A Consumer's Guide to Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Home Energy Saver
Energy Star
Energy Star - Home Energy Yardstick
Hutchinson Utilities Commission
225 Michigan ST SE
Hutchinson, MN 55350-1905
Office: (320) 587-4746
Fax: (320) 587-4721
Monday - Friday
7:30 am to 4:00 pm
ENERGY CONSERVATION TIPS
Turn off the lights, TV, Computer Equipment, Etc... 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 outdoor lights with a photocell unit or a timer so they will turn off during the day.
Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely; in just 1 hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.
During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows. During the cooling season, keep the window coverings closed during the day to prevent solar gain.
Every appliance has two price tags - a purchase price and the operating cost. Look for the ENERGY STAR® and EnergyGuide labels. ENERGY STAR® is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to help consumers identify energy-efficient appliances and products.
Install aerating low-flow faucets and showerheads.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 115°F provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
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.
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.
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.
Wash and dry only full loads of clothes. Line dry when possible.
Vacuum the refrigerator coils. Position back coils at least 4" from rear wall.
Use programmable thermostats to regulate heating and cooling.
Keep your air conditioner condenser free of debris.
If you need to purchase a gas oven or range, look for one with an automatic, electric ignition system. An electric ignition saves gas because a pilot light is not burning continuously.
In gas appliances, look for blue flames; yellow flames indicate the gas is burning inefficiently and an adjustment may be needed.
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. Use small electric pans or toaster ovens for small meals rather than your large stove or oven. A toaster oven uses a third to half as much energy as a full-sized oven.
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.
Add shade trees to maximize summer shading and winter solar heating. Notice also how the sun strikes the house during the summer, particularly in the early morning and late afternoon. This lets you plan for appropriate shade. In summer, block the sun as much as possible, except on solar heating devices.
