Thursday | March 26, 2020
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15 WAYS TO SAVE WHILE THE KIDS ARE HOME

With recent precautions put in place by the COVID-19 situation, here are a few ways to keep your energy use low while everyone is home during the day.

First, this is a good time to go over basic energy savings practices and electrical safety with your children. We have resources available here on our website on the Kids Korner, Electricity 101 and Electrical Safety pages.

Here are a few tips on reducing your energy use in your home:

  1. Maintain the right thermostat temperature. Try to set the thermostat to at least 78 degrees Fahrenheit on warm days and 68 degrees on cool days.

  2. Install a programmable or smart thermostat, and make sure everyone in the household knows how to use it to save energy.

  3. Use ceiling fans. Instead of turning down the thermostat when a room feels stuffy, use ceiling fans and standing fans to help circulate cool air. Make sure ceiling fans are rotating counterclockwise in warmer weather and clockwise in cooler weather. Open windows on cool evenings and turn off the A/C.

  4. Take showers instead of baths and try to limit your showers to five minutes.

  5. Take lukewarm showers to reduce the load on your water heater.

  6. Use the microwave and other countertop appliances when you can instead of stoves and ovens.

  7. Replace incandescent light bulbs with LED bulbs, which use less energy, expel less heat and last years longer.

  8. Wash full loads. Only run your dishwasher and washing machine when you have a full load, partial loads waste water and energy.

  9. Air-dry dishes. This step can cut your dishwasher's energy use by up to 50%.

  10. Wash clothes in cold water to reduce the load on your water heater.

  11. Hang-dry clothes outside on sunny, breezy days.

  12. Remind your kids to turn everything off. Post a list in each room of all the things that should be turned off before leaving.

  13. Frequently clean HVAC vents, including the cold air return vents, to promote airflow through the system. Make this a part of your family’s regular chores.

  14. Keep the refrigerator closed. Avoid repeatedly and unnecessarily opening refrigerators and freezers.

  15. Spend time away from electronics. Spend less time watching TV, playing video games and using the Internet and more time with energy-free activities like reading books, cycling or creating art. Remember to turn off your electronics when not in use!

We hope these tips help you and your family conserve energy during this trying time.

Remember…Use Less; Save More!