Save Your Money, Protect the Environment

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I have compiled a list of things one can do around the home to save one's money and protect the environment at the same time. Although this list is specifically tailored for United States citizens, the principles should ring true for everyone. If you have any tips that I do not have in this list then please share!

Vehicles: Useage

Drive the speed limit. Every 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is roughly equivalent to paying $0.10 extra per gallon of fuel.
Avoid accelerating quickly and breaking abruptly because your fuel economy could drop by as much as 33%.
Reduce the weight your vehicle must haul. The more weight your vehicle must carry is more work it has to do, and that work requires fuel.
Go into overdrive on the highway. If you’re driving a manual, upshift as often as you can. Running the engine at a higher rpm burns more fuel.
Do not use your air conditioner immediately after you start your car in hot weather. Drive with the windows down for 30 seconds to cool off your vehicle before starting the air conditioner.
Park your vehicle in the shade during summer. The Sun can heat the fuel inside your car and cause some of it to evaporate.
Modern vehicles do not need to warm up during the summer and warming up only requires 30 seconds at most. Waiting for a new vehicle to warm up during the summer, or waiting longer than 30 seconds during winter, is wasting fuel because you are getting 0 mpg. Turn the key and go!
Keep your tires inflated to the recommended pressure. Tires lose a pound of pressure every month. Every three pounds of pressure below the recommended pressure reduces your fuel economy by 1%.

Vehicles: Maintenance and Purchases

Monitor your fuel economy every month to see if it may be degrading. You may need to replace the oxygen sensor in your vehicle. The oxygen sensor controls the mixture of fuel and oxygen within your engine to give better gas mileage.
Replace your engine’s air filter regularly. A good air filter can improve gas mileage by as much as 10% while also protecting your engine.
Buy “low rolling resistant” tires that are designed to move the car more efficiently. These tires can improve gas mileage by as much as two miles per gallon.
Use the grade of motor oil recommended by your vehicle manufacturer. Using the wrong oil can reduce fuel economy by 1%-2%.
Once a year, or as necessary, give your vehicle a gas treatment. Gunk can build up within your fuel system and reduce performance and fuel economy. Gas treatments are incredibly simple and very inexpensive (less than $3 last time I checked.)
If you are on the market for a new vehicle, consider purchasing a hybrid. Hybrids have great fuel economy. Some hybrids get over 60 mpg! New hybrid vehicles use a special breaking system to recharge the battery so they do not need to be manually charged, they are maintained like any other vehicle on the road.

House: General Heating and Cooling Tips

Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed; make sure they’re not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapery.
Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.
Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.
Turn off kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans within 20 minutes after you are done cooking or bathing; when replacing exhaust fans, consider installing high-efficiency, low-noise models.
During the cold seasons, keep window draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day and closed at night. This allows the sunlight to enter your home during the day to warm it and reduces the chill coming from the cold windows.
During the warm seasons, keep your windows covered during the day to reduce the amount of heat coming from the Sun.
When buying new heating and cooling equipment, select energy-efficient products. Your contractor should be able to give you energy fact sheets for different types, models, and designs to help you compare energy usage. For furnaces, look for high Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency ratings. The national minimum is 78% efficiency but there are Energy Star models on the market that exceed 90% efficiency.
When purchasing air conditioners, look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio. The current minimum is 10 and will be increasing to 13 in January 2006 for central air conditioners. Energy Star models are 12 or more. You can find more information at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy web site.
Try to ensure the sunlight hits concrete floors and heat-absorbing walls.

House: Duct System

Check your ducts for air leaks. First, look for sections that should be joined but have separated and then look for obvious holes.
Avoid sealing your ducts using cloth-backed, rubber adhesive duct tape because it tends to fail quickly. Consider using mastic, butyl tape, foil tape, or other heat-approved tapes. Look for tape with the Underwriters Laboratories logo.
Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the basement colder. If both the ducts and the basement walls are uninsulated, consider insulating both. Water pipes and drains in unconditioned spaces could freeze and burst if the heat ducts are fully insulated because would be no heat source to prevent the space from freezing in the cold weather; however, using an electric heating tape wrap on the pipes can prevent this.
If your basement has been converted to a living area, hire a professional to install both supply and return registers in the basement rooms.
Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent moisture buildup.
Ducts that don’t work properly can create serious, life-threatening carbon monoxide problems in the home. Install a carbon monoxide monitor to alert you to harmful carbon monoxide levels if you have a fuel-burning furnace, stove or other appliance, or an attached garage.
For new construction, consider placing ducts in conditioned space – space that is heated and cooled – instead of running ducts through the unconditioned areas like the crawlspace or attic, which is less efficient.
You could lose 60% of your heated air before it reaches the register if your ducts are not insulated properly and they travel through unheated spaces, such as the attic or crawlspace. Get a qualified professional to help you insulate and repair ducts.

