Energy Efficiency

Dos & Don’ts of Water Conservation

Do: Turn off the tap
You’ve heard it before, turn off the water when brushing your teeth, but do you know just how much this saves? The average faucet releases two gallons of water per minute; you can save up to eight gallons of water every day by turning off the tap while you brush your teeth – if you brush for the recommended two minutes, that is.

Don’t: Don’t use the toilet as an ashtray or wastebasket
Every time you flush a cigarette butt, facial tissue or other small bit of trash, five to seven gallons of water is wasted.

Do: Take shorter showers
One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

Don’t: Forget to fix leaky sinks and running toilets
Another one that is really important: A running toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water each day. At one drip per second, a faucet can leak 3,000 gal in a year. Call the plumber and save some money and conserve some water!

Energy-Efficient Home Improvements That Save Money

Insulation: Insulation keeps your house warm in the winter, cool in the summer and reduces heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent, according to Green Energy Solutions, Inc., a company that specializes in retrofitting buildings to make them more energy-efficient. You can pick up a roll of insulation for about $15 at home improvement stores.

Lighting: Fluorescent bulbs last four to 10 times longer than regular light bulbs. While they’re more expensive initially, you’ll save about $6 per year on energy bills, according to Energy Star.

Home Temperature: Programmable thermostats have become popular due to their energy- and money-saving benefits. When used properly, this device can save users up to $150 per year, and it’s generally more accurate than a regular thermostat, according to Energy Star.

Weather Stripping: You can save a ton of money by patching up that draft in your kitchen or bedroom. In homes that haven’t been weather stripped, air leaks account for 30 to 40 percent of heating and cooling loss, according to Energy Star. Weather stripping materials start for as little as $5 at home improvement stores.

Learn more at: http://energy.gov/eere/office-energy-efficiency-renewable-energy