Winter solstice is just days away, so our nights are long and (sort of) cold. This is a time of year when heating and electricity bills go up, and if you are buying a lot of presents or travelling for the holidays, the added expense makes life that much harder! If you are travelling, even if just for a few days, there are some major savings to be had with just a few tweaks. I have compiled a list of ten ways to save energy while on vacation, taken from a combination of the Alliance to Save Energy winter break shut down list, DOE’s Take a Vacation from your Energy Bill, Bounce Energy efficiency tips, and conversations with experts. Well-run schools have facility managers who are doing all of the following tips, so take advantage of their experience and do the same thing at home! If you are a teacher leaving the school for winter vacation, you can also help your school with some of these items.
- Use LED lights for all your light bulbs, especially any holiday lights that are being left on for most of the day or night. The cost of LED light bulbs has gone down a lot in the last couple of years so they pay themselves off quickly in the money you save on your electricity bill.
- Turn down the heat to 50 or 55F. This can save you up to 30% on your heating bill! Ask a neighbor or use a programmable thermostat to schedule the temperature to go back up the day you are returning.
Set back the water heater. Set your water heater to the lowest or “vacation” setting to ensure you aren’t heating water that no one is using! When you return, make sure your normal setting is between 120-130F, the recommended temperature to save money while still being safe for most populations. Test the temperature of your water by leaving a faucet on (preferably the one farthest from your hot water tank) for several minutes then using a thermometer in the running water. Hot water heater gages might not be accurate, so checking the actual temperature of the water will give you a much better idea if your tank is using too much energy to heat. Read more on how to do this here.- Unplug the vampire loads. Appliances like microwaves, TVs, and computers have a “phantom” or “vampire” load which means they use energy even when they are off or in standby mode. When you’re back home, put them on a power strip and turn it off to use and reap even more savings.
- Turn off all the lights that aren’t exterior/security lighting and make sure those lights that are being used are energy efficient. I can’t recommend LED bulbs enough!
- Consolidate food in freezers and refrigerators into one location, and unplug those that aren’t in use. Freezers and refrigerators use less energy when they are full. Conserve even more energy by adjusting the thermostats on your refrigerator and freezer to higher settings; 38°F for the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer. You can purchase a refrigerator/freezer thermometer for $5 at Lowe’s.
- Use an automatic timer for lights. If you are leaving on a light or two to help discourage burglars, consider buying a timer to save on electricity. It can save money and look more realistic that someone is coming and going at the house.
- Close the blinds/curtains. Closing blinds and curtains can help reduce heat loss through windows as well as prevent would-be troublemakers from peering inside your school or home.
- Check all unused equipment is turned off/unplugged. In a school, facility managers turn equipment off like automatic flushing systems, but at home you can also turn off things like an air compressor in your garage or unplug the electric snowblower.
Weatherize your doors and windows. Check your doors and windows for gaps. You can buy inexpensive caulking guns and weather stripping at hardware stores as a simple way to save money on your heating bill.
Download the checklist for schools from the Alliance to Save Energy here, and let me know in the comments if I missed any tips!