Facts About Energy Conservation

Need facts about energy conservation to persuade others to get on the bandwagon? Want to conserve energy but not sure where to get started? These are both problems that face consumers when the phrase energy conservation is bandied about. The facts about energy conservation are not always easy to convince others, especially with all the data available.

Creating a list of facts on energy conservation can cut through a great deal of explanations. Simply put, it’s easier to follow a list of suggestions than it is to digest the myriad of facts associated with energy conservation and energy alternatives.

Homes lose an average 50 percent of their heat through the walls and loft spaces. Insulation is necessary to protect those spaces may seem costly, but in the long run, it’s more energy efficient. Consider closing chimney flues when the fire place is not in use, cap the drop stairways to attics and check weather stripping around all doors and windows. Curtains and blinds on all windows also provide insulation in summer from letting the heat in and in winter from letting the heat out.

Outdoor air conditioning units should be located in the shade. An outdoor unit that is in the hot sun all day or even in the high heat of the day will work twice as hard to cool the house. It shouldn’t be blocked by brush or other debris, because otherwise the coils cannot cool off either. Check that the fence and any foliage are at least 24 inches away from the unit. Set the temperature a little higher during the day if you are not at home or setting it a couple of degrees higher when you are home can shave dollars off the electric bill.

Ceiling fans are energy savers year round. Installing ceiling fans in many of the rooms of a home can help keep the occupants cooler in the summer (fan blades should rotate counterclockwise) and warmer in the winter (rotate clockwise at slow speed). Ceiling fans keep the air circulating and help reduce the cost of overall air conditioning and heating in the home.

Pack the empty spaces in the freezer and the refrigerator either with ice trays or water pitchers. The more space that is taken up, the less energy it takes to cool or freeze. When using the dishwasher, do not run it unless it’s full and the same for the washing machine. The only thing you shouldn’t pack full is the lint filter, a clogged lint filter reduces a dryer’s efficiency and may actually lead to mechanical failures, higher energy bills and the case of some old style dryers, a fire.

It may seem like a lot to take in when planning to conserve energy, but the energy conservation at home begins with a few new habits. You learn to turn off light switches, to close doors and to save running the dishwasher until it is full. Practice, as with anything, makes energy conservation easier. The first reduced utility bill will just reinforce these habits.

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