House: Heat Pumps

Do not set back the heat pump’s thermostat manually if it causes the electric resistance heating to come on. This type of heating, which his often used as a backup to the heat pump, is more expensive.
Clean or change filters once a month or as needed, and maintain the system according to manufacturer’s instructions.
If you use electricity to heat your home and live in a moderate climate, consider installing an energy-efficient heat pump system.

House: Fireplaces

If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
Keep your fireplace closed unless a fire is going. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.
When you use the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly – approximately 1 inch – and close doors leading into the room.
Check the seal on the flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
Add caulking around the fireplace hearth.
Use grates made of C-shaped metal to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.

House: Natural Gas and Oil Heating Systems

Do not set back the heat pump’s thermostat manually if it causes the electric resistance heating to come on. This type of heating, which is often used as a backup to the heat pump, is more expensive.

House: Air Conditioners

Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They are effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside.
Set your thermostat as high as comfortably possible in the summer. The less difference between the indoor and outdoor temperature, the lower your overall cooling bill will be.
Don’t set your thermostat at a colder setting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling and, therefore, unnecessary expense.
Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use.
Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units but not to block the airflow. Place your room air conditioner on the North side of the house. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the Sun.
Keep in mind that insulation and sealing air leaks will help your energy performance in the summertime by keeping the cool air inside.
If your air conditioner is old, consider purchasing a new, energy-efficient model. You could save up to 50% on your utility bill for cooling. Look for the Energy Star and EnergyGuide labels.
Consider installing a whole house fan or evaporative cooler if appropriate for your climate.

House: Water Heating

Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads.
Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 120F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. You use 15-25 gallons of hot water for a bath, but less than 10 gallons during a 5-minute shower.
Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Insulate your natural gas or oil hot-water storage tank, but be careful not to cover the water heater’s top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations; when in doubt, get professional help.
Insulate the first 6 feet of the hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater.
If you are in the market for a new dishwasher or clothes washer, consider buying an efficient, water-saving model to reduce hot-water use.
Install heat traps on the hot and cold pipes at the water heater to prevent heat loss. Some new water heaters have built-in heat traps.
Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take, so follows the manufacturer’s advice.
Although most water heaters last 10-15 years, it’s best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than 7 years old. Doing some research before your heater fails will enable you to select one that most appropriately meets your needs.
Buy a new energy-efficient water heater. While it may cost more initially than a standard water heater, the energy savings will continue during the lifetime of the appliance. If your current water heater is electric, consider switching to a natural gas water heater if gas is available. Look for the EnergyGuide label. More information can be found on the American Council Energy-Efficient Economy web site.
Consider installing a drain water waste heat recovery system. A recent Department of Energy study showed energy savings of 25% to about 30% for water heating using such a system.
Consider demand or tankless water heaters. Researchers have found savings can be as much as 34% compared with a standard electric storage tank water heater.
Heat pump water heaters are very economical in some areas.

House: Windows

You can use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months. Remember, the plastic must be sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
Close your curtains and shades on cold nights to reduce air infiltration; open them during the day to let the sunlight warm the inside.
Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to let in the winter Sun.
Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have weather-stripping at all moveable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more energy.
Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.
Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.
Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows.
Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.
Installing new, high-performance windows will improve your home’s energy performance. While it may take many years for new windows to pay off in energy savings, the benefits of added comfort and improved aesthetics and functionality may make the investment worth it to you. Today, many new window technologies are available that are worth considering. Glazing materials (the glass part of the window) now come with a variety of selective coatings and other features; frames are available in aluminum, wood, vinyl, fiber glass, or combinations of these materials. Each type of glazing material and frame has advantages and disadvantages.
When you’re shopping for new windows, look for the National Fenestration Rating Council label; it means the window’s performance is certified.
Remember, the lower the U-value, the better the insulation. In colder climates, a U-value of 0.35 or below is recommended. These windows have at least double glazing and a low-e coating.
In warm climates, where summertime heat gain is the main concern, look for windows with double glazing and spectrally selective coatings that reduce heat gain.
Select windows with air leakage ratings of 0.3 cubic feet per minute or less.
In temperate climates with both heating and cooling seasons, select windows with both low U-values and low solar heat gain coefficiency (SHGC) to maximize energy benefits.
Remember that new windows must be installed correctly to avoid air leaks around the frame. Look for a reputable, qualified installer.
Look for the Energy Star and EnergyGuide labels.

