Welcome to the Environment Ohio Energy Efficiency Tips page.  We hope you'll use some of the tips below to save money on your energy bills and help save the environment. 

Staying Cool

While everyone loves to stay cool during the summer, it helps to set boundaries and keep reduced energy consumption in mind.  Here are some tips to help get the most out of your air conditioning while keeping your energy bills low.  

• Set the thermostat as high as possible while staying comfortable.  For every degree you raise the thermostat setting on your air conditioner, your energy use will be reduced by 3 to 5 percent.  The recommended energy efficient summer temperature is 78 degrees Fahrenheit.
• If you're going to leave your home or apartment for several days, turn the thermostat up and keep the unnecessary cooling to a minimum. 
• To cool your house efficiently, your air conditioner needs to be cool itself.  Keep it in the shade. 
• Air conditioner coils won't work efficiently unless they're clean, so check them each spring.  If they are dusty, dirty, or clogged, you can vacuum them or blow the dirt away with your household vacuum cleaner. 
• Check your air conditioner filter each spring and every 2 months thereafter.  A clogged filter will use up to five percent more energy than a clean one.
• Using fans won't just get you a breeze; they'll also help you get the most out of your air conditioning.  A ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat setting about 4 degrees without any reduction in comfort.
• During the hottest parts of the day, avoid activities that would add heat or humidity to your home -- such as running your dryer, dishwasher, or cooking.  Save those activities for the cooler nights.     

Lighting

Lighting accounts for approximately 11% of all household energy use.  With a few easy steps, you can take a big bite out of that number -- and take a chunk out of your energy bills.  

• Switching from incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) is the single best thing you can do to reduce lighting energy use in your home.  Check out the Environment Ohio CFL Headquarters for more details.
• Use task lighting for under-counter kitchen lights and bathroom mirror lights.  Task lights help reduce the need for ambient lighting of large spaces. 
• Turn off lights when you leave a room.  Standard incandescent bulbs should be turned off whenever unnecessary, while CFLs should be turned off whenever you'll be away for 15 minutes or more. 
• Rely on natural lighting from windows and skylights as much as possible -- especially energy efficient windows that won't allow cool air to escape in the summers and place further stress on your air conditioner. 
• Paint your walls a light color; this will minimize the need for artificial lighting in the room. 
• Use white shades on your lamps; this color will help the room appear whiter.   

In The Kitchen

Most of us don't think about opportunities to be more energy efficient when working in the kitchen.  But important opportunities exist to save energy and put money back into your wallet. 

• Toasters, microwave ovens, and counter-top grills use less energy and create less heat than a full-sized oven.  Use these appliances when you need to prepare small portions of food. 
• You can reduce your oven's baking temperature by 25 degrees if you use glass cookware -- putting less stress on your air conditioner to get your kitchen cool again.  
• Use your dishwasher only when you have a full load; this will reduce the amount of hot water used. 
• Don't pack your fridge or freezer too tight: if cold air can't circulate and adequately reach food, you refrigerator or freezer will operate inefficiently.  That runs up your electric bill to keep food cool.  

Phantom Loads

Even when turned off, your electronic appliances are actually running up your energy bill -- creating a phantom load of energy use.  And one study of 10 homes in California found that consumption of standby or “vampire” power accounted for between 5 and 26 percent of the homes’ annual electricity use.

Here are some steps you can take to reduce that load:

• For appliances that are inconvenient to switch off frequently, use power strips and flip the switch on the power strip to "off" to prevent devices from receiving power. 
• Unplug CD/DVD players, televisions, microwaves, computers, printers, and similar devices prior to trips out of town or long vacations. 
• Remove unneeded nightlights.