No Cost energy saving tips by Governor Ritter

* Start by setting your thermostat to 68°. Your heating system will operate less and use less energy. Turn your thermostat down 5° at night or when leaving your home for an hour or more to save up to $70 on energy costs each year**. For a small investment, consider purchasing a programmable thermostat to adjust your home's temperature settings automatically when you're sleeping or away. * Set your water heater to 120°. Its simple. Your water heater wont have to work so hard if its set at a lower temperature. The temperature control settings on water heaters either indicate low, medium, and high or actual temperature settings. Simply consider turning down your water heater to a slightly cooler setting to reduce the amount of energy used to heat the water while still keeping the water warm enough for home use. In fact, each time you lower the temperature by 10°F youll save 35% on your water heating costs. Thats a savings of $6-$10 a year*. For a small investment (~ $20) consider adding a water heater blanket to your water heater tank to insulate the tank and reduce the amount of energy used to maintain warm water in the water heater tank. Be sure to follow your manufacturers recommendations. * In the winter, to make the most of natural sunlight by opening window coverings on south-facing windows to warm your home. Also, consider closing window coverings in rooms that receive no direct sunlight to insulate from cold window drafts. At night, close window coverings to retain heat. Up to 15% of your heat can escape through unprotected windows, but the solar heat gain from the sun during the day can conserve valuable energy. * If you have a clothes washing machine, use cold water. According to ENERGY STAR, washing clothes in cold water will save you about $40 a year with an electric water heater and about $30 a year with a gas water heater***.

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