House: Lighting

Turn off the lights in any room you’re not using, or consider installing timers, photo cells, or occupancy sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
Use task lighting; instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the light where you need it. For example, use fluorescent under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks and countertops under cabinets.
Consider three-way lamps; they make it easier to keep lighting levels low when brighter light is not necessary.
Use 4-foot fluorescent fixtures with reflective backing and electronic ballasts for your workroom, garage, and laundry areas.
Consider using 4-watt mini-fluorescent or electro-luminescent night lights. Both lights are much more efficient than their incandescent counterparts. The luminescent lights are cool to the touch.
Use compact fluorescent lights in all the portable table and floor lamps in your home. Consider carefully the size and fit of these systems when you select them. Some home fixtures may not accommodate some of the larger compact fluorescent lights.
When shopping for new light fixtures, consider buying dedicated compact fluorescent fixtures with built-in ballast that use pin-based replacement bulbs; they are less expensive to replace.
Recessed down-lights (also called recessed cans) are now available that are rated for contact with insulation (IC rated), are designed specifically for pin-based compact fluorescent lights, and can be used in retrofits or new construction.
Take advantage of daylight by using light-colored, loose-weave curtains on your windows to allow daylight to penetrate the room while preserving privacy. Also, decorate with lighter colors that reflect daylight.
If you have torchiere fixtures with halogen lamps, consider replacing them with compact fluorescent torchieres. Compact fluorescent torchieres use 60% to 80% less energy, can produce more light (lumens), and do not get as hot as the halogen torchieres. Halogen torchieres are a fire risk because of the high temperature of the halogen bulb.
Look for the Energy Star label when purchasing these products.
Use outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a motion sensor so they will turn only at night or when someone is present. A combined photocell and motion sensor will increase your energy savings even more.
Turn off decorative outdoor natural gas lamps; just eight such lamps burning year-round use as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average-size home during the entire winter.
Exterior lighting is one of the best places to use compact fluorescent lights because of their long life. If you live in a cold climate, be sure to buy a lamp with a cold weather ballast since standard compact fluorescent lights may not work well below 40o F.
Also consider high-intensity discharge (also called HID) or low-pressure sodium lights.

House: Dishwashers

Check the manual that came with your dishwasher for the manufacturer’s recommendations on water temperature; many have internal heating elements that allow you to set the water heater in your home to a lower temperature (120o F.)
Scrape, don’t rinse, off large food pieces and bones. Soaking or pre-washing is generally only recommended in cases of burned-on or dried-on food.
Be sure your dishwasher is full, but not overloaded, when you run it.
Don’t use the “rinse hold” on your machine for just a few soiled dishes. It uses 3 to 7 gallons of hot water each time you use it.
Let your dishes air dry; if you don’t have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the final rinse and prop the door open a little so the dishes will dry faster.
When shopping for a new dishwasher, look for the Energy Star label to find a dishwasher that uses less water and 25% less energy than required by federal standards.

House: Refrigerators

Look for a refrigerator with automatic moisture control. Models with this feature have been engineered to prevent moisture accumulation on the cabinet exterior without the addition of a heater. This is not the same thing as an “anti-sweat” heater. Models with an anti-sweat heater will consume 5% to 10% more energy than models without this feature.
Don’t keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37oF to 40oF for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5oF for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0oF. To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours.
Regularly defrost manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers; frost buildup decreases the energy efficiency of the unit. Don’t allow frost to build up more than one-quarter of an inch.
Make sure your refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment, the seal may need replacing, or you might consider buying a new unit.
Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered food release moisture and make the compressor work harder.
Move your refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum its condenser coils once a year unless you have a no-clean condenser model. Your refrigerator will use less energy with clean coils.
When buying a new refrigerator look for the Energy Star label. Select a new refrigerator that is the right size for your household. Top freezer models are more energy efficient than side-by-side models. Features like icemakers and water dispensers, while convenient, will increase energy use.

House: Kitchen

Be sure to place the faucet lever on a kitchen sink in the cold position when using small amounts of water; placing the lever in the hot position uses energy to heat the water even though it may never reach the faucet.
If you need to purchase a natural gas oven or range, look for one with an automatic, electric ignition system. An electric ignition saves natural gas because a pilot light is not burning continuously.
In natural gas appliances, look for blue flames; yellow flames indicate the gas is burning inefficiently and an adjustment may be needed. Consult the manufacturer or your local utility.
Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean; they will reflect the heat better, and you will save energy.
Use a covered kettle or pan to boil water; it’s faster and it uses less energy.
Match the size of the pan to the heating element.
If you cook with electricity, turn the stovetop burners off several minutes before the allotted cooking time. The heating element will stay hot long enough to finish the cooking without using more electricity. The same principle applies to oven cooking.
Use small electric pans or toaster ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster even uses a third to half as much energy as a full-sized oven.
Use pressure cookers and microwave ovens whenever it is convenient to do so. They can save energy by significantly reducing cooking time.

