As Brian Tanabe, Lower Valley Energy's communications manager says:

We want to provide our members with the lowest electric rate. The less power we use, the cheaper we can keep our rates.

So, many thanks to Brian and Wid Ritchie for the following tips:

1. Energy Star - In the typical home, appliances and electronics are responsible for about 20% of the energy bill. Buy efficient and energy-saving Energy-Star appliances.
2. Computers - Consider turning off your monitor if you aren't going to use the PC for more than 20 minutes. Consider turning off the entire system if you're not going to use the PC for more than two hours.
3. Lighting - Artificial lighting consumes almost 15% of a household's electricity use. You can reduce lighting energy by selecting lighting and sources that use energy more efficiently, and by installing lighting controls. Ask LVE about a lighting audit!
4. When to turn off lights - The general rule of thumb is to turn off incandescent lights whenever they're not in use and fluorescent lights if you're not using them for more than 15 minutes.
5. Heating - Heating and cooling account for about 56% of the energy use in a typical home, making it the largest energy expense for most homes. While typical heating via electricity can be as high as 100% efficient, heat pumps can be up to 400% efficient (because they move rather than generate heat).
6. Water heating - Look into ways to heat water more efficiently–water heating can account for 14-25% of the energy consumed in your home. Lower Valley Energy sells Marathon water heaters, with plastic molded tanks wrapped with high efficient fiberglass and foam insulation. In addition, you can lower the thermostat on your water heater (water heaters often come from the factory with high temperature settings, but a setting of 115° F provides comfortably hot water for most uses).
7. Home Energy Audits - A home energy audit is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes, and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. An audit will show you problems that may, when corrected, save you significant amounts of money over time. Audits also determine the efficiency of your home's heating and cooling systems. An audit may also show you ways to conserve hot water and electricity.
8. Insulation - You can reduce your home's heating and cooling costs through proper insulation and air sealing. A proper balance between all of these elements will also result in a more comfortable, healthier home environment. For example, insulate your hot water storage tank and pipes, but be careful not to cover the thermostat.
9. Windows - Windows provide homes with light, warmth and ventilation, but they can also negatively impact a home's energy efficiency. You can reduce energy costs by installing energy efficient windows in your home.
10. Heat loss - Caulk windows and weather-strip doors that have air leaks which can cause heat loss. Close off rooms that are not being used and shut off the heat to those rooms. In the winter, turn your thermostat down to 68° or below. Reduce the setting to 55° before going to sleep or leaving for the day. (For each 1° you turn down the thermostat in the winter, you'll save up to 5% on your heating costs.) During the heating season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
11. Cleaning - Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month, or as needed. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture carpeting or drapes.
12. Fireplace - If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue. Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a 48-inch window wide open during the winter.
13. Repairs - Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky hot water faucet can waste a lot of energy and water in a short period of time.
14. LVE Rebates - Lower Valley Energy can help pay for many of the above energy-saving methods.

• After performing an energy audit on your home, we can help pay to upgrade your insulation and windows.
• Receive an instant $100 rebate on Marathon water heaters.
• LVE helps pay to upgrade lighting in commercial facilities.
• Ask about geothermal heat pumps.
• Receive instant rebates on Energy-Star appliances.

Please call Wid Ritchie at 800-882-5875 with any questions about LVE's conservation programs.

Carbon Neutral Journal's tips are brought to you by Nuts & Bolts.

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