October is Energy Awareness Month, and the Bonneville Power Administration wants to arm consumers with some helpful tips that they can employ to save energy and reap the associated financial benefits.
Here are some easy-to-accomplish measures you can take to save energy and money:
- Lower your thermostat at night and when you are not at home. If possible, use a programmable thermostat so it's automatic.
- Switch to compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. They use a fourth of the energy used by regular bulbs. They also provide just as much light. It's especially important to replace halogen bulbs in torchiere lamps with CFLs because they use 70 percent less energy and produce more light!
- Close your fireplace damper when there's no fire. Leaving it open is like having a 48-inch-square hole in your house.
- Clean or regularly replace your furnace and heat pump filters-this helps them run more
efficiently.
- Make the "off" switch part of your habit. Turn off lights, computers and other electronic appliances when you're not using them.
- Apply weather stripping to stop drafts around doors and windows. Beneath doors, install common draft guards available at most hardware stores. Add weather stripping to window and doorframes.
Other steps to consider:
Add energy-efficient showerheads and faucet aerators. These can reduce the amount of water released from a tap by up to 50 percent.
Insulate hot and cold water pipes. If pipes are exposed beneath your home, insulate them with special pipe-insulating foam, or tape a standard insulation blanket around them.
For more helpful tips on saving energy, visit BPA's Website at www.bpa.gov/Energy/N/
Staff
Bonneville Hosts October Energy Awareness Month
The Dalles Chronicle, October 30, 2007
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