Conserve Energey & Conserve Water

CONSERVE ENERGY

Saving energy saves you money as well as reduces the consumption of fossil fuels.  Burning less fossil fuels lowers CO2 emissions, which is the primary cause of global warming.

• Lower the temperature on your thermostat during winter. This is so simple to do and is one of the most effective ways to save energy in your home.
•  If you are able to adjust heat on a room-to-room basis, turn the heat down to 55 degrees in the rooms you are not using.
• When you leave a room, turn off the lights. Use compact fluorescent light bulbs when you need lighting for a long amount of time.
• Turn your water heater down to 120 degrees. This reduces the loss of energy, as well as the risk of scalding.
• Reduce the time you spend using hot water. Take showers instead of baths, and shorten the length of your showers as well. Install low-flow shower heads. Only run the dishwasher and washer when they are full.
• Turn your refrigerator down. Refrigerators use about 20% of the electricity in your home. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator to 37 degrees and your freezer to 3 degrees. Turn the energy saver on, check for loose gaskets, and make sure your refrigerator closes tightly.

CONSERVE WATER

There are so many simple ways to conserve water in your home. The bathroom, kitchen, and laundry room are a few areas where you can save a lot of water.

Bathroom

• Check your bathroom on a regular basis for leaks in your toilets, faucets, and water hose bibs. Fixing leaks can save up to 200 gallons of water per day!
• Install low-flow shower heads and faucets.
• If your toilets are old, replace them with newer, high efficiency toilets; this can save up to 5 gallons every time you flush.
• Take showers instead of baths, and shorten the length of your showers.

Kitchen

• Rinse your dishes as little as possible before putting them in the dishwasher; this can save up to 20 gallons of water per load.
• Only run the dishwasher when it is full.
• Install a low-flow faucet in your kitchen sink. This can cut water use in half.
• When it is time to buy a new dishwasher, buy a water saving model. Water saving models can save up to 3 gallons of water per load.

Laundry Room

• Only run the washing machine when you have a full load ready.
• When it is time to buy a new washing machine, buy a water saving model. Water saving models can save up to 40 gallons of water per load.