101 Low-Cost / No-Cost
Home Energy-Saving Measures

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www.touchstoneenergy.coop www.tsesavers.coop Your Touchstone Energy
Cooperative has compiled this list of low-cost / no-cost energy-saving measures to help you better manage your home’s energy costs.
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For more helpful energy-saving hints, visit www.tsesavers.coop

Water Heating
1. Set water heater temperature no higher than 120° F.
2. For households with 1 or 2 members, a 115°F setting may work fine.
3. Install water-heater wrap per manufacturer’s instructions. 4. Drain 1–2 gallons from bottom of water heater each year to reduce sediment build-up.
5. Install heat traps on hot and cold water lines when it’s time to replace your water heater.
6. Insulate exposed hot water lines.
7. Limit shower length to 5–7 minutes.
8. Install low-flow shower heads.
9. Fix dripping faucets.
10. Don’t let water run while you are shaving.
11. Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth.

Laundry
12. Wash clothes in cold water. Use hot water only for very dirty loads.
13. Do only full laundry loads.
14. If you must do smaller loads, adjust the water level in the washing machine to match the load size, especially when using hot water.
15. Always use cold-water rinse.
16. Use bath towels at least twice before washing them.
17. Clean your dryer’s lint trap before each load.
18. Make sure that the outdoor dryer exhaust door closes when dryer is off.
19. Verify dryer vent hose is tightly connected to inside wall fitting.
20. Check that the dryer vent hose is tightly connected to dryer.
21. Make sure dryer vent hose is not kinked or clogged.
22. Minimize clothes drying time; use moisture sensor on dryer if available.
23. Dry consecutive loads to harvest heat remaining in dryer from last load.
24. Consider using a “solar-powered” clothes dryer, an old-fashioned clothes line.

Kitchen
25. Use your refrigerator’s anti-sweat feature only if necessary.
26. Switch your refrigerator’s power-saver to “ON,” if available.
27. Clean refrigerator coils annually.
28. Set the refrigerator temperature to 34°– 37°F and freezer temperature to 0°– 5°F.
29. Ensure gaskets around door seal tightly.
30. Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers.
31. Use microwave for cooking when possible.
32. When cooking on the range, use pot lids to help food cook faster.
33. If you are heating water, use hot tap water instead of cold.
34. Remember to use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking and turn it off after cooking.
35. Let hot food cool before storing it in the refrigerator.
36. Rinse dirty dishes with cold water before putting them into the dishwasher.
37. Use cold water for garbage disposal.
38. Only run dishwater when fully loaded.
39. Use air-dry cycle instead of heat-dry cycle to dry dishes.

Lighting
40. Replace any light bulb that burns more than one hour per day with its equivalent compact fluorescent bulb.
41. Turn off unnecessary lighting.
42. Replace outdoor lighting with its outdoor-rated equivalent compact fluorescent bulb.
43. Use fixtures with electronic ballasts and T-8,
32-Watt fluorescent lamps.
44. Use outdoor security lights with a photocell and/or a motion sensor.

Miscellaneous
45. Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.
46. Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.
47. Turn waterbed heater off when not needed.
48. Turn large-screen TV’s off completely when not in use.
49. Turn off stereos and radios when not in use.
50. Remember to turn off hair curling irons and hot rollers.
51. Turn off coffee makers when not in use.
52. Turn off pool pump and/or heater when not needed.
53. Verify livestock water tank heaters are off when not needed.
54. Make sure heat tape is off when not needed.
55. Unplug battery chargers when not needed.
56. Ensure all new appliances you purchase are
Energy Star-approved.