Ways To Reduce Your Household Energy Use

Although gas, electricity and other fossil fuel prices have fallen recently, that is no reason to pay more than you need to for your utility bills such as water, natural gas, or electricity. And even though winter is over and those in cold climates will get a break, those of us in warmer climates (read:hot!) are about to get hit with higher utility bills as it heats up during summer.

Becoming more energy efficient throughout your house is good for several reasons. First, it will save you money, often fairly quickly for little initial expense. Second, it saves natural resources, as cutting down on your energy use saves fossil fuels, like coal, heating oil, and natural gas, both for direct use and generation of electricity in many parts of the country. There is also a federal tax credit of 30% (up to $1500) for installing energy efficient products in 2009 to 2010. It is a great time to take advantage and upgrade, lowering your bills in the process!

Save on Water

• Check for leaks- Check for leaky faucets, a running toilet, or other signs of water leaks, and get them repaired.
• Go low flow- Consider getting a low flow showerhead or toilet for more efficient usage.
• Reduce the amount of time you run water faucets- Whether in the shower, the sink, or washing dishes, turn off the faucet as quickly as possible.
• Do your outdoor watering early or late- Avoid watering in the middle of the day, when the water will evaporate faster and make your watering efforts less efficient.

Save on Power, Electricity, Natural Gas, and Lighting

• Upgrade old appliances- Older appliances can be very inefficient compare to newer, Energy Star compliant appliances. If you are thinking of replacing an older appliance, you may save quite a bit on energy use costs, so keep that in mind.
• Switch to energy efficient light bulbs, like compact fluorescent bulbs (CFL’s)- Compact fluorescent bulbs use about one quarter of the energy that incandescent bulbs do, and can last up to 10X longer.
• Turn off lights- Leaving lights on can become a habit, but getting into the habit of turning off lights when you leave a room is easy to get into.
• Allow more natural light into your house- use lighter colors, or sheer curtains, to allow more natural light into your house during the day.
• Eliminate phantom use-unplug unused appliances or chargers- If you leave appliances in that you rarely use, get in the habit of unplugging them, as they will still draw a small amount of power. The same goes for chargers too, such as your cell phone or other portable electronic devices.
• Set your computer to sleep or hibernate mode- Computers use quite a bit of energy, so be sure to set it to hibernate or sleep mode. You can turn off your computer, too. The advice that you should leave your computer on most of time is outdated, newer components can withstand the turning off and on better, and most computers will become obsolete technologically before they would wear out anyway.
• Lower your hot water heater a few degrees- Once again, if you lower it several degrees, you will have to heat it less, and will get used to the slightly lower water temperature quickly.
• Use your dryer for several loads at a time- The residual heat will cut down on drying time for subsequent loads.
• Consider an on demand or tankless water heater- Instead of heating gallons and gallons of water, only heat what you need with a tankless water heater.

Save on Heating or Air Conditioning

• Check for leaks or drafts- Find out where your energy leaks are, and get them closed off or sealed.
• Insulate- Weatherstripping around doors or windows and insulation in attics or other places can reduce drafts.
• Lower or raise your thermostat settings- Set your thermostat several degrees lower in the winter, and a few degrees higher in the summer.
• Consider a programmable thermostat- A basic programmable thermostat can be had fairly cheap, and will start paying for itself right away.
• Upgrade windows- Older windows, in an older house, can often let a tremendous amount of airflow, i.e., heating or cooling, through, all of which is wasted. It may be more cost effective over a surprisingly short period of time to replace your older windows with new, energy efficient ones.
• Plant trees- A few large trees providing shade to your house in the hot summer can reduce your cooling bills. It may take several years or longer for the tree to get large enough to make a difference, though.
• Consider solar panels, geothermal heat pumps, or solar water heaters- There is also a 30% federal tax credit for installing renewable energy systems, and some states, such as Louisiana (which offers a tax credit of 50% on expenses up to $25,000, or a $12,500 credit-a national high, I believe) , offer an additional tax credit on top of that, so it can really add up.

Practical Ways to Save on Your Electric Bill

The cost of energy is one of those things that keep rising and it appears that once it goes up, it is not coming back down. This is the case with all common forms of energy that we use. The price of gasoline for our cars, the fuel to heat or homes, and the electricity that we use in all parts of our modern lives are all included.

Unlike a lot of things that we buy that are optional, the usage of fuel is something that most of us simply cannot do without. Okay, I know that some of you have dreams of living in the forest with a campfire, or moving to a deserted island. If that is your plan, please drop me a line and let me know how it works out for you.

While we are mostly dependent on fuel sources, there are some simple things that we can do to help save all of our money from running out of or pockets. While I mentioned different fuel sources, I would like to focus on the usage of electricity. Electricity is not one of those things where you have much of a choice in making your purchase. There is one electrical utility in any given region, and if you want the power, you are going to pay the price.

While you may not be able to give up your electrical addiction completely, there are several things that you can do to make it more manageable. Besides saving energy, there is another great benefit as well. By using less energy, you are helping to save on the global emission of greenhouse gasses and pollution. That alone is of benefit to everyone on the planet and for generations to come.

While most of these tips that I present are simple, they are effective in helping to reduce your electric bill.

One of the big energy eaters is the heating and cooling system in your home. Even if your heat is provided by gas or another source other than electric, there are a few things you can do to keep it operating more efficiently. The first thing that you can do is to keep a clean filter installed. A dirty filter requires you to use more energy and also greatly reduces heat output. The same is true to air conditioning. A dirty filter greatly reduces the cooing ability of your system. You should have your system serviced every year to keep everything operating at peak performance.

Pick a reasonable temperature on the thermostat and leave it alone. Constantly changing the setting makes your system work much harder. If you are a little cool in the winter, put on a sweater or warmer clothing. The amount of energy saved can be substantial.

Walk around your house on a cool day and feel for air leaks around doors, windows and electrical outlets. If cold air is leaking in, then warm air is also leaking out requiring you to use more energy. Have any leaks that you find insulated. These are one-time repairs that can save you money in just a short matter of time.

As your home needs larger repairs, you should consider insulated windows and doors. There are companies that can test your home to see where there are energy losses.

Another appliance that can use a lot of energy is the water heater, whether it is electric or gas. By setting the temperature just a few degrees cooler can make a difference in your energy bill. If you don't use a lot of hot water, you might actually be heating too much water. If your water temperature is set high, you use a lot of cold water to bring the temperature back to where it is useable for a bath or shower. Why heat the water to an excessively high temperature, just to turn around and cool it again. I personally have my hot water set to just about the right temperature for taking a comfortable shower.

When it comes time to replace any appliance, you should purchase the most efficient model possible. While the price might be higher now, the long-term savings in energy will pay you back many times over.

A very easy thing that everyone can do starting right now is to turn off anything that you are not using. Turn off lights that are not being used. If your not watching the television, turn it off. Excess lighting and appliance use are major wasters or energy. Once you get in the habit of turning off unused things you will start saving.

Energy efficient light bulbs are a great way to conserve electricity and the cost is not that great. The fluorescent bulb replacements are a great alternative to regular light bulbs. You can replace a 60-watt bulb with an energy saver that uses 13 watts and you are now using one-fourth the amount of energy. Another benefit to the fluorescent replacement bulbs is the fact that they are cool to operate. This is a very nice feature in the summer time. These energy saving bulbs also last considerably longer as well so the cost difference isn't really much higher than a standard light bulb.

In the kitchen, there is the monster of energy consumers. The electric range is like a hungry beast screaming for lots of electricity. Here is a little test, go look at your electric meter and note how fast the wheel is spinning. Turn on the oven and a couple of stove elements and now go back and look at your meter. It is amazing how much power the kitchen range can use. If you simply want to heat something up, a microwave oven is much more efficient for this purpose.

This is not a complete list of everything that can save you energy, but by checking out these basic ideas, you can reduce your electric bill considerably. As I mentioned, you can also help reduce the global pollution output as well.

Eight Ways to Save Energy at Home

For many of us, the new year brings resolutions of better living. We hope that you'll consider taking these easy steps in your life to save energy in your home.

1. Low-flow shower head. Switch to a low-flow shower head and you have just taken the most effective step in saving water in your home. This cheap fixture will pay for itself in a year in what you save in water bills.



2. Faucet water saver. This dandy fixture on your kitchen or bathroom faucet lets you adjust the amount of water when washing dishes or brushing your teeth. Those extra seconds will add up to a lot of gallons saved!



3. Compact fluorescent light bulbs. We all know we should switch from those energy-losing incandescent light bulbs. Each bulb will save over $30 in your electricity bill, and you'll be saving more than 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from contributing to global warming.
   



4. Renewable energy. I opted to get my home electricity from wind energy through my electric utility, costing me 2 cents extra per kilowatt hour. For reducing my climate change impact, I think that's worth it! To find out renewable energy options in your state, just ask your utility company.



5. Paperless bills. This is so easy: choose to get your bills online from your utilities, credit card company, bank, and phone company. Sixty-three billion checks are written each year in the United States: imagine how much paper we could save if we all paid bills online?



6. Offset travel. We've become a traveling society, and all those air miles are building up carbon in our air. Offsetting each trip with clean energy for someone else is easy, and doesn't cost as much as you'd think. There are a dozen different companies out there.


7. Wash laundry in cold water. About 90% of energy used to do laundry is to heat water. Your clothes will also last longer when washed in cold water.



8. Unplug it! More than 5% of a typical home's energy bill comes from electricity "leaked" from appliances that are plugged in and turned off. Unplugging electronics and things like cell phone charges when not in use will save on your electricity bill.

These small changes in your life will do a big part in helping to reduce global warming and save natural resources for future generations.

