Go Greener Tips

div class=image style=float:right;padding-left:8px;img alt=Ceiling Fan / iStockPhoto height=200 src=http://a323.yahoofs.com/ymg/the_conscious_consumer/the_conscious_consumer-881393139-1244676205.jpg?ymtRdZBDPwiNOLDH width=300//divpIt’s true that rising temperatures often translate into higher energy bills. But, you don’t have to break the bank to stay cool this summer. There are plenty of easy things you can do to keep your energy costs down without sacrificing your comfort. /ppHere are some ideas to get you started:/pbr /h2Choose the right size room air-conditioning unit/h2pHow much cooling capacity you’ll need (measured in British thermal units, or BTUs, per minute) is determined by the square footage you’re looking to cool. Bigger is not necessarily better. /ppIf a unit is too big for the room it’s trying to cool, it won’t perform as efficiently (and cost more money to run) as one that’s just the right size for the space. You’ll also sacrifice comfort since an oversized unit will cool a room quickly, but leave behind some of the humidity. The result: Cool, but clammy air./ppHere are links for more info on: a href=http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_properly_sizedFiguring out what size unit you need/a, a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12420installing and maintaining/a room air-conditioners to maximize your savings, and a href=http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=roomac.pr_room_acbuying efficient models/a. /ppOne quick tip: Don’t place lamps or televisions near your unit. Why not? Your thermostat will sense heat from the appliances and run longer than it needs to./pbr /h2Control your thermostat/h2pa href=http://green.yahoo.com/blog/the_conscious_consumer/14/how-to-program-your-thermostat.htmlSet it at 78 degrees/a when you’re at home and raise it even higher when you’re out or sleeping. The Department of Energy gives this basic guideline: The smaller the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your overall cooling bill will be. /pbr /h2Use fans/h2pFans create a wind chill effect, which makes you feel cooler. a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12355Ceiling fans/a are particularly effective. They circulate the air in the room to create a draft and can help you save money even if you use air-conditioning. You can raise your thermostat by about 4 degrees without reducing your comfort level if you use a ceiling fan, according to the DOE./ppA few simple rules of thumb: Turn off fans when you leave the room because they’re cooling you and not the room. If you own a ceiling fan, set it to a href=http://www.ehow.com/how_2140488_set-ceiling-fan-direction-summer.htmlrun counter-clockwise in the summer/a so it will direct air downward and create a breeze. If you are shopping for one, buy an a href=http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=ceiling_fans.pr_ceiling_fansenergy-efficient model/a./pbr /h2Close your curtains during the hottest part of the day/h2pThere are many different kinds of a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/windows_doors_skylights/index.cfm/mytopic=13500window treatments/a you can use to reduce solar heat gain in the summer. a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/windows_doors_skylights/index.cfm/mytopic=13510Window awnings/a, for example, can reduce heat gain by up to 65% for south facing windows, and even more for those facing west. /ppIf you live in a climate where it cools at night, turn off your AC a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12354and open the windows/a while you’re sleeping to let the cool air in. /pbr /h2Use heat-generating appliances sparingly/h2pAvoid using the oven on hot days — use the microwave, cook on the stove, or grill outside.
Close your lights during the day. Air-dry your laundry. a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12353Get more tips on avoiding heat build-up/a in your home./pbr /h2Keep the cold air inside/h2pUse a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11270caulk/a, spray foam, and/or a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11280weatherstripping/a to stop the air you’re paying to cool from seeping out. Learn how to a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11250find leaks/a. /ppFeeling slightly more ambitious? You’ll get a lot of bang for your buck if you a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11350add insulation/a to your home. Start with your a href=http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/insulation_airsealing/index.cfm/mytopic=11390attic/a./pbr /pemEnvironmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! Green’s users. Send Lori a a href=http://help.yahoo.com/l/us/yahoo/green/forms/consciousconsumerblog.htmlquestion or suggestion/a for potential use in a future column. Her book,/em Green Greener Greenest: A Practical Guide to Making Eco-smart Choices a Part of Your Life emis available on a href=http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Green%2C%20Greener%2C%20Greenest%3A%20A%20Practical%20Guide%20to%20Making%20Eco-Smart%20Choices%20a%20Part%20of%20Your%20Life:3005209514;_ylt=AsLkIJyzfMD4G3Gl2OYYt_gbFt0A?clink=dmps/lori_bongiorno/ctx=mid:1,pid:3005209514,pdid:1,pos:1,spc:14489115,date:20081009,srch:kw,x:Yahoo! Shopping/a and a href=http://www.amazon.com/Green-Greener-Greenest-Practical-Eco-Smart/dp/0399534032/ref=pd_bbs_1?ie=UTF8s=booksqid=1228865081sr=8-1Amazon.com/a./em/p

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