Efficiency Tips

Energy Efficiency Tips

With just a few changes, any home or business can become much more energy efficient. San Bernard Electric Cooperative, Inc. is committed to helping members preserve resources and manage energy costs. Below are some energy efficiency tips to help you save on your electric bill.

Cool down with a fan. Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable, while reducing your air-conditioning costs.
The ceiling fan direction in summer should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft, which creates that direct, cooling breeze.
Turn off fans when leaving the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.
Close your shades in the summer. Sunlight passing through windows heats your home and makes your air conditioner work harder.
Dark colors absorb heat. You can repel excess heat by using light-colored blinds, shades, and draperies on the sunny sides of the house. Make sure the draperies are insulated or lined.
Avoid using your oven on hot days. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave oven or grill outside.
During the summer, keep thermostats set at 78 degrees or higher when home when you're home, health permitting. Raising the temperature setting an additional 3-5 degrees while you are away can help save even more.
Wait until cooler times of the day to do tasks that make your house warmer, like laundry and cooking.
Ensure that the fresh air vent on your window air-conditioner is closed to avoid spending extra money on cooling outside air.
Hang laundry outside. Take advantage of warm summer days to bypass your dryer and let your clothes air-dry.
Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t in use.
Use natural lighting early in the day and late in the afternoon to reduce your energy usage.
Turn off kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans 15 minutes after the job is complete or install 15 minute timers on bathroom ventilator fans.
Caulk gaps and cracks around drafty doorframes and windows to prevent cold air from escaping your home.
Keep your garage door down. A cooler garage in the summer will help save energy.

Seal leaky ducts. When ducts have leaks, they can lose up to 15% of the heated or cooled air before it reaches living spaces.
Clear the area around the outdoor condenser unit. Your air-conditioning unit will operate more efficiently if it has plenty of room to breathe. The condenser unit needs to be able to circulate air without any interruption or obstruction.
Consider upgrading your old central HVAC system. Investing in an efficient, ENERGY STAR certified unit that is rated at 15 SEER or higher can help lower your cooling costs.
If your home is all electric, installing a heat pump system can drastically reduce heating bills during the winter months.
Have your HVAC system serviced annually by a professional to help ensure that it is operating at peak efficiency?
Keep furniture, carpeting and curtains from blocking supply registers and return-air ducts.
Make sure your central air conditioning system is the right size for your home. If it’s too small, it can cause high electricity bills by running excessively to cool your home. Too large of a unit will cycle on and off frequently (short cycling) and not properly remove humidity from your home.
Clean or change your HVAC filters regularly for proper performance. Dirty air filters make your HVAC system work harder and reduces air flow.
Change air filters more frequently if you have pets.

Install a programmable thermostat which automatically adjusts the temperature during the day or at night, keeping you from forgetting as you dash off to work.
Wi-Fi enabled thermostats allow you to control your home’s heating and cooling remotely through your smartphone. Many smart thermostats learn your temperature preferences and establish a schedule that automatically adjusts to energy saving temperatures when you are asleep or away.
During the summer, set your thermostat at 78 degrees while you’re at home and 3-5 degrees higher when you’re away. If your used to lower settings, increase the temperature by 1-2 degrees until you feel comfortable.
In the winter, your thermostat should be set at 68 degrees when you’re at home and 3-5 degrees lower while you’re away. If you’re used to higher settings, dial down 1 degree at a time until you feel comfortable.
Make sure the fan setting is on "auto". Using the "on" setting can increase energy costs and humidity levels inside your home.

Install a variable speed pool pump. A properly sized variable speed pump can help you save money on your pool's energy costs.
Install timers on pool pumps to make sure that they only run the necessary amount of time needed to maintain sanitation and filtration.
Reduce your pump's run time in the winter. Reducing run time can result in large energy savings.
Keep the filters clean. This can help save wear on pumps and reduce operating costs.
If your pool or spa water is not being used, turning off the heater will result in huge savings.
If the pool heater is being used, turn down the temperature to turn up your savings.
Use a solar cover to get free heat from the sun and prevent evaporation. If too much water evaporates, the water temperature drops.
Cover your hot tub when it is not in use. A cover will keep your water temperature warm, which could save you on heating costs.