Energy Efficiency Tips for Going Green in Your Home Office

Telecommuting or running your business from your home is a great way to save time and money, and it’s also good for the environment. After all, you’re not spending the fuel to commute to and from work. However, that’s not all you can do to be environmentally friendly while working at home. Let’s take a look at some home office tips that can help you work a lot greener.

According to the US Department of Labor, about fourteen million people telecommute part time and seven million ran home based businesses in 2004. It’s been a while since then, and the number of people working at home just keeps going up, with a sixty-three percent increase in part time telecommuting between 2004 and 2006. Over half of all US companies asked offer some form of telecommuting at the moment.

You’ll want to pay close attention to energy use if you’re working at home, however. Staying home can increase your energy expenditures, and consumer electronics (such as your computer) make up around fifteen percent of usage. Unplugging unnecessary electronics that don’t need to be on is one place to start. Fax machines, printers, and copiers are often kept on, even when they don’t need to be. Computers left on all night are a problem, too. Turn them off and save a couple hundred dollars a year.

Remember to think about phantom load, too. That’s why you should unplug, not just turn off. Many small electronic devices remain in a semi-on state when turned off, so they’ll come back on again quickly. That might just be a few watts, or it might be up to forty watts per device.

Turning your laser printer off instead of leaving it idle will save half the energy, but if you unplug it, it won’t use any at all. Seventy-five percent of the energy used to power electronics is used when they’re off, and it adds up. That’s about ten percent of all monthly power bills. Using a power strip for peripherals lets you be sure that everything is really off, not just in standby.

Power adapters and chargers should be turned off when you’re not using them, too. They still draw power, even if there’s nothing plugged in. Be sure your office lighting is compact fluorescent, not incandescent, and you’ll use less energy, as well as changing and throwing away fewer light bulbs. Choose Energy Star qualified equipment when you can. It uses less power, and it’ll keep your house at a more comfortable temperature by running cooler. Once you start thinking about how to green your home office, you’ll be amazed at all the opportunities there are to do it.

Five Easy Steps to Green Computing

You can’t pick up the newspaper, turn on the television, or surf the Internet, without being bombarded by hot topics such as global warming, rising greenhouse gas emissions and the world’s energy crisis. You’re doing your part to help out by recycling and carpooling, but did you know that one of the most effective ways to improve energy management, increase energy efficiency and reduce waste starts with your computer?

According to the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), computers account for a relatively large portion of our electrical consumption—about 2% nationwide. The growing use of computers has caused a dramatic increase in energy consumption, which puts negative pressure on the environment. Each year consumers (and businesses) purchase more computers and put to them to use, but it’s not just the sheer number of computers that is driving energy consumption upward. The way that we use computers also adds to the increasing energy burden.

By adopting conservation practices and changing the way you use your computer, you can help make a difference in the environment – and your own wallet. If you’re ready to take the “green computing” initiative, here are a few simple tips to get you started:

Buy “Energy Star” compliant peripherals

Before you buy, check with the manufacturer or on the Energy Star web site.

Enable power management features

Thanks to the U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA), personal computer systems purchased today can be easy on energy. These “Energy Star” computers and monitors can be programmed to automatically “power-down” to a low power state when they are not being used. These efficiency gains can be achieved without any sacrifice in computing performance.

The EPA has estimated that providing computers with “sleep mode” reduces their energy use by 60 to 70 percent – and ultimately could save enough electricity each year to power Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, cut electric bills by $2 billion, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by the equivalent of 5 million cars.

Follow these simple steps to access computer and monitor power management features for Windows.

1. First check to see that your monitor is Energy Star compliant (see above)

2. Open ‘Display’ in the Control Panel, go to the ‘Settings’ tab, click on ‘Advanced Properties’ and choose the ‘Monitor’ tab

3. Check ‘Monitor is Energy Star compliant’ box click ‘OK’.

The recommended settings are 20 minutes for monitor sleep and 30 minutes for system sleep. Remember that to save energy with your monitor’s built-in power management system, your monitor must go to sleep (shut itself down).

4. Turn off the screen saver

If screen saver images appear on your monitor for more than 5 minutes, you are wasting energy! Screen saver programs may save the phosphors in your monitor screen, but this is not really a concern with newer monitors, especially LCD screens. And they certainly don’t save energy.

A screen saver that displays moving images causes your monitor to consume as much as electricity as it does when in active use. These screen saver programs also involve system interaction with your CPU that results in additional energy consumption. A blank screen saver is slightly better but even that only reduces monitor energy consumption by a few percent.

5. When not in use, turn off the juice

Research reveals that most personal desktop computers are not being used the majority of the time they are running and many personal computers nationwide are needlessly left on continuously. Every time we leave computers or lights on we waste electricity. Burning fossil fuels generates most of our electricity and it also emits pollutants, sulfur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.

Consider doing the following:

o Turn off your computer and/or peripherals when they are not in use. Turning them on and off will not harm the equipment.

o Don’t run computers continuously unless they are in use continuously.

o Turn off computers and peripherals at night.

o Look for ways to reduce the amount of time your computer is on without adversely affecting your productivity.

o Unless you require immediate access to e-mail or other Internet services, break the habit of turning on all your computer equipment as soon as you enter the office each day.

o If practical, informally group your computer activities and try to do then during one or two parts of the day, leaving the computer off at other times.

o Avoid using the switch on a powerstrip to turn on all your equipment.

o If you use a laser printer, don’t turn your printer on until you are ready to print.

o Turn off your entire computer system (CPU, monitor and printer) or at least your monitor and printer when if you are going to be away from the computer for a little while.

Take proper care of your laptop batteries and dispose of them carefully

Follow the guidelines in your laptop manual, such as removing the AC adapter when fully charged, or totally discharging before recharging, to maximize the working life of a laptop battery. Many types of rechargeable batteries contain potentially toxic materials such as Cadmium, so dispose of them properly and carefully.

Don’t throw your old computer away

Globally over 35 million PC’s are thrown away ever year - yet there are many companies now recycling or reconditioning components or whole computers. Don’t throw it away. Your old computer might be worth something either to a dealer, a local school or a charity.

Ways to reduce electricity leakage in your home

Electricity is used by a very wide variety of equipment, much of this continually consumes electrical power in standby mode even if it is not being used, this is sometimes referred to as 'electricity leakage', this wastes electrical energy prodigiously.

It is easy to dramatically reduce electricity leakage.

Almost all homes continually consume electricity, if yours continually consumes 0.1kWh - this is quite common, nearly 440 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per household at a cost of about $40 per year.

The electricity leakage occurs because many electronic devices can't be fully turned off without switching them off at the wall socket or disconnecting them. While the device may appear to be turned off, in reality, it is one of several standby modes wasting electricity, somewhere between fully off and fully on, so it consumes electric energy 24/7.

Eliminating this standby or "leaking" electricity could save households between six and 26 percent on their average monthly electricity usage.

Tips to reduce electricity leakage:

If you are not using the equipment turn it off at the wall socket.

Do not leave electrical equipment on standby, use a switched power distribution unit for systems that have many plugs and switch it off when not in use or use an intelligent surge protector.

Unplug electric toothbrush and shaver charging cables from the wall socket when not in use.

Refrigerator Freezer energy efficiency

Refrigerator Tips:

Minimize door openings as much as possible. Every time the refrigerator door is opened, cooled air escapes. The unit must then work harder to replace the air. Try to keep the door open no longer than necessary. Be sure to close the door completely.

Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0 to 5°F.

To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours.

Make sure your 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.

Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.

Move your refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum its condenser coils once a year unless you have a no-clean condenser model. Your refrigerator will run for shorter periods with clean coils.

When going on vacation, remove perishables from the refrigerator and turn the setting up a few degrees.

Freezer Tips:

Freezer temperature should be kept at 0 to 5°F.

Make sure the freezer door closes tightly. Check the door seals and gaskets periodically for air leakage. Lubricate the gaskets with petroleum jelly to keep them from cracking or drying out.

Avoid putting hot foods directly in the freezer. Let them cool in the room first.

A full freezer will perform better than a nearly empty freezer.

Mark items in the freezer for quick identification so that you don't have to keep the door open longer than necessary.

Kitchen Range and Stove energy efficiency

Which piece of cooking equipment you use and how you use it makes a big impact on how much energy you use preparing meals. Here are some tips that should help you decide where and when savings are possible in the kitchen.

Select the right pan or appliance. Oversized pans waste energy. The pan you use should match the burner size. A 6-inch diameter pan on an 8-inch burner wastes almost half of the energy produced by the burner. Using a separate appliance like a Crockpot can save energy when preparing foods requiring long cooking times. Pressure cookers reduce energy use 50 to 75 percent because cooking times are reduced when food is cooked at the higher temperatures created inside a pressure cooker. And when you bake, use glass and ceramic pans and you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees. If you're baking or roasting something for less than a half hour, use a toaster oven. They often use 1/3 to 1/2 the power needed for a conventional oven.

With flat-surface electric burners, make sure the bottom of your pans are flat-bottomed and can make good contact with the element. Uneven pan bottoms don't conduct heat to the food as well. And with electric burners, you can turn them off toward the end of the cooking time since they'll radiate heat for awhile as they cool.

Keep lids on pans as you cook; cooking without them can require three times as much energy as cooking with them on. Look for pans with glass lids if you like to keep an eye on what you are preparing.

When boiling foods, keep the amount of water used to a minimum. Using excess water that must be heated wastes the energy required to raise its temperature.

