Now there’s another way to read Tennessee Connections online! Using ActiveMagazine technology, you can flip through the actual pages of the magazine on your computer screen.
Winter Energy-Saving Tips
Save money in five rooms with these home improvements
Living room:
•Replace your five most frequently used incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. These bulbs use less energy and can last up to 10 times longer.
•Install an Energy Star-qualified programmable thermostat, which can help control the temperature while you’re away from home or
at night when you’re sleeping. When used properly, these thermostats can save as much as $150
a year in energy costs.
Bathroom:
•Most showers account for about 22 percent of the total water used in a home. Replace your existing showerhead with a new 2.5-gallon-a-minute (low-flow) showerhead. A low-flow showerhead usually works by mixing air into the water flow to increase the water pressure. The new water-efficient showerhead coupled with a 10-minute shower could save five gallons of water over a typical bath and save more than $100 a year on energy used
to heat the water.
Laundry room:
•To save hot water – and the fuel it takes to heat that water each year
– wash your clothes in cold water. Be sure to choose a laundry detergent that is formulated for use in cold temperatures. Save more money by cleaning the lint trap in your clothes dryer before every load of laundry, which will help increase drying efficiency. Using an Energy Star water-efficient front load washing machine can cut water use by about a third.
Utility room:
•Lower the temperature on your water heater from 145 degrees to 120 degrees. You’ll only notice
the difference in one place – your utility bill.
Kitchen:
• Repair faucet leaks in the kitchen. Hot water leaking at a rate of one drip a second can waste more than 1,000 gallons of water each year.
