There are many opinions to be found on-line about saving electricity. Sadly many of the real gems are lost in the clutter of Internet unqualified opinion. Or worse, the hidden agenda of authorities, politics, product marketeers and scam artists!
The information in this guide has been organized by Open4Energy into logical categories of electricity saving. Each category is linked to it's discussion forum. Each item is linked to an expertly written article framing the savings opportunity it covers. At the bottom of each article (please contribute if you have an experience) you will find our moderated comments (experiences only) from one of our members.
Open4Energy is your gateway to real people with real experiences to share - a virtual community!
| Attitude & Awareness |
| Attitude is defined as "manner, disposition, feeling, with regard to energy; especially of the mind" Without a real change in attitude many people will make a start, but as with most resolutions they will soon slip back into old habits. |
| Awareness is defined as "the state or ability to perceive, to feel, or to be conscious of events". Without a real change in awareness many consumers will try to save energy, but their lack of knowledge will leave them open to be scammed! |
| Energy Audit |
| There are simple steps we can all take to establish what is using energy in a home or small business. If you pay a professional firm, make sure you are getting an audit and not a sales pitch. It is OK to invite a vendor to do a study and present a proposal to you. Always have a base line measurement to compare to! |
| Heating |
| Insulation - Examine your ceiling insulation |
| Thermostats - Lower night temperature by a few degrees |
| Thermostats - Lower your thermostat before leaving home |
| Thermostats - Lower when using a fireplace |
| Thermostats - Program for optimal efficiency |
| Sealing - Weatherstrip windows and doors |
| Sunlight - Open shades on winter days |
| Weatherization - Check that windows and doors are sealed |
| Cooling | |
| Arrange a professional HVAC inspection - pay attention to any leaking ducts | |
| Shop for size of individual units | |
| Clean air filters monthly for central air and individual window or wall units. | |
| Program thermostats to most efficient settings | |
| Install a wireless programmable thermostat | |
| Invest in some caulk and weather-stripping to seal cracks in doors and windows | |
| Limit use of heat-generating appliances; oven, dishwasher, dryer while temperatures are at their hottest | |
| Use a fan - a breeze makes the room feel a few degrees cooler | |
| Improve shading for windows | |
| Close your shades in the summer | |
| Install an evaporative cooler |
| Hot Water |
| Reduce water heater temperature |
| Install a solar water heater |
| Install efficient shower heads |
| Shave a minute off shower time |
| Invest in a demand water heater |
| Lighting |
| Behavior - Turn off lights that are not being used |
| CFL Bulbs - Replace Incandescent light bulbs with Compact Flourescent light bulbs |
| LED Bulbs - Replace Incandescent Light Bulbs with LED light bulbs for optimal efficiency |
| Add a light sensitive detector & timer to outside security lighting |
| Add a motion detector to outside security lighting |
| Appliances |
| Wash clothes with cold water |
| Make sure refrigerator seals are tight |
| Choose an efficient dehumidifier |
| Clean your refrigerator coils |
| Internet Publishers |
| There are a large number of energy web sites and energy blogs on the Internet. I thought it would help our readers to know of the publishers we speak to regularly. People who have a passion for energy efficiency, open minds, and a commitment to excellence in providing unbiased Internet information. |
| Chris Kaiser - energy enthusiast - Principle at MapAWatt |
| Chris Nelder - energy analyst, author & journalist - Principle at GetRealList |
| Katie Fehrenbacher - staff writer gigaOM - Editor at earth2tech |
| Matt Peterson - Green ICT - Principle at Vertatique |
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