Save Money and Time: Easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy today

• Set your thermostat comfortably low this winter.
• Install a programmable thermostat and use it to lower the temperature by five to ten degrees over night while you sleep and during the day while you are at work.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs.
• Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher's drying cycle.
• Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
• Plug electronics like TVs and DVD players into power strips. Turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
• Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120° F.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
• Look for ENERGY STAR® appliances and products. ENERGY STAR® products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.

 

Find Out Where Your Energy Dollars Are Going. Do your Own Energy Audit or Contact Your Electric and Gas Companies for a Free Audit.

	Heat loss from a House A picture is worth...in this case, lost heating dollars. The white, yellow, and red colors in the thermal photo on the left shows heat leaking from a house during those expensive winter heating months. The red areas show the greatest heat loss.

The first step to stay warm and save energy is to find out which parts of your house use the most energy. An energy audit will pinpoint those areas and the best ways to cut your energy costs. You can conduct a simple energy audit yourself or contact your local utility. For more information about home energy audits, including free tools and calculators, visit the US Department of Energy Consumer's Guide or Improve your home's energy efficiency with Energy Star. To ask for a free energy audit go to: NationalGrid - Electric or NationalGrid - Natural Gas

Energy Auditing Tips

• Check insulation levels in your attic, outside and basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl spaces. Visit the Consumer's Guide for how to check your insulation.
• Check for holes or cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
• Check for open fireplace dampers.
• Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained. Check your owner's manuals for the recommended maintenance.
• Study your family's lighting needs and use patterns, paying special attention to high-use areas such as the living room, kitchen, and outside lighting. Use lighting controls—like occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers—to reduce lighting energy use, and replace standard (incandescent) light bulbs and fixtures with compact or standard fluorescent lamps.

 

Make Your Plan

After you learn where your home is losing energy, decide what to do first by asking yourself:

• How much money do you spend on energy?
• Where are your greatest energy losses?
• How long will it take you to get back the money you spend on energy efficiency through savings on your energy bills?
• Will the energy saving measures give you other benefits such as greater comfort from sealing drafts and installing insulation?
• How long will you stay in your current home?
• Can you do the job yourself or will you need to hire a contractor?
• What is your budget and how much time do you have to spend on maintenance and repair?

Once you rank your energy needs, make a plan to buy and install the equipment and improvements that save you the most energy money.

Or get professional advice. Contact National Grid or Pascoag Utility District for a free energy audits, equipment rebates and improvement loans:

National Grid - Rhode Island Electric - Energy Efficiency
National Grid - Rhode Island Natural Gas - Energy Efficiency
Pascoag Utility District - Home Energy Audits

An auditor will use equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras, and thermometers to find leaks and drafts, analyze how your energy systems work, compare the analysis to your utility bills and recommend cost-effective energy improvements.

Be sure to ask for blower door testing and infrared heat loss analysis to get the clearest picture of your needs. Ask the auditor to compare the savings for high-efficiency equipment with the savings for standard equipment.

Don't Stop Now! Follow Up and Cash In!

Now that you know which measures will bring you the most savings put that knowledge to work! Seal the biggest leaks. Insulate the draftiest areas. Contact your heating contractor to check and maintain your system and do any necessary repairs.

Or contact National Grid or Pascoag Utility District to sign up for their efficiency contractors, energy equipment rebates and improvement loans:

National Grid - Rhode Island Electric - Energy Efficiency
National Grid - Rhode Island Natural Gas - Energy Efficiency
Pascoag Utility District - Home Energy Audits

You'll be glad that you did.

 

Save More With These Resources

Visit Our Energy Expo Booth at the
• 2008 Rhode Island Energy Solutions Expo
  November 16, 2008
  University of Rhode Island Ryan Center
  Energy Expo

Save Money on Heating

Heating is the biggest energy expense in most homes, accounting for 35 to 50% of yearly energy costs in the country. Use the Resources on this page to learn more and save.

• Contact your gas or electric company for Energy Star rebates on heating systems, controls, and hot water heaters
• Installing an Energy Star heating system is one of the best ways to reduce heating bills and air pollution. Energy Star boilers use about 10% less energy than a standard boiler.
• Using a programmable thermostat is another easy way to save energy, money and help fight global warming. An ENERGY STAR programmable thermostat can save you about $180 a year by controlling the temperature in your home when you are away or asleep.
• National Grid offers rebates on heating systems and controls, hot water heaters and more. Call 1-866-262-0378 or go to Think Smart Think Green
  For FREE Energy Wise audits, rebates on Energy Star appliances, loans for installing efficiency measures go to
  • National Grid - Rhode Island Electric - Energy Efficiency
  • National Grid - Rhode Island Natural Gas - Energy Efficiency
• Pascoag Utility District offers Energy Star rebates on home appliances, CFL lighting, windows and doors, heating systems/burner replacements, thermostats, electric heat conversion, geothermal systems and air conditioning. Go to
  • Pascoag Utility District
• For more information go to
  • American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy - Consumer Guide: Heating Systems

Helpful Tools & Resources

Guide to Energy Efficienc Heating & Cooling

• English(708KB)
• Spanish(2.5MB)
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  Heat Smartly with ENERGY STAR @ home
• 
  Using the Home Energy Yardstick to measure your home's performance