency of the United States government. Neither the United States government nor any agency thereof, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the United States government or any agency thereof. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of the United States government or any agency thereof. References 33 www.energysavers.gov

Visit www.energysavers.gov for the latest energy-saving tips and information.

Visit www.eere.energy.gov/consumers/tips/ to order booklets, download the PDF, and view the booklet online.

A Strong Energy Portfolio for a Strong America For more information contact: Energy efficiency and clean, renewable energy will mean a EERE Information Center stronger economy, a cleaner environment, and greater energy 1-877-EERE-INF (1-877-337-3463) independence for America. Working with a wide array of state, www.eere.energy.gov community, industry, and university partners, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in a diverse portfolio of energy technologies.

Produced for the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy 1000 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20585 By the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE National laboratory

January 2006

Printed with renewable-source ink on paper containing at least 50% wastepaper, including 10% postconsumer waste. Inside illustrations © 1998 Greening America Printing paid for by the partner organization identified on the front cover.