Microwaves use a lot of energy when operating, but because cooking times are so drastically reduced, using a microwave to prepare a meal will reduce energy use by about two-thirds compared to a conventional oven. Because less heat is generated in the kitchen, you may also save on air conditioning costs during the summer. Some microwave ovens include sophisticated features to further boost energy efficiency and cooking performance, such as temperature probes, controls to turn off the microwave when food is cooked, and variable power settings. New “rapid-cook” ovens combining microwaves with other cooking technologies— notably halogen lights or convection—are designed to cut cooking time and improve the quality of foods compared to standard microwave preparation.

Defrosting frozen foods in the refrigerator will reduce cooking time. But allow enough time for defrosting to take place. It can take several days for a frozen turkey to defrost in a refrigerator.

Air Conditioning energy savings tips

In most homes the air conditioner is the single largest consumer of energy. Air conditioners put a strain on most people’s energy costs in the summertime. High temperatures make it harder for the unit to work most effectively. Using energy efficient air conditioning can dramatically reduce one’s energy costs- some by forty percent.

Air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside.

Each air conditioner has an energy-efficiency rating that lists how many Btu per hour are removed for each watt of power it draws. For room air conditioners, this efficiency rating is the Energy Efficiency Ratio, or EER. For central air conditioners, it is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. These ratings are posted on an Energy Guide Label, which must be conspicuously attached to all new air conditioners. Many air conditioner manufacturers are participants in the voluntary EnergyStar® labeling program. EnergyStar-labeled appliances mean that they have high EER and SEER ratings.

When purchasing energy efficient units it’s important to take note of the energy efficiency rating. This minimum rating was increased about three years ago, so manufacturers are no longer able to build units below the new minimum. The increase in ratings gives the consumer a thirty percent decrease in energy consumption.

A few tips that will help you further save money:

Leave the thermostat at one temperature. Dropping the temp to cool the house quickly will not cool the house any faster. If the thermostat is set to seventy eight it will take the same amount of time to get to seventy eight as it would if it was set to seventy.

For the most energy savings the thermostat should stay at seventy eight in the summer and sixty eight in the winter.

While natural sunlight is perfect for energy efficient lighting, closing the curtains when not in the room will help the house retain cool air. Opening the curtains at night will allow heat to escape as well.

Keep the air filter clean, check it every couple of months or so. A clean filter can increase efficiency by five to fifteen percent.

Clothes washer energy efficiency

The average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry each year using about 40 gallons of water per full load with a conventional washer.

It’s a good thing families can cut their related energy costs by more than a third — and the water costs by more than half — just by purchasing a clothes washer with the ENERGY STAR label.

Is your washer over 10 years old? Replace it with a new ENERGY STAR qualified washer and you could save over $145 each year on your utility bills. That’s like getting your High Efficiency (HE) detergent free year round.

The good news is that new washers on the market today can cut your energy use by as much as 70 percent. They can save you more than $850 in water and detergent over the life of the machine. Best of all, independent studies show they may actually get clothes cleaner!

ENERGY STAR clothes washers range from about 1.6 cubic feet up to 2.9 cubic feet. A typical large-capacity washer, such as found in most households, is about 2.7 cubic feet. For a family that does a lot of laundry, one of the larger models probably makes the most sense. For an individual or couple who do less laundry, a small model will be the most economical.

Look for high-speed spin cycles that remove more water from fabrics, so less energy is needed for drying.

When purchasing a washer, select one that allows control of the water level and temperature. Look for energy-saving features like pre-soak, "suds saver," and cold water settings.

When you look for energy efficient appliances, don't be misled. Names like "Energy Miser," "Energy Saver" and "Fuel Saver" don't necessarily guarantee savings. The best way to determine energy efficiency of appliances is to actually compare information provided by EnergyGuide labels.

Check for rebates before you buy new appliances. Call your utility company to see if they are giving rebates on high efficiency models. When shopping, ask your salesperson about them.

Clothes Washer Energy Tips:

Use cold water and detergent specially formulated for use in cold water.

When laundry day comes, wash only full loads, but do not overload your machine. Wash smaller loads only when you have a small-load attachment or variable water levels.

Use the correct amount of detergent. Too many bubbles make your machine work harder and use more energy.

Presoak or use the soak cycle when washing heavily soiled garments like your kid's soccer uniform. You'll avoid two washings and save energy.

Up to 90 percent of the cost of washing clothes comes from heating the water, so use hot water only for very dirty clothes, and always use cold water in the rinse cycle.

Clothes dryer energy efficiency

Of course, one of the cheapest means of drying clothes uses no appliance what-so-ever. The simple clothes line and clothes pins cost hardly anything. Using the heat of the sun and drying power of breezes, clothes lines are making a come back in many backyards.

Unlike most other types of appliances, clothes dryers don't vary much in the amount of energy used from model to model. That's why clothes dryers are not required to display EnergyGuide labels. They're also not listed in the ENERGY STAR®'s database.

But that doesn't mean that the amount of energy used by clothes dryers isn't important. A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.

Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.

Right now, all dryers on the market work the same - they tumble clothes through heated air to remove moisture. Engineers are working to develop dryers that use microwaves to dry clothes, but they're not yet being sold. (One problem still to be overcome is metal rivets and metal zippers, which don't microwave well.)

Buying Smart

Consider these tips if you're looking to buy an efficient clothes dryer:

Check for the highest energy factor number when comparing different models. Remember that there are two costs to an appliance - the initial purchase price, and the cost of operating that appliance over the many years you own it.

Look for a clothes dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only does this save energy; it reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying.

The best dryers have moisture sensors in the drum for sensing dryness, while most only estimate dryness by sensing the temperature of the exhaust air. Compared with timed drying, you can save about 10 percent with a temperature sensing control, and 15 percent with a moisture sensing control.

Look for a dryer with a cycle that includes a cool-down period, sometimes known as a "perma-press" cycle. In the last few minutes of the cycle, cool air, rather than heated air, is blown through the tumbling clothes to complete the drying process.

Water heater choice and flushing can reduce energy costs

Water heater choice and maintenance

Between 16 and 18 percent of home energy is used to generate hot water, so hot water tank maintenance can pay big dividends on your energy bill.

There are three main strategies for saving energy with a conventional hot water tank: thermostat control, insulation wrap and flushing the tank. In addition, when building a new home, consider that the siting of the water tank influences the energy you need to heat water.

The same water heater can be more or less efficient depending on where it is located and how it is maintained. A heater that is located closer to the place where it delivers hot water will use less energy than one located farther away from the site of its final use. Often that means that a central location for the heater, which requires less distance for water to travel through pipes, will be more efficient. It also reduces water use, since you won't be letting the water run as long to get hot water. If possible, locate the water heater in a heated space.

Generally, natural gas provides the cheapest fuel for water heaters.

Actual water heating costs change frequently, but according to the default values in the "fuel comparison calculator" at the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration's Web site electric and propane energy costs are similar ($33 to $35 per thermal unit) and higher than the cost of gas ($19 per thermal unit), with wood heating potentially being slightly cheaper than gas but depending on the species of wood and other factors.

Working with a water heater that's already in place, a little extra care can significantly reduce its energy use, and the care often has a noticeable pay-back.

Adjusting the thermostat to an appropriate level should be the first step in energy conservation. Most homes have their water heater set hotter than necessary. Generally, water heaters only need the high setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit if there is a dishwasher without a booster heater. Turning the temperature down to 120 degrees F or midway between low and medium on a gas heater dial, often cuts water heating costs by six to 10 percent.

Electric water heaters have both an upper and a lower thermostat to adjust. Before removing the thermostat access panels, be sure to first turn the electricity off at the circuit breaker or fuse box.

When you will be away from home for several days, consider turning a gas water heater thermostat to the pilot setting or turning an electric heater off at the electrical breaker box. It takes about an hour to reheat once you return. If you have a gas model and shut the heater off, be sure to learn how to re‐light the pilot light.

If the water heater is older and located in a cold space, then wrapping the tank in a blanket of fiberglass insulation reduces standby heat loss by 25 to 45 percent, which translates to a savings of four to nine percent on your water‐heating bill. Water heater insulation kits are inexpensive and generally available at your local hardware store. They are easy to apply and pay for themselves in less than a year. It's especially important not to cover exhaust vents and air intakes on gas models and access thermostat panels on electric heaters with insulation.

If the water heater is relatively new, it is likely to be well insulated and there may be a warning against insulating further due to potential for overheating.

Flushing your tank also pays dividends. Over time, sediment and mineral deposits from water build up inside your water tank, reducing both heating element efficiency and the overall capacity of the water heater. You can reduce this buildup by regularly flushing water from the tank. In some areas, depending on the hardness of the water, monthly flushing is recommended, and in others the tank need only be flushed once a year.

The drain valve is located near the bottom of the tank. If the valve hasn't been opened in years, you may want to have a garden hose cap in hand in case it is difficult to shut off. It's important to be able to see what is in the water. Drain about a gallon into a shallow pan, like a baking pan to see how much sediment is present. If you drained it six months ago and there isn't much debris this time, you may be able to drain it off once a year. If the water is murky, drain it until it runs clear (usually after one to two gallons).

To save even more energy, consider insulating hot water pipes to further reduce standby heat loss and installing heat traps. Heat traps are one‐way valves placed inside both the hot and cold water lines running into your water heater. They help to keep the hot water from rising out and the cold water from dropping into your water heater when you're not drawing water from a tap.

New water heaters are considerably more energy‐efficient than those of 20 years ago. Pay attention to the yellow EnergyGuide labels when you shop, since they provide information on both energy efficiency and estimated annual operating costs for each model. Models with the lowest price tags are often the most expensive to operate.