Use low wattage night-lights instead of leaving higher-wattage hall or room lights on at night.
Use lights with a motion sensor, or a timer or photocell that will automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn.
Make it a habit to turn off lights that are not being used.
Consider installing task lighting over workbenches and desks to eliminate the need for whole-room lighting.
Lamps with three-way switches are a good buy. You can lower the settings when less light is required.
Install dimmers to allow control of illumination.
Replace inefficient light bulbs. LED light bulbs use less energy and last longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, saving you money on energy bills and lighting costs.
In fluorescent fixtures, use electronic ballasts and T-8, 32-watt lamps.

Check your home’s insulation in the attic, walls, and floor. Insulation is judged by its R-value. The higher the R-value, the better the material keeps the heat in during cold weather and keeps out heat during the summer.
Make sure the insulation in your attic has a minimum R-30 value (about 10-12 inches thick) to help conserve energy and keep your home comfortable. Adding blown-in cellulose or batts of fiberglass insulation in your attic is one of the most cost-effective savings measures; and is often something you can do yourself.
Insulation should be a uniform thickness throughout the entire attic. Fill in thin or bare spots with additional insulation.
Make sure insulation in your attic does not block airflow from the soffit vents.
If your home is built on a pier & beam foundation, make sure there is properly installed insulation under the floor. For our area, a minimum of R-13, or about 6 inches thick, is recommended.
Add extra insulation to floors by covering them with a pad and rug.

Drapes can cut heat loss in half if they have an insulating liner.
Close drapes on north-facing windows to keep the chill out in winter.
On cool days, let the sun shine in by opening curtains, drapes, shades, shutters and blinds on the southern and eastern windows. Close them on cloudy days and at night to keep heat from escaping.
Replace single-pane windows with high performance double-pane windows that offer added insulation. Look for ENERGY STAR® windows, which meet minimum energy efficiency standards.
Repair open spaces in broken or cracked windows and door glass.
Use clear plastic or vinyl sheeting on the inside of your windows to make a temporary double-pane window. Use weatherproof tape or duct tape, trim or tacking strips to hold it in place.
Reconsider glass doors. These doors are poor insulators and will transfer heat quickly.
Use tightly closing storm doors for added insulation if your primary door is poorly insulated.
Install window treatments. Energy efficient window treatments or coverings such as blinds, shades, or solar screens and films can slash heat gain when temperatures rise. These devices not only improve the look of your home but also reduce cooling costs.
Keep the weatherstrip around windows and doors in good shape. This will help reduce drafts because of leaky seals and increase energy savings as well as your comfort.

Keep the weatherstrip around windows and doors in good shape. This will help reduce drafts because of leaky seals and increase energy savings as well as your comfort.
Caulking gaps and cracks around doorframes and windows is another way to reduce drafts in your home. Caulk is inexpensive and can be bought at most hardware stores, where you can also learn how to apply it.
Check the weather stripping around your garage door and replace if needed.
Consider installing a “door sweep” for the bottom of all exterior doors.
Seal any cracks, gaps, holes, or other similar areas where there may be a draft.
Caulk around plumbing penetrations that come through walls beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks.
Caulk electrical wire penetrations at the top of the interior walls in the attic.
About 2 percent of air escapes your home around electrical outlets and light switches, especially on outside walls. This can be prevented by installing insulation gaskets under the cover plates that are made specifically for this purpose.
Ensure the attic access door closes tightly and has weatherstripping and insulation.

Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer door to browse. Each time you do, cold air escapes and your energy costs increase.
Let hot foods cool before putting them in your refrigerator or freezer. Hot foods cause the motor to work longer and harder.
Leave room in front of your refrigerator/freezer to allow cold air to circulate better.
Running an empty refrigerator or freezer costs more than one that is full because food stays cold longer than air, so keep it full, but not packed. If nothing else, place water-filled containers in empty spaces.
Condenser coils remove heat from inside the unit. Make sure they’re at least two inches from the wall and clean them twice a year.
If cold air is escaping around the door seal, adjust or replace the seal. To check, close the door on a dollar bill. If it’s easy to pull out, cold air is escaping and the door needs to be adjusted or the seal replaced.
If not frost-free, regularly defrost your refrigerator or freezer to avoid ice buildup.
Set the refrigerator’s temperature between 37 and 40 degrees, and your freezer at 0 degrees.
Avoid putting your refrigerator or freezer in the garage as high temperatures in the summer make them work harder.
Use your refrigerator’s anti-sweat feature only if necessary.
When purchasing a new refrigerator or freezer, look for models that are Energy Star certified.

Install an airtight window a/c unit. Over time, moisture can damage your window air-conditioner seal and allow cool air to escape. Keeping the seal tight can help reduce your cooling costs.
Be sure that your window a/c unit is the right size for the room. Units that are too small for a room will run excessively and lead to higher electric bills.
When purchasing a new window a/c unit, look for an Energy Star certified unit that is rated at 10 EER or higher.
Install your window a/c unit in the shade, if possible, so that it operates more efficiently and uses less energy.

Install energy-saving showerheads, faucets or flow restrictors.
Taking a shower instead of a bath uses less hot water and can lead to lower energy bills.
Take shorter showers to reduce water-heating costs. Turn on a 5-minute playlist each time you shower, and then challenge yourself to finish before the music does. Encourage others in your home to take this approach.
Turn off hot water when you don’t need it. Don’t let it run while you wash dishes or shave.
Always use cold water when it will do the job as well as hot.
Fix defective plumbing or dripping faucets. A single dripping hot water faucet can waste 212 gallons of water a month. That can increase your water bill and your energy bill.
Keep your hot water hot by making sure pipes in unconditioned areas of your home are insulated.
If your water heater is warm to the touch, believe it or not, it may need a blanket. Check with the manufacturer to see if it has an R-value of at least 24, and if not, try adding an insulating blanket, which can reduce heat loss by 25-45%. They are easy to install and available at most hardware stores.
Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120F. For the typical family, water heaters are the second highest source of energy use in the home.
Install heat traps on both hot and cold water lines when it’s time to replace your water heater.
Once a year, turn off your water heater and completely drain the tank. Then turn the water supply on and off, alternating for about 20 seconds. These actions flush minerals and sediment from inside the tank and make your water heater more efficient. Some newer models are self-cleaning. Check the manufacturer’s manual.

Avoid using the heated wash cycles.
Wash only full loads and use the shortest cycle to get your dishes clean.
Turn off the dishwasher after the wash and rinse cycles. When dishes air dry, you’ll save on energy costs. On newer models, use the heat-off setting or the energy-saver dry option.
Don’t use your dishwasher to warm plates. This practice wastes energy and leads to higher bills.
Your dishwasher will operate more efficiently if you unclog the drain of food particles and clean the filters weekly.
Scrape your dishes after you eat rather than rinsing them. Rinsing them uses wastes water and energy.
When purchasing a new dishwasher, look for models that are Energy Star certified.

Thaw foods and cut vegetables into small pieces. They’ll take less time to cook.
Put lids on pots and pans, and make sure they’re the right size for the burners. Foods will cook faster and use less energy.
Preheat the oven only when the recipe calls for it. Don’t preheat if you’re using the broiler.
Use glass and ceramic dishes. They hold heat better and you can usually lower the oven temperature 25 degrees.
Your stove or oven may not always be the best choice! Small appliances, such as crockpots, electric frying pans, and toaster or microwave ovens may be a more energy efficient choice.
A microwave is best for defrosting and cooking small portions; an oven is more efficient for cooking large items, such as turkeys and roasts.
Use a slow-cooker or crockpot to cook stews and other single-dish meals. You'll save energy, time and effort.
Save energy by baking an extra dish or cooking entire meals in the oven at the same time.
Opening the oven door to peek at food inside causes the oven to lose 25-75 degrees of heat. It’s best to look through the window or wait until the food is almost done before opening the door.
Use the self-cleaning oven feature only when necessary. Start the self-cleaning cycle immediately after you use the oven in order to take advantage of pre-existing heat. This will help the oven use less energy to get to the heat-cleaning stage.
When your electric burners are worn out and don’t work properly, they use more energy. Save by replacing them.

Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water instead of hot to save on water heating costs.
Set the water level on your washer to match the size of the load and save two ways — on water and energy.
You’ll save more by waiting to wash until you have a full load.
Fill your clothes dryer, but don’t overload it. Your clothes will dry faster when they have room to tumble.
Minimize clothes drying time by using the auto-dry cycle if your clothes dryer has it.
Your dryer’s lint trap helps warm air flow better and dries your clothes faster. Make sure to clean it after each load.
Keep dryer vent pipe free of lint. A clogged vent wastes energy and is also a fire hazard.
Dry your laundry in consecutive loads to take advantage of residual heat. Your laundry will dry faster and use less energy.
On warm sunny days, hang your clothes outdoors to dry.
Separate loads into heavy and lightweight items. Lightweight items take less drying time and use less energy.
In hot weather, avoid running the dryer during the heat of the day.
When purchasing a new clothes washer or dryer, look for models that are Energy Star certified.

Plug electronic devices such as cable boxes, printers, and tv’s into power strips to turn off during vacations or long periods without use.
Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.
Turn large screen tv’s off completely when not in use.
Check for energy saving settings on tv’s like automatic brightness control and a power saving sleep mode.
Request an Energy Star receiver from cable or satellite provider.
Turn off stereos and radios when not in use.
Enable auto power down feature on gaming consoles.
If you don’t unplug them, use energy saving modes or automatic sleep functions on electronics.
Remember to turn off hair curling irons and hot rollers.
Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.
Unplug battery chargers when not in use.
When shopping for electronics, try to choose Energy Star models if possible.

When using your fireplace, turn down your thermostat. When you're not using it, close the damper to prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney.
Rethink your fireplace. Although a crackling fire in the fireplace can make a room appear to be warm and cozy, fireplaces are often a deterrent to energy efficiency because a lot of the heated air escapes up the chimney. A fireplace designed for providing heat eliminates this problem through a draft which supplies the fire with outside air rather than air from the room.
Open your drapes or blinds to take advantage of the sun’s rays during the day to help heat your home. Close them on the shaded side of the house and at night.
During the winter, keep thermostat set at 68 degrees or lower when you’re home, health permitting. Each degree below 68 represents approximately 3-5% savings on heating costs. Lowering the temperature setting an additional 3-5 degrees while you are away can help save even more.
Caulk gaps and cracks around drafty doorframes and windows to prevent cold air from entering your home.
Wrap older water heaters with an insulating jacket or blanket to minimize excess heat loss. Remember to leave the air intake and exhaust vents uncovered on gas models.
Minimize use of electric space heaters and turn them off when you leave the room. Buy models that are thermostatically controlled.
Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t in use.
While sleeping, turn down the thermostat and add an extra blanket for warmth.
The ceiling fan direction in winter should be clockwise to create an updraft and circulate warm air around the room.
Keep your garage door down. A warmer garage in the winter will save energy.

Cool down with a fan. Fans keep air circulating, allowing you to raise the thermostat a few degrees and stay just as comfortable, while reducing your air-conditioning costs.

The ceiling fan direction in summer should be counterclockwise to help create a downdraft, which creates that direct, cooling breeze.

Turn off fans when leaving the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.

Close your shades in the summer. Sunlight passing through windows heats your home and makes your air conditioner work harder.

