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Consumer Alert:
Don't throw money out the window!
Save Energy and Money at Home and the Office
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Reduce lighting where possible. Turn off lights in unoccupied areas, remove excess lighting, and turn off signage and other lights not necessary for security and safety.
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Install occupancy sensors. These inexpensive devices can reduce lighting costs by up to 40 percent by turning off lights in unoccupied areas.
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Replace incandescent bulbs with compact flourescents, which can last up to nine times longer. In addition, upgrade your flourescent lighting fixtures to high efficiency equipment.
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Turn off or set office equipment to power down when not in use. Turning off one computer and monitor nightly and on weekends can save up to $80 a year. And setting PCs, monitors and copiers to use sleep mode when not in use can help cut energy costs by up to 50 percent.
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Lower the thermostat on your water heater. 120° F is sufficient for many common uses. A 10° F reduction can save up to 5 percent on water heating costs.
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Pay attention to your thermostat settings. Air conditioning thermostats should be set no lower than 78° F; each degree you raise your temperature setting can save on air conditioning costs. To achieve similar savings when heating, 68° F is the recommended temperature.
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Install programmable thermostats or timers to give you better control when the heat or air conditioning is on. Programmable thermostats also will help you control the temperature you want to maintain.
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On hot days, close the door and draw the curtains and/or shades to keep the sun out. During the heating season, take these same steps at night and during unoccupied periods to help your building retain heat.
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Weatherize your home or building by installing 3M™ Window Film Products.
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Perform regular maintenance to keep your heating and air conditioning systems running more efficiently. |
Virginia