Tankless water heaters use burners to heat water on demand rather than keeping water hot in a tank. A recent issue of Consumer Reports indicated that gas tankless water heaters are 22 percent more energy efficient on average than the gas-fired storage-tank models. However, they have traditionally cost enough more to buy and install that the energy savings may not pay for the unit over its lifetime. Still, it's a "green" choice that you may want to consider. Consumer Reports did not rate electric tankless units, commenting that they frequently did not deliver enough hot water fast enough when groundwater is cold.

Energy saving LED TV technology

Shopping for an energy efficient television set can be difficult. You can scan the manufacturers' specs, but many don't provide power information, and the numbers provided rarely include standby power ratings. Depending on what type of set you buy, a television can consume as little as 45 watts or as much as 500 watts, and cost anywhere from $13 to $145 per year to run.

Basically, TVs that use the least amount of electricity are smaller LCD TVs, and the biggest energy consumers are the 50+ inch plasma sets. The most efficient LCD televisions are generally those in the Sharp Aquos line. Last year, CNET tested the energy efficiency of 20 television sets, and the Sharp Aquos LC-20B8U-S 20 inch set was found to be the least power hungry — it costs just $13 a year to run. Rear-projection TVs are also technically energy efficient, but these sets are large and rarely get as bright as the others.

Recently, Samsung Electronics unveiled its new Samsung UN46B7100 LED TV. This ultra-slim LED TV has been designed to deliver breakthrough picture quality and advanced connectivity. Featuring an Internet TV, this new television allows the user to receive content via Yahoo, Flickr and other online TV widgets.

The new Samsung UN46B7100 LED TV sports an eco-friendly design with a Touch of Color. It provides a DLNA Certified technology to allow you to remotely access your PC’s personal media. Measuring 44.4 x 30.2” in dimensions, this new television weighs just 49.6 lbs.

Sporting a screen of 45.9”, the new Samsung UN46B7100 LED TV is an energy saving product that saves 40% less power than other conventional LCDs. It incorporates auto motion plus 120Hz technology to eliminate all motion blurring and create smooth transitions. You can pick Samsung UN46B7100 LED TV in just $2,999.99.

LED Lighting Advantages

Led lighting saves electricity.

The lighting efficiency of the new high power led light bulbs is more than eight times that of incandescent lights, and twice as high as compact fluorescent lights. Led bulbs also emit a much higher percentage of light in the desired direction. This makes them even more efficient compared to either incandescent or fluorescent for task lighting, desk lamps, reading lights, spotlights, flood lights, and track lighting.

With colored led lights there is simply no comparison. All of the light output from led bulbs can be a specific color. With other light sources, much of the light produced consists of unwanted colors which are filtered out. This wastes energy. Led lights produce pure color (monochromatic light) which requires no filtering.

Led lights also generate very little unwanted heat. The energy savings may be doubled in air-conditioned environments where each watt of incandescent lighting can add another watt or more to the power needed for air conditioning.

The EPA encourages the use of innovative light source technologies such as led light bulbs.

Led lighting instantly acheives full brightness with no warm up time.

Fluorescent lights are dim when first turned on, and get brighter as they warm up. Depending on the temperature and the age of the lamp, they can take a long time to warm up. If it is cold enough they will not warm up at all. Led lights always start at full brightness.

Led lighting does not contain mercury.

Fluorescent lights contain mercury and must be treated as hazardous waste. Led lighting contains no mercury or other dangerous substances.

Led lighting does not produce any ultraviolet (UV) light.

Led lights emit no damaging ultraviolet light, so they will not cause fading and aging of artwork or other sensitive materials. Fluorescent and halogen lights can cause significant damage over time.

Led lighting saves on bulb replacement.

Led bulbs can operate for 30,000 hours or more. One led lightbulb can easily outlast 30 incandescent bulbs, or 6 compact fluorescents! Led bulbs cost less than the bulbs they replace. Operating 8 hours per day, led light bulbs can last 10 years or more!

Led light bulbs are less sensitive to shock, vibration, and the extreme temperature changes that can quickly ruin fragile incandescent bulbs. And unlike fluorescent bulbs which wear out much faster if they are frequently turned on and off, led bulbs are not affected by frequent on-off switching.

The long life of led light bulbs reduce the time, effort and cost of replacement.

Led lighting increases safety and security.

The high reliability of led lights increases safety and security. There is no waiting for led light bulbs to warm up. Led bulbs light up instantly at full brightness, even in the coldest weather.

Led lights are safer.

Led bulbs operate at much lower temperatures. Halogen and incandescent lights are hot enough to cause fire, and they frequently do.

And finally…

Led is much easier to spell than either incandescent or fluorescent. ;)

L.E.D Lighting Basics and Definitions

LED Basics

Most LEDs have their characteristics specified at a current of 20 mA. If you want really good reliability and you are not certain you don't have worse-than-average heat conductivity in your mounting, heat buildup in wherever you mount them, voltage/current variations, etc. then design for 15 milliamps.

Now for how to make 15 milliamps flow through the LED:

First you need to know the LED voltage drop. It is safe enough to assume 1.7 volts for non-high-brightness red, 1.9 volts for high-brightness, high-efficiency and low-current red, and 2 volts for orange and yellow, and 2.1 volts for green. Assume 3.4 volts for bright white, bright non-yellowish green, and most blue types. Assume 4.6 volts for 430 nM bright blue types such as Everbright and Radio Shack. Design for 12 milliamps for the 3.4 volt types and 10 milliamps for the 430 NM blue.

You can design for higher current if you are adventurous or you know you will have a good lack of heat buildup. In such a case, design for 25 ma for the types with voltage near 2 volts, 18 ma for the 3.4 volt types, and 15 ma for the 430 NM blue.

Meet or exceed the maximum rated current of the LED only under favorable conditions of lack of heat buildup. Some LED current ratings assume some really favorable test conditions - such as being surrounded by air no warmer than 25 degrees Celsius and some decent thermal conduction from where the leads are mounted. Running the LED at specified laboratory conditions used for maximum current rating will make it lose half its light output after rated life expectancy (20,000 to 100,000 hours) - optimistically! You can use somewhat higher currents if you heat-sink the leads and/or can tolerate much shorter life expectancy.

Next, know your supply voltage. It should be well above the LED voltage for reliable, stable LED operation. Use at least 3 volts for the lower voltage types, 4.5 volts for the 3.4 volt types, and 6 volts for the 430 NM blue.

The voltage in most cars is 14 volts while the alternator is successfully charging the battery. A well-charged 12 volt lead-acid battery is 12.6 volts with a light load discharging it. Many "wall wart" DC power supplies provide much higher voltage than specified if the load is light, so you need to measure them under a light load that draws maybe 10-20 milliamps.

Next step is to subtract the LED voltage from the supply voltage. This gives you the voltage that must be dropped by the dropping resistor. Example: 3.4 volt LED with a 6 volt supply voltage. Subtracting these gives 2.6 volts to be dropped by the dropping resistor.

The next step is to divide the dropped voltage by the LED current to get the value of the dropping resistor. If you divide volts by amps, you get the resistor value in ohms. If you divide volts by milliamps, you get the resistor value in kilo-ohms or k.

Example: 6 volt supply, 3.4 volt LED, 12 milliamps. Divide 2.6 by .012. This gives 217 ohms. The nearest standard resistor value is 220 ohms.

If you want to operate the 3.4 volt LED from a 6 volt power supply at the LED's "typical" current of 20 ma, then 2.6 divided by .02 yields a resistor value of 130 ohms. The next higher popular standard value is 150 ohms.

If you want to run a typical 3.4 volt LED from a 6 volt supply at its maximum rated current of 30 ma, then divide 2.6 by .03. This indicates 87 ohms. The next higher popular standard resistor value is 100 ohms. Please beware that I consider the 30 ma rating for 3.4-3.5 volt LEDs to be optimistic.

One more thing to do is to check the resistor wattage. Multiply the dropped voltage by the LED current to get the wattage being dissipated in the resistor. Example: 2.6 volts times .03 amp (30 milliamps) is .078 watt. For good reliability, I recommend not exceeding 60 percent of the wattage rating of the resistor. A 1/4 watt resistor can easily handle .078 watt. In case you need a more powerful resistor, there are 1/2 watt resistors widely available in the popular values.

You can put LEDs in series with only one resistor for the whole series string. Add up the voltages of all the LEDs in the series string. This should not exceed 80 percent of the supply voltage if you want good stability and predictable current consumption. The dropped voltage will then be the supply voltage minus the total voltage of the LEDs in the series string.

Do not put LEDs in parallel with each other. Although this usually works, it is not reliable. LEDs become more conductive as they warm up, which may lead to unstable current distribution through paralleled LEDs. LEDs in parallel need their own individual dropping resistors. Series strings can be paralleled if each string has its own dropping resistor.

Lighting FAQ

• What does "Candela", "Lumen", etc. mean?
• Footcandle to Lux Conversion
• What does "inverse square law"
• What does "cosine law" mean
• What is the difference between Lumen and Watt
• How to calculate beam angle
• How to calculate lumens output

What does "Candela", "Lumen", etc. mean?

The formal definition can be found in many handbooks, so here are informal and, hopefully more useful, definitions:

Luminous intensity (or candlepower) is the light density within a very small solid angle, in a specified direction. In other words, this is the total number of lumens from a surface emitted in a given direction. The unit of measure is candela. In modern standards, the candela is the basic of all measurements of light and all other units are derived from it. Candlepower measurements are often taken at various angles around the source and the results plotted to give a candlepower distribution curve. Such a curve shows luminous intensity (how "bright" the source seems) in any direction.