House: Laundry

Wash your clothes in cold water using cold-water detergents whenever possible.
Wash and dry full loads. If you are washing a small load, use the appropriate water-level setting.
Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.
Don’t over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, use it.
Clean the lint filter in the dryer vent to ensure it is not blocked. This will save energy and may prevent a fire. Manufacturers recommend using rigid venting material, not plastic vents that may collapse and cause blockages.
Consider air-drying clothes on clothes lines or drying racks. Air-drying is recommended by clothing manufacturers for some fabrics.
When purchasing new clothes washers, look for the Energy Star and EnergyGuide labels because they use 50% less energy than standard washers. Most full-sized Energy Star washers use 18-25 gallons of water per load, compared to the 40 gallons used by a standard machine. Energy Star models also spin the clothes better, resulting in less drying time.
When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when the clothes are dry. Not only will this save energy, it will save wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying. Keep in mind that natural gas dryers are less expensive to operate than electric dryers.
The cost of drying a typical load of laundry in an electric dryer is 30 to 40 cents, compared with 15 and 25 cents in a natural gas dryer. Energy Star does not label clothes dryers because most of them use similar amounts of energy, which means there is little difference in energy use between models.

Home Office and Home Electronics

Selecting energy-efficient office equipment – PCs, monitors, copiers, printers, and fax machines – and turning off machines when they are not in use can result in enormous energy savings.
An Energy Star computer uses 70% less electricity than computers without this designation. If left inactive, Energy Star computers energy a low-power mode and use 15 watts or less. Spending a large portion of time in low-power mode not only saves energy, but helps equipment run cooler and last longer.
To maximize savings with a laptop, put the AC adapter on a power strip that can be turned off (or will turn off automatically); the transformer in the AC adapter draws power continuously, even when the laptop is not plugged into the adapter.
Common misconceptions sometimes account for the failure to turn off equipment. Many people believe that equipment lasts longer if it is never turned off. This incorrect perception carries over from the day of older mainframe computers.
Energy Star computers and monitors save energy only when the power management features are activated, so make sure power management is activated on your computer.
There is a common misconception that screen savers reduce energy use by monitors; they do not. Automatic switching to sleep mode or manually turning monitors off is always the better energy-saving strategy.
Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers and they are portable.
Many appliances continue to draw a small amount of power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity, such as VCRs, televisions, stereos, computers, and kitchen appliances. In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed when the products are turned off. This can be avoided by unplugging the appliance or using a power strip and using the switch on the power strip to cut all power to the appliance.
Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use.
Studies have shown that using rechargeable batteries for products like cordless phones and PDAs is more cost effective than throwaway batteries. If you must use throwaways, check with your trash removal company about safe disposal options.
Look for energy-saving Energy Star home electronics.

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Vehicles - usage - driving at 55 MPH (or faster) with all of the windows down will use more gas than driving with the air conditioner going full tilt, so put on the air conditioner once you hit highway speeds in the summer.

House - general heating - close off vents or ducts, or turn off radiators, to rooms you aren't using, such as guest rooms. Don't forget to close the doors to those rooms, too.

House - kitchen - put lids on your pots while heating them up.

House - laundry - line dry your linens when you can. Heavy items never turn out right when line dried, but sheets and pillowcases, plus light articles of clothing, like slips, turn out just fine.

And, a new category for you -

Personal

Wear clothing that's appropriate for the weather, e. g. light suits in summer, and no teeny tiny slip dresses in the winter, so that you don't turn up the heat or air conditioning unnecessarily.
A cold shower in summer will help you cool down. Try a shower before putting on the air conditioner. You might not need the a/c. I find that cold water on my scalp is particularly chilling when it's hot out.
Cook what's appropriate for the weather. Don't use the oven in the summer, use the microwave or slow cooker, or have something cold like a salad.
Hydrate yourself throughout the hot weather months. Drinking enough cold liquids may also help reduce your need for air conditioning.
Don't run hair dryers more than the minimum when it's hot out, and avoid styles requiring hot rollers or straighteners or other appliances requiring heat.

-- I guess you can tell, I've had to save money in hot weather. In Delaware, I never had an air conditioned apartment, and it can get mighty hot there in July and August.

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I know all about trying to save money in hot weather. I live down in Kentucky. I have all of my windows and doors open right now to let the breeze in. (I also have a fan pointed toward my room's window to blow out the hot air my computer makes.)

Anyways, thanks for adding to the list Smile

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Lots of great tips in one spot.

Thanks, kids :wink: !

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Quote:

Vehicles - usage - driving at 55 MPH (or faster) with all of the windows down will use more gas than driving with the air conditioner going full tilt, so put on the air conditioner once you hit highway speeds in the summer.

Do you have a source for this one?

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