LEC lists top five home energy users | News | theparisnews.com – Paris News

Energy Disrupter

Lamar Electric Cooperative believes knowledge is power saved.

“Knowing the average home’s top five energy users can help homeowners save power,” said Christi Christian, director of communications for LEC. “The top five energy users in U.S. homes, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, are: one, space cooling, which accounts for 13% of energy use; two, lighting, 11%; three, space heating, 9%; four, water heating, 9%; and five, refrigeration, 7%. Together, these make up almost half the monthly energy bill in a typical home. By adjusting household habits around each energy user, you can start conserving electricity and saving money in your home.”

Suggestions include:

Adjust the temperature

During cold weather, set your thermostat to 68 degrees. During warm weather, set it to 78 degrees. Clean the filters of your heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. Caulk and weatherstrip around windows and doors.

Save on Lighting

Take a fresh look at the lighting in your home. If you still use incandescent lighting, your lightbulbs are operating inefficiently. Replacing your home’s five most frequently used bulbs with Energy Star-certified LEDs can amount to noticeable savings on your electric bill.

Heat Water Efficiently

Wrapping your electric water heater with an insulating blanket is almost as important as insulating your roof and walls. For additional efficiency and savings, insulate exposed hot water lines and drain 1 to 2 gallons of water from the bottom of your tank annually to prevent sediment buildup.

If considering an appliance update, a new, Energy Star-certified fridge will use at least 15% less energy than noncertified models. Regardless of its age, don’t keep your fridge too cold. Recommended settings are 35 to 38 degrees for the fresh food compartment and zero degrees for freezers.

Original Source: https://theparisnews.com/news/article_7ee877bc-9f19-11eb-9709-e78530dbfec2.html