Luminous flux is the time rate of flow of light. The unit of measure is the Lumen. One lumen may be defined as the light flux emitted in one unit solid angle by a one-candela uniform-point source. The lumen differs from the candela in that it is a measure of light flux irrespective of direction. The lumen is used to express a quantity of light flux: total output of a source, output within a specific angular zone, amount of absorbed light, etc.
However, if you need to calculate something which is not related to the human eye, for example temperature increase due to absorbed light, do not use luminous flux, instead we need to use the correct unit of power, the Watt (see below).

Illumination is the density of luminous flux on a surface This parameter shows how "bright" the surface point appears to the human eye. The appropriate units of measure are Footcandle and Lux. One footcandle is the illumination produced by one lumen uniformly distributed over one square foot of a surface, or conversely this is the illumination at the point of a surface which is one foot from, and perpendicular to, a uniform point source of one candela. So, footcandles incident on a surface=Lumens/Area(sq.feet). Lux is used in the International System. Both have a similar objective, but meters are used for Lux and feet are used for Candelas. Therefore, one lux=0.0929 footcandles. Or, approximately, 1 Fc=10 Lux.

Luminance or Brightness is a luminous intensity of a surface in a given direction per unit of projected area of the surface. Luminance can be expressed in two ways: in candelas per unit area or in lumens per unit area. I don't want do go too into this subject, because it is so seldom used. There are many different standard units of measurement. For example: Candela per square inch (cd/in²) , Footlambert (luminance of a surface emitting one lumen per square foot), Lambert (similar, but per square cm).

1 cd/in.² =452 Footlamberts

1 Lambert=929 Footlamberts=2.054 cd/in².

Actually, our eye sees brightness, not illumination. Every visible object has brightness. Usually, brightness is proportional to the object's illumination, so a well illuminated object seems brighter. For a perfectly diffusing reflecting surface:

Footlamberts = Footcandles * Surface Reflectance

Footcandle to Lux Conversion

One footcandle is the illumination produced by one lumen uniformly distributed over one square foot of surface, and lux is the illumination over one square meter of surface. Therefore, one lux=0.0929 footcandles. Or, approximately, 1 Fc=10 Lux.

What does "inverse square law"

The inverse square law tells is that the illumination is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the point source and the surface, i.e.:
If you have a fixture (which can be treated as a point source if the distance from the surface is large) and you measure the illumination at 20 feet as 2000 Fc at the beam center, then at 40 feet the illumination is 500 Fc at the beam center.

What does "cosine law" mean

Effective illumination is proportional to the cosine of the angle of incidence of the light on the surface (angle between the direction of the light and the perpendicular to the surface)

Illumination at the O point on surfaces 1 and 2:

Here are a few cases:

When the surface is tilted by an angle of 30º, the illumination is reduced by a factor of 0.87

45º - 0.71

60º - 0.5

What is the difference between Lumen and Watt

Lumen is a unit of the photometric system and Watt belongs to the radiometry system.

Both characterize a power of light flow. However, lumen is power "related" to the human eye sensitivity. Therefore, lights with the same power in watts, but different colors have different luminous fluxes, because the human eye has different sensitivity at different wavelengths. At a wavelength of 555 nm (maximum eye sensitivity) 1 Watt equals 683 Lm.

Very powerful sources of infrared radiation produce no lumen output, because the human eye can’t see it. However, if you need to calculate total power absorbed by a surface (to estimate temperature increase, for example), you have to transfer lumen flux to watt. This can be done by using a spectral luminous efficiency curve, which can be found in many photometry handbooks.

How to calculate beam angle

This is easy. If you know the distance from a fixture to the screen (much larger than fixture length) and the image diameter, then:


In most practical cases the following approximation is true:

Of course, both measurements must be in the same units (meters, feet, inches, etc.)

(Example: distance = 20 feet, image diameter=5 feet. Exact formula gives 14.25 º, second – 14.32º)

In the case of "soft edge" light image diameter, usually, is measured at point where illumination is 50% (beam angle) or 10% (field angle) of the center illumination.

How to calculate lumens output

The best way is to use a photometric sphere, however the number of people who have one is much less than the number of people who want to know total lumen output (luminous flux) of a fixture.

Another way is to measure illumination (which is the density of luminous flux on a surface) at a number of points and then integrate the resulting values.

Assuming that the beam has axial symmetry (if not – you’re in trouble. You have to measure many points all over the beam) and fixture beam angle is small (we can neglect cosine-cube coefficient from cosine-law and inverse-square-law, that is less than 5% for the 20º beam and 1% for the 10º beam), we have the following formula:

Beam radius is divided into n equal part (radiuses and illumination reading values are indexed from 0, at the beam center, to n-1, at the beam edge).

2 points (center and edge readings only):

3 points (center, middle, and edge):

4 points:

5 points:

8 points:

Here:
P - total lumens
R - beam radius
E - illumination

There is nothing magical about these equations. They are obtained by using integrating rules over the beam.

In the case of "soft edge" fixture, where the image size is taken at 10% of the center illumination (field angle), the first formula becomes very simple:

To get the result in lumens, you should use proper units. If you use footcandles, then the radius must be in feet. If you use lux, then the radius must be in meters.

And last, it doesn't make any sense to calculate luminous flux with 2-3 digits after the decimal point by this method. Assumptions which were made (illumination distribution is perfectly symmetrical, etc.) inevitably result in some error in the final calculation, so instead of 14231.41 Lm it is more practical to use 14KLm.

LED Definitions

Ambient:The surrounding light level in a given area. It is also the temperature in which a LED light source is expected to operate in. Referring to light, it is the light given off by the Sun, Moon, other light fixtures nearby or even within the same space.

Amperage: The strength of an electrical current measured in amperes. The higher the amperage number, the higher the ability to place more devices on a circuit that will be driven by that amperage.

Amp: The basic unit of electric current adopted under the System International d'Unites; "a typical household circuit carries 15 to 50 amps"

Bulb: It is not a LED. A bulb is a light bulb, a flashlight bulb, a MR16 or E27 light bulb. A LED light bulb is a finished product that has the LEDs installed, electrical components installed and is ready to be used by the consumer. A LED light bulb is screwed in place, twisted and locked in place, pressed into sockets or contact terminals. This is a LED bulb.

Bulb Base: The part of the bulb that is used to set it into place and to make contact with electricity. There are many types and sizes. Most common are E26/27, USA and European standard household size, or medium base as it often is called. The 26 or 27 equates to the diameter measurement in millimeters of the threads of a screw-in bulb base. This type of bulb also includes the PAR 20, PAR 30 and PAR38 types, and a few others. There are MR16 and MR11 type base LED bulbs as well as GU10s.

Chromaticity: Chromaticity tells you what the lamp itself or a neutral surface illuminated by a lamp will look like. Chromaticity sets the "tone" or atmosphere of a room: warm, cool or something in between. Chromaticity (sometimes called color temperature) is usually measured in Kelvins. It can also be defined by using x and y coordinated against a standard chromaticity scale developed by the Commission Internationale de l'Éclairage (CIE). Here is a Chromaticity Graph that is commonly used.

Color Rendering Index (CRI): Also CCT or Correlated Color Temperature. It is a measure of the quality of light. A measurement of the amount of color shift that objects undergo when lighted by a light source as compared with the color of those same objects when seen under a reference light source of comparable color temperature. LED light CRI values generally range from 60(average) to 90(best). High CRI equates to sharper, crisper, more natural colored pictures while at the same time reducing glare.

Color Temperature: A measure of the color of a light source relative to a black body at a particular temperature expressed in degrees Kelvin (K). Incandescent lights have a low color temperature (approximately 2800K) and have a red-yellowish tone; daylight has a high color temperature (approximately 6000K) and appears bluish (the most popular fluorescent light, Cool White, ia rated at 4100K). Lamps with color temperatures below 5000K tend to be more yellow/red, lamps rated between 5000 and 6000K are viewed as white, while lamps above 6000K tend to have a blue cast.

Constant Current Driver:

Constant Voltage Driver:

Dimmer: 12vdc only. Used with LED lights powered by 12vdc - never 110/120vac. PWM built-in, as is an On/Off Switch. Will dim majority of 12vdc LED lights and a few 12vdc LED bulbs such as MR16s with the proper transformer/power supply. Dimmers are part of our LED control products.

Foot-Candle: The unit is defined as the amount of illumination the inside surface of an imaginary 1-foot radius sphere would be receiving if there were a uniform point source of one candela in the exact center of the sphere. Basically, the amount of light that a single candle would provide to a 1ft. radius sphere.

Full Spectrum: A light bulb or lamp that produces a light spectrum that covers the entire range of visible light (400-700nm) without gaps in its spectral output. White LEDs are inherently a full spectrum light source.

Intensity: Is a measure of the time-averaged energy flux or amount of light striking a given area. For bulbs alone this is measured in terms of lumens while for lighting fixtures it is measured in lux (lumens/sq. meter).

Kelvin Color Temperature: A measure of the color of a light source relative to a black body at a particular temperature expressed in degrees Kelvin (K). Incandescent lights have a low color temperature (approximately 2800K) and have a red-yellowish tone; daylight has a high color temperature (approximately 6000K) and appears bluish (the most popular fluorescent light, Cool White, is rated at 4100K). Today, the phosphors used in fluorescent lamps can be blended to provide any desired color temperature in the range from 2800K to 6000K. Lamps with color temperatures below 5000K tend to be more yellow/red, lamps rated between 5000 and 6000K are viewed as white, while lamps above 6000K tend to have a blue cast.

L.E.D.: LED means light emitting diode. LEDs are a solid state device and do not require heating of a filament to create light. Rather, electricity is passed through a chemical compound that is excited and that generates light.