Dark colors absorb heat. You can repel excess heat by using light-colored blinds, shades, and draperies on the sunny sides of the house. Make sure the draperies are insulated or lined.

Avoid using your oven on hot days. Instead, cook on the stove, use a microwave oven or grill outside.

During the summer, keep thermostats set at 78 degrees or higher when home when you're home, health permitting. Raising the temperature setting an additional 3-5 degrees while you are away can help save even more.

Wait until cooler times of the day to do tasks that make your house warmer, like laundry and cooking.

Ensure that the fresh air vent on your window air-conditioner is closed to avoid spending extra money on cooling outside air.

Hang laundry outside. Take advantage of warm summer days to bypass your dryer and let your clothes air-dry.

Turn off lights in rooms that aren’t in use.

Use natural lighting early in the day and late in the afternoon to reduce your energy usage.

Turn off kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans 15 minutes after the job is complete or install 15 minute timers on bathroom ventilator fans.

Caulk gaps and cracks around drafty doorframes and windows to prevent cold air from escaping your home.

Keep your garage door down. A cooler garage in the summer will help save energy.

Seal leaky ducts. When ducts have leaks, they can lose up to 15% of the heated or cooled air before it reaches living spaces.

Clear the area around the outdoor condenser unit. Your air-conditioning unit will operate more efficiently if it has plenty of room to breathe. The condenser unit needs to be able to circulate air without any interruption or obstruction.

Consider upgrading your old central HVAC system. Investing in an efficient, ENERGY STAR certified unit that is rated at 15 SEER or higher can help lower your cooling costs.

If your home is all electric, installing a heat pump system can drastically reduce heating bills during the winter months.

Have your HVAC system serviced annually by a professional to help ensure that it is operating at peak efficiency?

Keep furniture, carpeting and curtains from blocking supply registers and return-air ducts.

Make sure your central air conditioning system is the right size for your home. If it’s too small, it can cause high electricity bills by running excessively to cool your home. Too large of a unit will cycle on and off frequently (short cycling) and not properly remove humidity from your home.

Clean or change your HVAC filters regularly for proper performance. Dirty air filters make your HVAC system work harder and reduces air flow.

Change air filters more frequently if you have pets.

Install a programmable thermostat which automatically adjusts the temperature during the day or at night, keeping you from forgetting as you dash off to work.

Wi-Fi enabled thermostats allow you to control your home’s heating and cooling remotely through your smartphone. Many smart thermostats learn your temperature preferences and establish a schedule that automatically adjusts to energy saving temperatures when you are asleep or away.

During the summer, set your thermostat at 78 degrees while you’re at home and 3-5 degrees higher when you’re away. If your used to lower settings, increase the temperature by 1-2 degrees until you feel comfortable.

In the winter, your thermostat should be set at 68 degrees when you’re at home and 3-5 degrees lower while you’re away. If you’re used to higher settings, dial down 1 degree at a time until you feel comfortable.

Make sure the fan setting is on "auto". Using the "on" setting can increase energy costs and humidity levels inside your home.

Install a variable speed pool pump. A properly sized variable speed pump can help you save money on your pool's energy costs.

Install timers on pool pumps to make sure that they only run the necessary amount of time needed to maintain sanitation and filtration.

Reduce your pump's run time in the winter. Reducing run time can result in large energy savings.

Keep the filters clean. This can help save wear on pumps and reduce operating costs.

If your pool or spa water is not being used, turning off the heater will result in huge savings.

If the pool heater is being used, turn down the temperature to turn up your savings.

Use a solar cover to get free heat from the sun and prevent evaporation. If too much water evaporates, the water temperature drops.

Cover your hot tub when it is not in use. A cover will keep your water temperature warm, which could save you on heating costs.

Use low wattage night-lights instead of leaving higher-wattage hall or room lights on at night.

Use lights with a motion sensor, or a timer or photocell that will automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn.

Make it a habit to turn off lights that are not being used.

Consider installing task lighting over workbenches and desks to eliminate the need for whole-room lighting.

