Archive for the 'Energy Saving Tips' Category

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6 Home Conservation Ideas – Kitchen

Published on May 12, 2009 in Energy Saving Tips. 0 Comments

by: Ibrahim Saeed

Consider these 6 no cost home energy saving tips and conservation ideas for your kitchen. I think we all can agree that the kitchen is one of the most visited rooms through out any home. Whether it’s the task of preparing food, grabbing a quick snack or the inviting smells from a delicious dish or roast; the kitchen is unavoidable.

There’s no wonder most of the activities performed in the kitchen are also some of the biggest sources of household energy. Wow just thinking about the kitchen is working my appetite, here are 6 cost free energy saving tips and conservation ideas for your kitchen.

1: Check your refrigerators temperature settings. The recommended temperature setting for fresh foods is about 38 degrees and for frozen foods it’s about 0 degrees.

2: Check the door latch and seals on your refrigerator. If the latch needs adjusting then grab a wrench and get to work. Replacing old adhesive seals will also provide the original air tight fit and seal.

3: Don’t forget to defrost your freezer. Frost build up is not only unsightly, it’s inefficient. Don’t allow the freezers frost to build up more than one quarter of an inch.

4: Use a microwave or a pressure cooker or an electric plug in grill when possible. A conventional oven uses considerably more natural gas or electricity than electric grills, pressure cooker and microwaves.

5: Turn off the oven about 5 to 10 minutes before the recommended cooking time. If the temperature setting is 325 degrees or even higher, the left over heat will be sufficient enough to last the remainder 5 to 10 minutes and finish off your roast. I’m getting hungry again.

6: Periodically clean your oven range tops and reflectors. This ensures that the range heat will be reflected more effectively and efficiently.

About The Author

It’s true that for some saving energy at home is fueled by environmental concerns, but the savings from conserving is what interests us all. Visit http://www.lower-my-energybill.com/energy-saving-tips.html for other energy saving tips and conservation ideas that are sure to lower their utility bills for years to come.

Ibrahim Saeed,
http://www.lower-my-energybill.com

7 Home Conservation Ideas – Heating And Cooling

Published on May 12, 2009 in Energy Saving Tips. 0 Comments

by: Ibrahim Saeed

There are so many home energy saving tips and conservation ideas offered these days and all with good intention. However in order to know where to start and to ensure the best possible results, you must first identify the areas of greatest concern.

Addressing your homes heating and cooling costs is the ideal place to start. Why you ask? Because heating and cooling alone can account for nearly half of your total monthly utility bills and if you live in a temperate climate region with both long summer and winter seasons (such as the Midwest and Northeast) these costs can exceed half of your total annual utility bills. Here are 7 energy saving tips and conservation ideas that if adopted can significantly reduce your homes heating and cooling costs.

7 Home Energy Tips To Lower Heating And Cooling Costs

1: If your home has a central heating and cooling system, then periodically check all of the vents (especially floor vents) for possible obstructions such as furniture or rugs.

2: If your home doesn’t have central heating, then make a habit of letting out or “bleeding” any possible air pockets from all of your hot water radiators. The U.S Department of Energy recommends doing this at least once every heating season.

3: Also all hot water radiators, baseboard heaters as well as floor and ceiling vents should be cleaned on a seasonal basis. In homes with central HVAC systems, cleaning of floor and ceiling vents should also be preformed every season.

4: In homes with central HVAC systems, it’s incredibly important to change the air filter every 4 to 6 weeks, not months. Many homeowners often overlook this simple and inexpensive maintenance procedure. In the summer a dirty filter will force your AC unit to work harder to push cool air through your ducts and likewise during the winter months. Many homeowners overlook their a/c and furnace filter simply because they (like me) are prone to forgetting. There are several great websites that offer automatic email reminders.

5: Consider purchasing a ventilated outdoor cover for your a/c unit. These covers are inexpensive and will provide your unit some much needed shade during the summer months. An a/c unit operating in the shade consumes 10% to 15% less electricity than a unit that’s exposed to the scorching sun.

6: Within your comfort level, manually turn down or “setback” your thermostat during the winter and manually and turn up or “set up” during the cooling season. Every degree that a thermostat is set back or up translates into energy savings. However keep your families comfort well in mind.

7: Consider purchasing a programmable thermostat. There relatively inexpensive, easy to install and more importantly allow for automatic and pre scheduled temperature set backs and set ups. This allows homeowners to effortlessly take advantage of the scheduled or habitual time periods that there often not home.

About The Author

It’s true that for some saving energy at home is fueled by environmental concerns, but the savings from conserving is what interests us all. Visit http://www.lower-my-energybill.com/energy-saving-tips.html for other energy saving tips and conservation ideas that are sure to lower their utility bills for years to come.

Ibrahim Saeed,
http://www.lower-my-energybill.com

Home Conservation Ideas – Appliances

Published on May 12, 2009 in Energy Saving Tips. 0 Comments

by: Ibrahim Saeed
Consider some of these home energy saving tips and conservation ideas for your major household appliances. Appliances on average account for almost 20% of a homes total energy use. Appliances make our home lives so much easier.

In fact it’s safe to say life without them can seem somewhat unimaginable. But the average homeowner can take several steps to maximize energy efficiency when operating them. Here are home energy saving tips and conservation ideas to your major home appliances.

Home Energy Saving Tips For Major Appliances

When washing clothes use shorter cycles if possible, try pre soaking your loads in the washer before even starting the cycle. This will further maximize the cleaning benefits of a shorter washing cycle.

Newer dishwashers have what’s usually called booster heaters for hot water temperature settings. Make sure the temperature setting isn’t higher than 120 degrees. Any setting higher than that would be needlessly wasteful.

Consider pre soaking pots, pans and dishes before even placing them in your dishwasher. This will allow for a cleaner rinse and a shorter and more energy efficient washing cycle.

Once in a while check your refrigerators door seals. This can be done by closing the door on a single sheet of paper. If the paper falls or can be pulled out easily, replace the door seal or adhesive gasket.

Familiarize yourself with your refrigerators cooling or condenser coils. These coils are usually found by removing the cover panel located at the bottom of the front side of a refrigerator. These coils are most efficient when clean and free of dust. Unplug your refrigerator and use a vacuum nozzle to remove dust about every year or so.

If you have a self cleaning oven, use the feature shortly after using the oven. Wait about 10 to 15 minutes after cooking or baking, less electricity or natural gas will be used to reheat the oven to the self cleaning temperature.

Avoid pre heating your conventional oven. With the exception of baking, most foods don’t really require pre heating. If in doubt, leave the food in after the oven is turned off. The heat will be more than sufficient enough to make up for any preparation time missed by not pre heating.

About The Author

It’s true that for some saving energy at home is fueled by environmental concerns, but the savings from conserving is what interests us all. Visit http://www.lower-my-energybill.com/energy-saving-tips.html for other energy saving tips and conservation ideas that are sure to lower their utility bills for years to come.

Ibrahim Saeed,
http://www.lower-my-energybill.com