Flex your Power!
Hot Topic for Energy Efficiency:View all Hot TopicsFlex Your Power AwardsLearn about outstanding leaders in energy efficiency and apply for this year's Awards.Energy Efficiency Helps Combat Climate ChangeLearn the latest statistics regarding climate change in California.Low-Income Energy Efficiency ProgramsLearn about Low-Income Energy Efficiency Programs in California.Energy Efficiency and the Natural Gas MarketNatural gas supplies 42% of the electricity used in California.Save Gasoline, Save MoneyLearn how to lower gasoline consumption and reduce fuel costs. |
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Adjust your thermostat dial and turn up energy savings.
Setting your thermostat to keep air conditioning at 78°F when it 's hot outside, and your heating system at 68°F when it 's cold, can help save up to 20% in heating and cooling costs.
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Turn off unneeded lights.
Avoid lighting an empty room and take advantage of natural light whenever possible.
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Use appliances wisely.
To help prevent electricity outages, use major appliances after 7 p.m. Don't forget to turn off equipment like ceiling fans, stereos and computers when not in use.
» More energy and money saving tips
Low Cost or Free Winter energy Tips:
Keep the fireplace damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. Closing the damper prevents up to 8% of furnace-heated air from going up the chimney.
Reduce hot water use by installing low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators. Older showerheads deliver four to five gallons of water per minute. A new, two-and-a-half-gallon-per-minute showerhead will reduce your water consumption by one-third to one-half. A top-quality, low-flow showerhead will cost $10 to $20 and will quickly pay for itself in energy saved.
Test for air leaks by holding a lit incense stick next to windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need caulking, sealing or weather stripping.
Clean furnace filters monthly. Dirty filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Keep the furnace clean, lubricated and properly adjusted to save up to 5% of heating costs.
Turn off decorative outdoor gas lamps; just eight gas lamps burning year round use as much natural gas as it takes to heat an average-size home during an entire winter.
Use an automatic timer to help you avoid leaving the holiday lights on all night or during the daylight hours. Make sure that the timer is rated to handle the total wattage of the lights.
Replace large, traditional decorative holiday lights with new miniature lights, which use about 70% less energy and last much longer than the larger bulbs. If you prefer the brilliance of the larger lights, switch to 5-Watt bulbs, which use about 30% less energy than 7- to 10-Watt bulbs.
Good Investment Winter Tips:
Install an ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat away from natural cool and hot spots. An ENERGY STAR thermostat can save as much as $115 per year, provide more flexibility than standard models
Seal your home's envelope – walls, floor, ceiling and roof – to save up to 10% on your annual energy bill:
Add weather stripping around windows and doors to reduce drafts.
Use caulking to seal around ducts, plumbing and any other openings in walls, floors and ceilings to reduce air leakage. Begin in the attic, a common place for warm air to escape.
Seal larger gaps that cannot be covered with caulk with expanding foam.
After air sealing, determine the current level of insulation. In the attic, measure the depth of existing insulation using a ruler. If there is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiber glass or rock wool or 6 inches of cellulose) you could probably benefit by adding more. Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Insulating ceilings, walls, attics, floors, crawl spaces and basements to recommended standards can reduce heating and cooling costs by 5% to 25%.
Install fireplace inserts or wood stoves into an existing fireplace. The inserts are equipped with glass or metal doors, outside combustion air vents and heat circulation blowers. Fireplace inserts dramatically improve fireplace efficiency by blowing heat from the fire into the room and limiting the amount of heat and conditioned air lost up the chimney. Fireplace inserts are recommended for fireplaces that are regularly used. Before installing a fireplace insert, be sure to check the manufacturer's safety specifications and make sure the fireplace insert is compatible with the existing chimney or vent flue.
Replace heating equipment more than 15 years old with new ENERGY STAR qualified models. Equipment must be sized and installed properly.
Old furnaces cost more to operate per year than new, ENERGY STAR qualified models that are 15% more efficient than standard models.
An ENERGY STAR qualified geothermal heat pump is 30% more efficient than comparable new equipment and can save you as much as $200 annually. A qualified electric heat pump is 20% more efficient and can save you about $130 annually.
An ENERGY STAR qualified boiler uses features like electric ignition and new combustion technologies that extract more heat from the same amount of fuel, to be 10% more efficient than a new, standard model.
Install high efficiency windows, which are 40% more efficient than standard windows. Consider replacing single-pane windows with double-pane windows that are gas-filled with high performance glass (e.g., low emissivity or "low-e" glass). ENERGY STAR windows may help reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15%. The windows must be sized and installed properly.
What is a Flex Alert?
All time record peak demand - 50,270 megawatts, July 24, 2006
Did you know that conservation, teamwork and planning helped the California grid weather the historic heat wave of July 2006? Conservation helped the state achieve a conservation rate of at least 1,500 megawatts, which included general conservation, state water pump load reduction as well as a 25 percent reduction in power usage at state buildings.
Read the CAISO 08/01/06 press release (PDF).
All time record peak demand - 50,270 megawatts, July 24, 2006Did you know that conservation, teamwork and planning helped the California grid weather the historic heat wave of July 2006? Conservation helped the state achieve a conservation rate of at least 1,500 megawatts, which included general conservation, state water pump load reduction as well as a 25 percent reduction in power usage at state buildings. Read the CAISO 08/01/06 press release (PDF). |
When a Flex Alert is Issued, What Can I Do?
At home and at work, follow the three Flex Alert measures:
- Turn off all unnecessary lights, computers and appliances.
- Set air conditioning thermostat to 78° F or higher.
- Postpone using major appliances until after 7 p.m.
Sign-up to receive Flex Alert notifications via email and on your mobile phone.When a Flex Alert is called we'll notify you via email or text message so you can take action to conserve energy when California needs it most. |
Can your organization distribute Flex Alert notifications to its employees?Join the Flex Alert Network! When an alert is called partner organizations agree to help get the word out by sending an email to all their employees. |
Please visit the "Flex Your Pwer" website for more information and tips about saving energy in your home, school and office. Let's remeber to shut off lights when we leave our home and not to water our laws during the hottest part of the day. All information is provided by Efficiency Partnership and is only used for "Flex your Power". Thank you and we hope we have empowered you by joinging the millions to "flex our power"!
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