Here are some reminders from the Colorado Governor’s Energy Office on ways to save energy during the winter months. It will not only save you some money for more lift tickets, it’s the right thing to do.
• Start by setting your thermostat to 68°. Your heating system will operate less and use less energy. Program your thermostat to be down 5° at night or when leaving your home for an hour or more. Also remember to turn your thermostat down when you are leaving for the weekend or extended stay.
• Set your water heater to 120°. It’s simple. Your water heater won’t have to work so hard if it’s set at a lower temperature. In fact, each time you lower the temperature by 10°F you’ll save 3–5% on your water heating costs.
For a small investment 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 manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Make the most of Mother Nature’s 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 further insulate from the cold. At night, close window coverings to retain more 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.
• Wash your clothes with cold water when you can. 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.
• Replace your furnace or heat pump filter regularly. Dirty filters reduce airflow, making your equipment work harder and use more energy.
• If you don’t already, install water-efficient shower heads and faucets. It really helps! 1.8 gallon per minute showerheads can reduce your hot water consumption by as much as 10%.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. They cost a little more, but you can save about $40 over the life of just one bulb.
Make sure your appliances are ENERGY STAR® rated. The savings really add up over the life of the appliance.
For more visit: https://www.colorado.gov/energyoffice