LEDs are not bulbs or lamps in the true sense of the word and application. LEDs require a lot of work to make them ready to be used by the consumer. They need to be placed on a circuit board or other material that will allow electricity to pass through it at a specific voltage and current, and with components required to operate them at specific voltages such as 12vdc, 24vdc or 120vac. They do not come ready to plug into a 12volt or 120 volt power source. These are LEDs.

LED Bar: Refers to a solid strip of material on which LEDs have been soldered to, along with resistors and other components that a specific product requires to make them operate at the stated operating voltage. The Bars are usually an enclosed strip of LEDs. Enclosures are plastics, or aluminum, or metal composites with various types of lens/cover plates

LED Cluster or Array: A group of LEDs set in a square, rectangular or linear pattern, and formatted to be operated at a specific voltage. They will always include two wires called leads. One is positive, the other negative.
LED Drivers: are current control devices that replace the need for resistors. LED Drivers respond to the changing input voltage while maintaining a constant amount of current (output power) to the LED as its electrical properties change with temperature.

LED Lighting: A general term used by those who do not know the specific type or category of LED lighting they are after. LED lighting includes LED bulbs and fixtures, flashlights, strips, clusters and other LED light sources.

LED Strip: LED Strips are usually printed circuit boards with LEDs soldered to the board. The strip can be rigid, or flexible and without any enclosure to protect the LED and circuit.

Low Voltage: With LEDs, that means 12vDC 24vDC or 48vDC, as opposed to 110/120vac which is high voltage. With LEDs, low voltage is commonly 12vdc sometimes at 24vdc. To run these low voltage lights, power will have to be sent to the light through a power supply/transformer/adapter that is hooked up to 110/120/240vac power lines. The actual voltage reaching the light will be at 12vdc.

Lumen Maintenance: How well a LED light bulb is able to retain its intensity when compared to new. Typically a high power smd LED bulb will retain 70% of its intensity for 40,000-50,000 hours. That means a good quality LED bulb will run 8 hours a day for 13 years at 70% of its new condition. No other light source can do this.

Lumens: The unit of luminous flux in the International System, equal to the amount of light given out through a solid angle by a source of one candela intensity radiating equally in all directions. Used to measure light bulbs as stand alone light sources. Lighting fixtures are measured by lux output which is lumens per square meter. See for a better(?) understanding - Lumens, Illuminance,

Lux: Typically used to measure the light intensity produced by a lighting fixture. The higher the lux reading the more light the lighting fixture is producing over a given area. Known as lumens per square meter

mA: stands for milliamp. 1000mA equals 1.0 amp. All LEDs run on current and current is measured in milliamps. All LED products have a mA rating at which they are to be powered at.

Max Rated Temperature:, or Operating Temperature is the ambient temperature where the LED light source is installed at and should be maintained at. In most case that is around 40-50° Celsius. That is comparable to 104° F to 122° F. Operating a LED light source beyond the Operating temperature will lower the LED's life span or kill it.

MCD: or Millicandela, is used to rank/denote the brightness of an LED. 1000mcd is equal to one Candela. The higher the mcd number, the brighter the light the LED emits.

Nanometers: or nm. Used to measure the wavelengths of light. The lower the wavelength eg. 400nm the bluer and stronger the light source. Longer wavelengths above 600nm are red. Above 680nm, they fall into the InfraRed category, which is colorless to our eyes. White LEDs have no specific wavelength. They are measured by the color of white against the chromaticity scale.

Operating Life: usually refers to the number of hours a specific type of LED is expected to be operational. With high powered LEDs, that usually means life after it loses 10-15% or more rated output after 1000 or more hours of run time. The Cree and Luxeon LEDs are rated for 50,000 at 75% maintenance for 50,000 hours.

PCB/Printed Circuit Board: are made from various materials including fiberglass and aluminum. The pcb has an electrical circuit imprinted in silver etching. That circuit says how the LED will operate. The pcb is also the platform by which LEDs are employed in various applications. It can be a rigid board or flexible to twistable.

Power Supply: and Transformer and Voltage adapter apply to the electrical conversion of 110/120/240vac line power into 12vdc that will then be applied directly to the LED light product. Power Supplies are rated according to the current/amperage load capacity each will handle. It is an electrical or electro-mechanical device and is sometimes referred to as a LED Driver.

PWM: Pulse Width Modulation with regards to LEDs means that the LED will be pulsed or strobed at a rate so fast that the eye will see the light as being constantly on. In fact it is not. This pulsing or turning the LED on and off lowers the potential heat stress on the chemical that makes the light, thus allowing the LED to perform longer than anticipated. This is why we strongly recommend a dimmer/PWM with every purchase of a 12vdc LED product.

RGB: RGB stands for Red, Blue, Green, the 3 primary colors that make white light and all other colors. It can be a pre-programmed 7 color automatically changing LED bar or strip that is non-adjustable. It also means a RGB color changing system that allow adjustment of color change frequency, strobing, chasing and other action modes by using a color controller. Click here for more illustration..

SMD/SMT: A type of low profile LED that is surface mounted to a PCB. These type LEDs are very powerful and range in lumen output from 35 up to 170 lumens. With the latest LED technology being applied today, these have shown to have the most promise in delivering light levels and coloring that we are used to having. Those smd LEDs we talk about, use and sell are in the .5 watt, 1 watt, 3 watt and 5 watt power range. When you see a 7 watt or 9 watt LED light, it will contain 1 watt LEDs x 7, or 1 watt LEDs x 9, or 3 watt LEDs x 3.

SSL: SSL means Solid State Lighting. It does not use heating of a thin fragile filament to create light. Rather it uses electrical current passing through a chemical that will get excited and thus emit light.

Task Lighting/Lamp: A LED light used to specifically light a particular area used for work or reading. Typically found in the form of a desk, floor, or clamp-on lamp, it can be a high powered LED light in any form.

UV-A: (380–315 nm), also called Long Wave or "blacklight" because it is invisible to the human eye. Can cause skin irritation and fading of fabrics.

UV-B: (315–280 nm), also called Medium Wave radiation. Can cause severe damage to the skin and human eye through exposure.

UV-C: (← 280 nm), also called Short Wave or "germicidal" for its ability to destroy even bacterial life forms. Extremely hazardous to all life forms due to its ability to cause immediate damage to cellular DNA.

View Angle Degree: Also referred to as directivity, or the directional pattern of a LED light beam. The expressed degree dictates the width of the light beam and also controls to some extent, the light intensity of a LED. View angles range from 8 to 160 degrees, and are provided through the use of optics, special lenses made to collimate light to into a desired view angle.

Voltage: The rate at which energy is drawn from a source that produces a flow of electricity (amperage) in a circuit. The difference in electrical charge between two points in a circuit is expressed as volts.

Voltage Regulator: A device which limits or controls and stabilizes the voltage being applied to a using unit such as LED lights and motors. Regulators also take higher voltages than required and reduces it to the working voltage that makes a specific product run correctly. In many instances a lack of a Voltage Regulator will allow higher voltage than a product can work with and will cause irreparable damage.

Volts: The International System unit of electric potential and electromotive force, equal to the difference of electric potential between two points on a conducting wire carrying a constant current of one ampere when the power dissipated between the points is one watt.

Waterproof: meaning the LED product can be submerged into calm water but there is a limited depth as stated for each specific product, and must be specifically stated for "submersion". It also means that the product is made to withstand water being splashed onto it like rain, or having snow on it. These products will be made of high grade stainless steel, aluminum, or high strength plastics.

Watts: The unit for measuring electrical power. It defines the rate of energy consumption by an electrical device when it is in operation. The energy cost of operating an electrical device is calculated as its wattage times the hours of use. In single phase circuits, it is related to volts and amps by the formula: Volts x Amps x PowerFactor = Watts.

Watt per LED: It can be confusing when two watt numbers are used in product specifications. For the application to smd high powered LEDs, the 1 watt, 3 watt, 5 watt, etc, refers to the power consumption of that specific LED installed in that product. The watt numbers expressed as light output are a comparison to an incandescent light bulb light output, eg; a 60 watt light output is equal to a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. The Watt Output is equipment measured.

Weatherproof: meaning the product will take water splashing and high humidity without deterioration to the LED or circuit. LED product cannot be submerged into water.

White: White is defined by Kelvin Temperature or Degrees Kelvin. Most will say that a Kelvin Temperature of 6000k plus is white with a bluish tint. And let's say that 5000k -5500k is daylight/sunlight white. At 4200k-4500k, it is called cool white. At 2800-3300k, it's warm white, which is the color temperature most incandescent light bulbs emit.

From 5500k on down the scale, the color becomes "warmer" due to the dominance of red and yellow hues. In the opposite direction, whites will have cooler colors like blues and green becoming more apparent, thus they are called cool whites.

Summery of LED Lighting

The lighting efficiency of the new high power LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs is more than eight times that of incandescent lights, and twice as high as compact fluorescent lights. Led bulbs also emit a much higher percentage of light in the desired direction. This makes them even more efficient compared to either incandescent or fluorescent for task lighting, desk lamps, reading lights, night lights, ect... LED night lights use only about 25 cents' worth of electricity per year and generate very little unwanted heat. The energy savings may be doubled in air-conditioned environments where each watt of incandescent lighting can add another watt or more to the power needed for air conditioning.

Led bulbs can operate for 30,000 hours or more. One led lightbulb can easily outlast 30 incandescent bulbs, or 6 compact fluorescents! Led bulbs cost less than the bulbs they replace. Operating 8 hours per day, led light bulbs can last 10 years or more!

