Energy Tips
- Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, health permitting. Programmable thermostats can help you set a schedule for your operating system to run efficiently and will save you money to.
- Clean or replace dirty filters monthly during heavy-use months.
- Shut the unit off when you are on vacation. If you have plants or pets, set the thermostat to 82 degrees and the fan setting on auto.
- Leave plenty of room for free airflow on all sides of the air conditioner unit, at least four feet at the top. It should be kept free of debris and shrubbery and placed on the north or east side of the house, out of direct sunlight.
- Buy a high efficiency air conditioner. Central air conditioners are rated by Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER). New air conditioners are required by federal law to have a SEER of 12 or higher. Even though it will cost more, it is worth it to buy at least a SEER 14 unit because over time that initial investment will be paid back with energy savings.
- Shade sun-exposed windows and building walls. Sunlight streaming through windows in the summer can substantially increase your air conditioning costs. During the cooling season, use window coverings, awnings or blinds wherever possible to reduce heat absorption by up to 80%.
- Dehumidifiers can run $20-$40 per month to operate; based on 200-400 kWh per month. If the problem in your basement is a musty smell, try using a box fan instead of a dehumidifier. A fan will cost less than $4 per month to run.
- Join Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative’s Air Conditioning Cycled Air Program. By taking advantage of temporary interruptions in power during peak energy use, you’ll enjoy savings.
- Another great energy saving option is to consider purchasing an Air Source Heat Pump
- Check out our rebates for quality installation on new high SEER air conditioners.
- Set your thermostat to 68 degrees, health permitting. Lower the thermostat to 55 degrees at night or when you are not home. Reasonably priced setback thermostats are available to achieve these temperature changes automatically.
- Clean your filter or replace a disposable filter once a month during winter months.
- When the fireplace is not in use, close the damper.
- Electric fireplaces are available through MLEC and provide a clean safe alternative to wood burning or gas fireplaces.
- During the winter, heat rises toward the ceiling and cool air settles on the floor. During winter months make sure your ceiling fan is rotated so that it produces an upward airflow. Depending on the room size and shape, there could be a 15 degree Fahrenheit difference between the floor and the ceiling.
- Check out our Warm Floor Heating Systems.
- Repair leaking faucets promptly; a leaking faucet wastes gallons of water in a short period of time.
- Insulate your electric hot-water storage tank and pipes, but be careful not to cover the thermostat.
- Install non-aerating low-flow faucets and showerheads.
- Heat your water with an electric water heater and save money every month by participating in MLEC’s Off-peak storage water heating program.
- Lower the thermostat on your water heater; water heaters sometimes come from the factory with high temperature settings. A setting of 115 degree Fahrenheit provides comfortable hot water for most uses.
- Drain a quart of water from your water tank every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. The type of water tank you have determines the steps to take. Follow the manufacturer's advice.
- Take more showers than baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. You use 15 - 25 gallons of hot water for a bath, but less than 10 gallons during a five minute shower.
Tips on Purchasing Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Earning the ENERGY STAR®
ENERGY STAR® qualified CFLs use 66% less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and last up to 10 times longer. Replacing a 100-watt incandescent with a 25-watt CFL can save you at least $30 in energy costs over the life of the bulb.
ENERGY STAR® qualified CFLs operate at less than 100°F, they are also safer than typical halogen bulbs, which are frequently used in floor lamps or torchieres and burn at 1,000°F. Due to their high heat output, halogens can cause burns and fires. CFLs are just warm to the touch.
Remember, saving energy prevents pollution
ENERGY STAR® qualified CFLs provide the same amount of light (lumens) as
standard incandescent bulbs, but have lower wattage ratings. This means they
use less energy and cause less pollution. If you are unfamiliar with the best
CFL wattage to use for your lighting needs, always refer to the lumen, or light
output on the product packaging as your guide. For example, most 60-watt incandescent
provide around 800 lumens, so look for ENERGY STAR® qualified CFL’s
that provide 800 lumens or more.
Use the table below to become familiar with the lumen or light output range for the most popular residential incandescent bulbs.
A-shaped Incandescent Bulb (Watts) |
Typical Lumens (Measure of Light Output) |
40 |
> 450 |
60 |
> 800 |
75 |
> 1,100 |
100 |
> 1,600 |
150 |
> 2,600 |
Other tips:
- Look for packages with the Energy Star® label. This is your assurance of a high quality product.
- CFL bulbs are best used in hard to reach areas (stairwells, high ceilings), where the bulb is on for at least 3 hours per day, or porch lights that stay on all night.
- CFL bulbs use the same screw base as regular incandescent bulbs.
- When using outdoors, be sure bulb is protected from rain and snow. CFL’s are slower to come on when the temperatures get below 0 °.
- Unless specified, do not use CFL bulbs with dimmer switches. There are CFL’s specifically made for dimmer switches.
- Using CFL bulbs on motion sensors is not recommended as extremely frequent on-off cycles (more than 25 per day) will shorten life.
- Do turn off CFL bulbs when leaving a room. No extra energy is needed to turn it on again. Only very frequent on-off cycles (more than 25 per day) shorten life.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They provide the same amount of light for less than a third of the energy used. Check with us for savings on these bulbs and recycling these bulbs.
- While baking, do not open the oven. Every time the oven is opened, the temperature will drop 25 degrees Fahrenheit.
Mille Lacs Energy
Cooperative
Phone: 218.927.2191 or 1.800.450.2191
Fax: 218.927.6822
mlec@mlecmn.net