From PCPC’s e-newsletter #3, February 9, 2009
Lowering the thermostat is one sure way to reduce heating costs. On average, you can expect to save about 2% of the energy you use to heat (or cool) your home and office for every degree you lower (or raise) the temperature setting. Use a programmable thermostat and set it to lower the temperature 10°F when you’re sleeping or away from home or the office – or if there’s no danger of pipes freezing, you can turn it off completely (and no, it will not take more energy to reheat the house than you saved by keeping the thermostat turned down).
Wrap your water heater in an insulating blanket and se the temperature as low as possible. Typically, a 1°F adjustment in your water heater’s temperature will result in a 1% change in energy use. You can use a timer to turn an electric water heater off when you don’t need it, but you will gain more in efficiency by using conservation strategies such as low-flow showerheads and insulating water heater tank wraps. If you’ll be away from home or the office for more than a few days, simply turn off the water heater entirely,
Timer controls and occupancy sensors work well on lights that tend to get left on, and multiple lighting circuits help put light only where you need it. Switched wall outlets or power strips allow you to turn thinks off (such as the entire entertainment centre or office peripherals) with ease.
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