Led light bulbs are less sensitive to shock, vibration, and the extreme temperature changes that can quickly ruin fragile incandescent bulbs. And unlike fluorescent bulbs which wear out much faster if they are frequently turned on and off, led bulbs are not affected by frequent on-off switching.

Water conservation tips

Faucets :

Installing Low-Flow shower heads and faucet aerators is the single most effective water conservation savings you can do for your home.

Standard faucet aerators will allow flow rates of 2.5 - 5 gallons of water per minute. But for bathroom faucets, low-flow aerators that deliver 0.5 to 1 gallon (1.9 to 3.8 liters) of water per minute will deliver the same force of spray, but often in a more pleasing fashion. Kitchen faucets may require a higher flow rate of 2 to 4 gallons (7.6 to 15.1 liters) per minute if you regularly fill the sink for washing dishes. If you tend to let the water run when washing dishes, the lower flow rate of 0.5 to 1 gallon per minute may be more appropriate. Some kitchen aerators will allow you to flip between two flow rates without affecting the water temperature.

Here are some figures on faucet water usage: 15% of an average household’s daily water consumption is through faucet use. In a family of four, where each person uses the bathroom sink for 6 minutes each day, using a 0.5 gallon per minute aerator (instead of a 2.5 gallon per minute aerator) would reduce the daily household water consumption by 48 gallons per day, which totals 17,520 gallons annually.

Installation couldn't be easier. Aerators simply screw onto the faucet head, usually after removing the existing screen. That's it.

Compared to the standard faucet aerator with a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute your flow rate reduction will be:
1.5 gpm = up to 40%
1.0 gpm = up to 60%
0.5 gpm = up to 80%

You can buy them at most hardware stores, home improvement centers, online, or at energy-conservation outlets. They typically cost between $0.50 and $3.00. You'd be hard pressed to find a wiser three-dollar investment.

Shower :

Low-flow showerheads are efficient. They can significantly reduce your household water consumption without a noticeable difference to your shower experience. The term “low flow” is generally defined as a showerhead with a water consumption rate of 0.5 to 2 gallons per minute (gpm).

Showerheads are measured by flow—the number of gallons they deliver per minute (gpm). Flow is affected by water pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The greater the pressure pushing water through pipes and showerheads, the greater the volume of water forced out.

Water pressure on the high side—80 psi, for example—will push a greater amount of water through a showerhead than low water pressure, say 20 psi. This same principle is in effect when you don't turn on the water full blast.

Installing a low-flow shower head in your shower is not just good sense, it's a breeze.

Your shower uses around 22 percent of the total water you use in your home (if your home is average). A good portion of that water takes a detour through your water heater, raising your energy bill on its way to soaking your head. You can assume that with an old standard shower head, a 5-minute shower would use about 30 gallons of water. If you have more than one person in your home, or you take longer showers . . . well, you do the math. I just know it's a lot of hot water.

For best efficiency, you should get a low-flow shower head with a shut-off valve. This allows you to turn off the water while soaping up, then turn it back on instantly without having to readjust the temperature.

Toilet :

Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank. To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day. Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly.

Water saving tips:

Take shorter showers. One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush. There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

Rinse your razor in the sink. Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

Check faucets and pipes for leaks. A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. If your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.

Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water.

Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge. Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful.

water and electric conservation

Water Conservation Tips

Faucets :

Installing Low-Flow shower heads and faucet aerators is the single most effective water conservation savings you can do for your home.

Standard faucet aerators will allow flow rates of 2.5 - 5 gallons of water per minute. But for bathroom faucets, low-flow aerators that deliver 0.5 to 1 gallon (1.9 to 3.8 liters) of water per minute will deliver the same force of spray, but often in a more pleasing fashion. Kitchen faucets may require a higher flow rate of 2 to 4 gallons (7.6 to 15.1 liters) per minute if you regularly fill the sink for washing dishes. If you tend to let the water run when washing dishes, the lower flow rate of 0.5 to 1 gallon per minute may be more appropriate. Some kitchen aerators will allow you to flip between two flow rates without affecting the water temperature.

Here are some figures on faucet water usage: 15% of an average household’s daily water consumption is through faucet use. In a family of four, where each person uses the bathroom sink for 6 minutes each day, using a 0.5 gallon per minute aerator (instead of a 2.5 gallon per minute aerator) would reduce the daily household water consumption by 48 gallons per day, which totals 17,520 gallons annually.

Installation couldn't be easier. Aerators simply screw onto the faucet head, usually after removing the existing screen. That's it.

Compared to the standard faucet aerator with a flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute your flow rate reduction will be:
1.5 gpm = up to 40%
1.0 gpm = up to 60%
0.5 gpm = up to 80%

You can buy them at most hardware stores, home improvement centers, online, or at energy-conservation outlets. They typically cost between $0.50 and $3.00. You'd be hard pressed to find a wiser three-dollar investment.

Shower :

Low-flow showerheads are efficient. They can significantly reduce your household water consumption without a noticeable difference to your shower experience. The term “low flow” is generally defined as a showerhead with a water consumption rate of 0.5 to 2 gallons per minute (gpm).

Showerheads are measured by flow—the number of gallons they deliver per minute (gpm). Flow is affected by water pressure, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). The greater the pressure pushing water through pipes and showerheads, the greater the volume of water forced out.

Water pressure on the high side—80 psi, for example—will push a greater amount of water through a showerhead than low water pressure, say 20 psi. This same principle is in effect when you don't turn on the water full blast.

Installing a low-flow shower head in your shower is not just good sense, it's a breeze.

Your shower uses around 22 percent of the total water you use in your home (if your home is average). A good portion of that water takes a detour through your water heater, raising your energy bill on its way to soaking your head. You can assume that with an old standard shower head, a 5-minute shower would use about 30 gallons of water. If you have more than one person in your home, or you take longer showers . . . well, you do the math. I just know it's a lot of hot water.

For best efficiency, you should get a low-flow shower head with a shut-off valve. This allows you to turn off the water while soaping up, then turn it back on instantly without having to readjust the temperature.

Toilet :

Put plastic bottles or float booster in your toilet tank. To cut down on water waste, put an inch or two of sand or pebbles inside each of two plastic bottles to weigh them down. Fill the bottles with water, screw the lids on, and put them in your toilet tank, safely away from the operating mechanisms. Or, buy an inexpensive tank bank or float booster. This may save ten or more gallons of water per day. Be sure at least 3 gallons of water remain in the tank so it will flush properly.

Water saving tips:

Take shorter showers. One way to cut down on water use is to turn off the shower after soaping up, then turn it back on to rinse. A four-minute shower uses approximately 20 to 40 gallons of water.

Turn off the water after you wet your toothbrush. There is no need to keep the water running while brushing your teeth. Just wet your brush and fill a glass for mouth rinsing.

Rinse your razor in the sink. Fill the sink with a few inches of warm water. This will rinse your razor just as well as running water, with far less waste of water.

Check faucets and pipes for leaks. A small drip from a worn faucet washer can waste 20 gallons of water per day. Larger leaks can waste hundreds of gallons.

When washing dishes by hand, don't leave the water running for rinsing. If your have a double-basin, fill one with soapy water and one with rinse water. If you have a single-basin sink, gather washed dishes in a dish rack and rinse them with a spray device or a panful of hot water. If using a dishwasher, there is usually no need to pre-rinse the dishes.

Don't let the faucet run while you clean vegetables just rinse them in a stoppered sink or a pan of clean water.

Keep a bottle of drinking water in the fridge. Running tap water to cool it off for drinking water is wasteful.

Electric Conservation Tips

Lighting:

The lighting efficiency of the new high power LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs is more than eight times that of incandescent lights, and twice as high as compact fluorescent lights. Led bulbs also emit a much higher percentage of light in the desired direction. This makes them even more efficient compared to either incandescent or fluorescent for task lighting, desk lamps, reading lights, night lights, ect... LED night lights use only about 25 cents' worth of electricity per year and generate very little unwanted heat. The energy savings may be doubled in air-conditioned environments where each watt of incandescent lighting can add another watt or more to the power needed for air conditioning.

Led bulbs can operate for 30,000 hours or more. One led lightbulb can easily outlast 30 incandescent bulbs, or 6 compact fluorescents! Led bulbs cost less than the bulbs they replace. Operating 8 hours per day, led light bulbs can last 10 years or more!

Led light bulbs are less sensitive to shock, vibration, and the extreme temperature changes that can quickly ruin fragile incandescent bulbs. And unlike fluorescent bulbs which wear out much faster if they are frequently turned on and off, led bulbs are not affected by frequent on-off switching.

TV :

Shopping for an energy efficient television set can be difficult. You can scan the manufacturers' specs, but many don't provide power information, and the numbers provided rarely include standby power ratings. Depending on what type of set you buy, a television can consume as little as 45 watts or as much as 500 watts, and cost anywhere from $13 to $145 per year to run.

Basically, TVs that use the least amount of electricity are smaller LCD TVs, and the biggest energy consumers are the 50+ inch plasma sets. The most efficient LCD televisions are generally those in the Sharp Aquos line. Last year, CNET tested the energy efficiency of 20 television sets, and the Sharp Aquos LC-20B8U-S 20 inch set was found to be the least power hungry — it costs just $13 a year to run. Rear-projection TVs are also technically energy efficient, but these sets are large and rarely get as bright as the others.

Tips:

Make sure the television is off if nobody is watching it.

Dryer :

Of course, one of the cheapest means of drying clothes uses no appliance what-so-ever. The simple clothes line and clothes pins cost hardly anything. Using the heat of the sun and drying power of breezes, clothes lines are making a come back in many backyards.

Unlike most other types of appliances, clothes dryers don't vary much in the amount of energy used from model to model. That's why clothes dryers are not required to display EnergyGuide labels. They're also not listed in the ENERGY STAR®'s database.