Lamps with three-way switches are a good buy. You can lower the settings when less light is required.

Install dimmers to allow control of illumination.

Replace inefficient light bulbs. LED light bulbs use less energy and last longer than incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, saving you money on energy bills and lighting costs.

In fluorescent fixtures, use electronic ballasts and T-8, 32-watt lamps.

Check your home’s insulation in the attic, walls, and floor. Insulation is judged by its R-value. The higher the R-value, the better the material keeps the heat in during cold weather and keeps out heat during the summer.

Insulation should be a uniform thickness throughout the entire attic. Fill in thin or bare spots with additional insulation.

Make sure insulation in your attic does not block airflow from the soffit vents.

If your home is built on a pier & beam foundation, make sure there is properly installed insulation under the floor. For our area, a minimum of R-13, or about 6 inches thick, is recommended.

Add extra insulation to floors by covering them with a pad and rug.

Drapes can cut heat loss in half if they have an insulating liner.

Close drapes on north-facing windows to keep the chill out in winter.

On cool days, let the sun shine in by opening curtains, drapes, shades, shutters and blinds on the southern and eastern windows. Close them on cloudy days and at night to keep heat from escaping.

Replace single-pane windows with high performance double-pane windows that offer added insulation. Look for ENERGY STAR® windows, which meet minimum energy efficiency standards.

Repair open spaces in broken or cracked windows and door glass.

Use clear plastic or vinyl sheeting on the inside of your windows to make a temporary double-pane window. Use weatherproof tape or duct tape, trim or tacking strips to hold it in place.

Reconsider glass doors. These doors are poor insulators and will transfer heat quickly.

Use tightly closing storm doors for added insulation if your primary door is poorly insulated.

Install window treatments. Energy efficient window treatments or coverings such as blinds, shades, or solar screens and films can slash heat gain when temperatures rise. These devices not only improve the look of your home but also reduce cooling costs.

Keep the weatherstrip around windows and doors in good shape. This will help reduce drafts because of leaky seals and increase energy savings as well as your comfort.

Keep the weatherstrip around windows and doors in good shape. This will help reduce drafts because of leaky seals and increase energy savings as well as your comfort.

Caulking gaps and cracks around doorframes and windows is another way to reduce drafts in your home. Caulk is inexpensive and can be bought at most hardware stores, where you can also learn how to apply it.

Check the weather stripping around your garage door and replace if needed.

Consider installing a “door sweep” for the bottom of all exterior doors.

Seal any cracks, gaps, holes, or other similar areas where there may be a draft.

Caulk around plumbing penetrations that come through walls beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks.

Caulk electrical wire penetrations at the top of the interior walls in the attic.

About 2 percent of air escapes your home around electrical outlets and light switches, especially on outside walls. This can be prevented by installing insulation gaskets under the cover plates that are made specifically for this purpose.

Ensure the attic access door closes tightly and has weatherstripping and insulation.

Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer door to browse. Each time you do, cold air escapes and your energy costs increase.

Let hot foods cool before putting them in your refrigerator or freezer. Hot foods cause the motor to work longer and harder.

Leave room in front of your refrigerator/freezer to allow cold air to circulate better.

Running an empty refrigerator or freezer costs more than one that is full because food stays cold longer than air, so keep it full, but not packed. If nothing else, place water-filled containers in empty spaces.

Condenser coils remove heat from inside the unit. Make sure they’re at least two inches from the wall and clean them twice a year.

If cold air is escaping around the door seal, adjust or replace the seal. To check, close the door on a dollar bill. If it’s easy to pull out, cold air is escaping and the door needs to be adjusted or the seal replaced.

If not frost-free, regularly defrost your refrigerator or freezer to avoid ice buildup.

Set the refrigerator’s temperature between 37 and 40 degrees, and your freezer at 0 degrees.

Avoid putting your refrigerator or freezer in the garage as high temperatures in the summer make them work harder.

Use your refrigerator’s anti-sweat feature only if necessary.