If you have ceiling fans, turn them on before you resort to air conditioning. Smith says, "Ceiling fans are a great way to cool your house down without using central air. Central air is much less efficient than using a ceiling fan. " And, he adds, use a fan even when your air conditioner is on, so you won't have to crank your air conditioner up so high. Open windows and blinds in the mornings and evenings when the air outside your home is cooler. And then once it starts to get warmer outside your house, then the temperature inside, shut that window, shut your blinds, and you'll preserve that cool air inside.
Next we went hunting for his lamps and light fixtures. Smith sheepishly showed us one in his office: "Hey you have an old style light bulb like this, if so, then you can replace it with a compact fluorescent. Compact fluorescents not only use less energy, they will keep your home cooler because they produce about 75 percent less heat than regular bulbs."
If you're considering a high definition flat screen television, consider that LCD's draw less power than plasmas: a 42-inch LCD, just over 200 watts, the same size plasma nearly 400.
And here's PG&E's rule of thumb when it comes to office computers: if you're going to be away from just 20 minutes to an hour, turn off your screen, and that way, you can save some energy but you don't need to turn off your entire computer. But if you're going to be stepping away for an extended period of time, go ahead and reboot.
And kill the energy vampires. Unplug appliances or chargers that are silently sucking as much as a nickel of every dollar's worth of electricity used in your home, even when you're not using them. It adds up: costing the average household about $200 annually.
Use the dishwasher only when it's full and just air dry the dishes.
Caulking around those empty gaps and drafty areas can help save you money as well.
Don't forget the hot water heater. Put a blanket on the tank and adjust the water temperature from hot to warm, or low, especially in the summertime.
Finally, ask your energy company about enrolling in their energy saving programs: like PG&E's "Smart AC." You earn $25 for installing a free device that reduces your air conditioner's energy consumption.
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PG&E'S ENERGY SAVING PROGRAMS:
www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/energysavingprograms
APPLIANCE CALCULATOR
www.pge.com/myhome/saveenergymoney/resources/appliancecalculator/index.shtml
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON REBATES AND SAVINGS
www.sce.com/RebatesandSavings/Residential
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON SMARTCONNECT
www.sce.com/PowerandEnvironment/smartconnect
Follow these tips from PG&E to save on energy costs
Install these energy-efficient measures:
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