But that doesn't mean that the amount of energy used by clothes dryers isn't important. A dryer is typically the second-biggest electricity-using appliance after the refrigerator, costing about $85 to operate annually.

Over its expected lifetime of 18 years, the average clothes dryer will cost you approximately $1,530 to operate.

Right now, all dryers on the market work the same - they tumble clothes through heated air to remove moisture. Engineers are working to develop dryers that use microwaves to dry clothes, but they're not yet being sold. (One problem still to be overcome is metal rivets and metal zippers, which don't microwave well.)

Buying Smart

Consider these tips if you're looking to buy an efficient clothes dryer:

Check for the highest energy factor number when comparing different models. Remember that there are two costs to an appliance - the initial purchase price, and the cost of operating that appliance over the many years you own it.

Look for a clothes dryer with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only does this save energy; it reduces wear and tear on clothes caused by over-drying.

The best dryers have moisture sensors in the drum for sensing dryness, while most only estimate dryness by sensing the temperature of the exhaust air. Compared with timed drying, you can save about 10 percent with a temperature sensing control, and 15 percent with a moisture sensing control.

Look for a dryer with a cycle that includes a cool-down period, sometimes known as a "perma-press" cycle. In the last few minutes of the cycle, cool air, rather than heated air, is blown through the tumbling clothes to complete the drying process.

Washer :

The average American family washes almost 400 loads of laundry each year using about 40 gallons of water per full load with a conventional washer.

It’s a good thing families can cut their related energy costs by more than a third — and the water costs by more than half — just by purchasing a clothes washer with the ENERGY STAR label.

Is your washer over 10 years old? Replace it with a new ENERGY STAR qualified washer and you could save over $145 each year on your utility bills. That’s like getting your High Efficiency (HE) detergent free year round.

The good news is that new washers on the market today can cut your energy use by as much as 70 percent. They can save you more than $850 in water and detergent over the life of the machine. Best of all, independent studies show they may actually get clothes cleaner!

ENERGY STAR clothes washers range from about 1.6 cubic feet up to 2.9 cubic feet. A typical large-capacity washer, such as found in most households, is about 2.7 cubic feet. For a family that does a lot of laundry, one of the larger models probably makes the most sense. For an individual or couple who do less laundry, a small model will be the most economical.

Look for high-speed spin cycles that remove more water from fabrics, so less energy is needed for drying.

When purchasing a washer, select one that allows control of the water level and temperature. Look for energy-saving features like pre-soak, "suds saver," and cold water settings.

When you look for energy efficient appliances, don't be misled. Names like "Energy Miser," "Energy Saver" and "Fuel Saver" don't necessarily guarantee savings. The best way to determine energy efficiency of appliances is to actually compare information provided by EnergyGuide labels.

Check for rebates before you buy new appliances. Call your utility company to see if they are giving rebates on high efficiency models. When shopping, ask your salesperson about them.

Clothes Washer Tips:

Use cold water and detergent specially formulated for use in cold water.

When laundry day comes, wash only full loads, but do not overload your machine. Wash smaller loads only when you have a small-load attachment or variable water levels.

Use the correct amount of detergent. Too many bubbles make your machine work harder and use more energy.

Presoak or use the soak cycle when washing heavily soiled garments like your kid's soccer uniform. You'll avoid two washings and save energy.

Up to 90 percent of the cost of washing clothes comes from heating the water, so use hot water only for very dirty clothes, and always use cold water in the rinse cycle.

Air Conditioning :

In most homes the air conditioner is the single largest consumer of energy. Air conditioners put a strain on most people’s energy costs in the summertime. High temperatures make it harder for the unit to work most effectively. Using energy efficient air conditioning can dramatically reduce one’s energy costs- some by forty percent.

Air conditioners employ the same operating principles and basic components as your home refrigerator. An air conditioner cools your home with a cold indoor coil called the evaporator. The condenser, a hot outdoor coil, releases the collected heat outside.

Each air conditioner has an energy-efficiency rating that lists how many Btu per hour are removed for each watt of power it draws. For room air conditioners, this efficiency rating is the Energy Efficiency Ratio, or EER. For central air conditioners, it is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio, or SEER. These ratings are posted on an Energy Guide Label, which must be conspicuously attached to all new air conditioners. Many air conditioner manufacturers are participants in the voluntary EnergyStar® labeling program. EnergyStar-labeled appliances mean that they have high EER and SEER ratings.

When purchasing energy efficient units it’s important to take note of the energy efficiency rating. This minimum rating was increased about three years ago, so manufacturers are no longer able to build units below the new minimum. The increase in ratings gives the consumer a thirty percent decrease in energy consumption.

A few tips that will help you further save money:

Leave the thermostat at one temperature. Dropping the temp to cool the house quickly will not cool the house any faster. If the thermostat is set to seventy eight it will take the same amount of time to get to seventy eight as it would if it was set to seventy.

For the most energy savings the thermostat should stay at seventy eight in the summer and sixty eight in the winter.

While natural sunlight is perfect for energy efficient lighting, closing the curtains when not in the room will help the house retain cool air. Opening the curtains at night will allow heat to escape as well.

Keep the air filter clean, check it every couple of months or so. A clean filter can increase efficiency by five to fifteen percent.

Kitchen Range/ Stove :

Which piece of cooking equipment you use and how you use it makes a big impact on how much energy you use preparing meals. Here are some tips that should help you decide where and when savings are possible in the kitchen.

Select the right pan or appliance. Oversized pans waste energy. The pan you use should match the burner size. A 6-inch diameter pan on an 8-inch burner wastes almost half of the energy produced by the burner. Using a separate appliance like a Crockpot can save energy when preparing foods requiring long cooking times. Pressure cookers reduce energy use 50 to 75 percent because cooking times are reduced when food is cooked at the higher temperatures created inside a pressure cooker. And when you bake, use glass and ceramic pans and you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees. If you're baking or roasting something for less than a half hour, use a toaster oven. They often use 1/3 to 1/2 the power needed for a conventional oven.

With flat-surface electric burners, make sure the bottom of your pans are flat-bottomed and can make good contact with the element. Uneven pan bottoms don't conduct heat to the food as well. And with electric burners, you can turn them off toward the end of the cooking time since they'll radiate heat for awhile as they cool.

Keep lids on pans as you cook; cooking without them can require three times as much energy as cooking with them on. Look for pans with glass lids if you like to keep an eye on what you are preparing.

When boiling foods, keep the amount of water used to a minimum. Using excess water that must be heated wastes the energy required to raise its temperature.

Microwaves use a lot of energy when operating, but because cooking times are so drastically reduced, using a microwave to prepare a meal will reduce energy use by about two-thirds compared to a conventional oven. Because less heat is generated in the kitchen, you may also save on air conditioning costs during the summer. Some microwave ovens include sophisticated features to further boost energy efficiency and cooking performance, such as temperature probes, controls to turn off the microwave when food is cooked, and variable power settings. New “rapid-cook” ovens combining microwaves with other cooking technologies— notably halogen lights or convection—are designed to cut cooking time and improve the quality of foods compared to standard microwave preparation.

Defrosting frozen foods in the refrigerator will reduce cooking time. But allow enough time for defrosting to take place. It can take several days for a frozen turkey to defrost in a refrigerator.

Refrigerator / Freezer:

Refrigerator Tips:

Minimize door openings as much as possible. Every time the refrigerator door is opened, cooled air escapes. The unit must then work harder to replace the air. Try to keep the door open no longer than necessary. Be sure to close the door completely.

Don't keep your refrigerator or freezer too cold. Recommended temperatures are 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section. If you have a separate freezer for long-term storage, it should be kept at 0 to 5°F.

To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours.

Make sure your 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.

Cover liquids and wrap foods stored in the refrigerator. Uncovered foods release moisture and make the compressor work harder.

Move your refrigerator out from the wall and vacuum its condenser coils once a year unless you have a no-clean condenser model. Your refrigerator will run for shorter periods with clean coils.

When going on vacation, remove perishables from the refrigerator and turn the setting up a few degrees.

Freezer Tips:

Freezer temperature should be kept at 0 to 5°F.

Make sure the freezer door closes tightly. Check the door seals and gaskets periodically for air leakage. Lubricate the gaskets with petroleum jelly to keep them from cracking or drying out.

Avoid putting hot foods directly in the freezer. Let them cool in the room first.

A full freezer will perform better than a nearly empty freezer.

Mark items in the freezer for quick identification so that you don't have to keep the door open longer than necessary.

Reduce electricity leakage :

Electricity is used by a very wide variety of equipment, much of this continually consumes electrical power in standby mode even if it is not being used, this is sometimes referred to as 'electricity leakage', this wastes electrical energy prodigiously.

It is easy to dramatically reduce electricity leakage.

Almost all homes continually consume electricity, if yours continually consumes 0.1kWh - this is quite common, nearly 440 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per household at a cost of about $40 per year.

The electricity leakage occurs because many electronic devices can't be fully turned off without switching them off at the wall socket or disconnecting them. While the device may appear to be turned off, in reality, it is one of several standby modes wasting electricity, somewhere between fully off and fully on, so it consumes electric energy 24/7.

Eliminating this standby or "leaking" electricity could save households between six and 26 percent on their average monthly electricity usage.

Tips to reduce electricity leakage:

If you are not using the equipment turn it off at the wall socket.

Do not leave electrical equipment on standby, use a switched power distribution unit for systems that have many plugs and switch it off when not in use or use an intelligent surge protector.

Unplug electric toothbrush and shaver charging cables from the wall socket when not in use.