Top Ten Ways to Save Energy (and Money)
Posted by: Kathie Brosemer (kathie) on November 16, 2001 at 20:39:57
from the green is gold dept.
Energy Action Council of Toronto sends along November's top ten list. You can get on their email list by subscribing at info@eneract.org. See below for their list, annotated for the Sault.
The Top Ten Energy Saving Tips
- Replace your most frequently used incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights: Compact fluorescent light bulbs use only about a third as much electricity as standard incandescents. If you substitute compact fluorescent bulbs for a quarter of the incandescents used in high-use areas, you can cut the amount of electricity you use on lighting by half -- saving money and our environment.
- Replace outdoor lighting with a motion-detector equipped bulb or fixture: Now that your interior lighting is more efficient, it's time to look outside. Outdoor lights that are left on all night can add unnecessary costs to your power bill. Using a bulb or fixture with a motion detector solves the problem.
- Lower your hot water heater to 50 degrees Celsius and drain sediment: Though changing light bulbs is easy, heating cold water is much more energy intensive -- and also a great place to save energy as many hot water heaters are set too high. Experts also recommend draining a pint or so of water from your water heater a few times a year to reduce sediment and increase efficiency.
- Add insulation to your hot-water heater: As long as you're dealing with your water heater, you might as well add some insulation. Since the standard hot water heater is on all the time, adding extra insulation will save more energy than you think. Most hardware stores sell pre-made insulator "jackets" that can be easily wrapped around one's water heater. Experts estimate that adding insulation to your water heater and any exposed pipes can knock up to 15 percent off the costs of heating water.
- Install a low-flow shower head: Low-flow shower heads are also a worthwhile investment (especially for renters, because you can take them with you) that will reduce the amount of hot water you use and hence the energy needed to heat it.
- Check for and seal any cracks or gaps: Heating one's home is the single largest use of energy for the average customer. And since experts estimate that all of the tiny gaps and cracks in an older home are roughly equivalent to a one-foot square hole punched in your wall, sealing any cracks or gaps with caulking and weather stripping can greatly improve energy efficiency. After you've sealed the gaps, think about adding some insulation to your floor, ceiling or walls -- a bit of modern insulation can often work wonders for older houses. You can get expert advice on how and where to do air sealing, by getting an EnerGuide done for your house - call 945-1573 for more info.
- Set your computer to go into "sleep" mode when not in use: People who use computers at home or at work may have a "screensaver" program that floats animated toasters or whatnot across the screen when the computer is idle. Instead of using a screensaver, program your computer to go into "sleep" mode when not in use. And be sure to turn off televisions, computers, stereos and the like when not in use.
- Replace old appliances with more efficient models: Though buying a new appliance isn't cheap, replacing an old dishwasher -- or an old refrigerator, washing machine, or furnace -- with a new, energy-efficient model can really save some energy and money.
- Look for and compare the EnerGuide (Canadian) or ENERGY STAR (US-made) labels when buying appliances and lighting. The EnerGuide gives you standard energy usage on appliances, so you can compare and find the most efficient model.
- Install a Light Dimmer. This simple device can help you save big on your lighting costs. For example, an incandescent light dimmed by 25 percent can save 10 percent on energy use and extend the life of the bulb.
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The Energy Action Council of Toronto (EnerACT) is a community-based non-profit group that aims to act as a catalyst in the move towards more sustainble energy choices.
Energy Action Council of Toronto,
Web: www.eneract.org
Ph: 416.488.3966
Fax: 416.488.7608
Email: info@eneract.org
Number Seven
Number seven just doesn't make any sense to me. Clean North has three machines and a tape backup unit on a 350W UPS and the UPS doesn't even run at 40% load and that's with 9 hard disks, so I think we're looking at a liberal estimate of about 50W for each machine.by odin on 2001-11-18 11:06:18
24 * 50 / 1000 is 1.12 kW*h per day. That's about 6.45 cents/day or 25$/yr. for an "always on" machine.
Now, the monitor is another story alltogether. That _should_ sleep or be turned off. 250 to 300W is a little different from 50W, and monitors wake up faster too. (no 30sec boot times to be annoying).
Besides, you get extra heating out of it too as a side benefit. :)
So why is this on the list and installing double-paned windows or at least winterizing them with plastic isn't? I mean this is the city where it gets down to -40C, isn't it?
-Dan