Tips to Conserve Energy

As our economy grows, people across the state are looking for a variety of sources of power, sources that find the right balance between the energy we need and preserving our environment. By choosing to use an efficient, cost-effective, safe and reliable energy source like propane for your home or business, you are also actively doing your part to protect and conserve the environment.

Here are some other energy-saving tips for your home:

• You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10-15 % for eight hours.
• 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.
• Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely; in just 60 minutes, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.
• Invest in a programmable furnace thermostat timer that lowers your home?s temperature when you are not there. You can cut annual heating bills by as much as 10 percent per year by turning your thermostat back 10-15 percent for eight hours per day.
• What is the AFUE on your furnace? The Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency is the most widely used measure of a furnace's heating efficiency. It measures the amount of heat actually delivered to your house compared to the amount of fuel that you must supply to the furnace. For instance, a furnace that has a 70% AFUE rating converts 70% of the fuel that you supply to heat -- the other 30% is lost out of the chimney. Eastern offers heating equipment solutions that can deliver up to 95% efficiency.

• Repair leaky faucets promptly; a leaky faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period.
• Insulate your hot-water storage tank and pipes, but be careful not to cover the thermostat. With a propane, natural gas, or oil water heater, be careful not to cover the water heater's top, bottom, or burner compartment; when in doubt, get professional help.
• Although most water heaters last 10-15 years, it's best to start shopping for a new one if yours is more than seven years old.
• Lower the thermostat on a water heater; a setting of 115° fahrenheit provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
• Drain a quart of water from the water tank every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of the heater.
• Take more showers than baths. Less than 10 gallons of water are used during a five-minute shower while 15-25 gallons of hot water are used for a bath.
• Install flow-restricting showerheads to reduce hot water usage by up to 50 percent without affecting shower pressure.
• Run washing machines, clothes dryers, and dishwashers with a full load.

• When purchasing a gas oven or range, look for one with an automatic, electric ignition system. An electric ignition saves gas?because a pilot light is not burning continuously.
• Be sure that all burners are burning with a blue, cone-shaped flame. A yellow flame indicates clogged air inlets or burners that need adjustment. Contact our service department immediately if you do not see a blue flame.
• Keep range-top burners and reflectors clean; they will reflect the heat better, and you will save energy.
• Make sure the refrigerator door seals are airtight. Test them by closing the door over a piece of paper or a dollar bill so it is half in and half out of the refrigerator. If you can pull the paper or bill out easily, the latch may need adjustment or the seal may need replacing.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® and EnergyGuide labels when buying appliances. ENERGY STAR® is a program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designed to help consumers identify energy-efficient appliances and products. The bright yellow EnergyGuide sticker will tell you how much it will cost to run the water heater for one year. Propane water heaters cost a third less to operate than electric models.

To learn more about how propane can bring efficient energy solutions to your home take a Virtual Tour of a Propane Home or contact an Eastern Energy Consultant today.