Comments on: Time for a Energy Diet http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html Bridging the gap between saving money and investing Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:23:56 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Broke in America http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-506994 Broke in America Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:01:25 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-506994 I keep my programmable thermostat at 72 Fahrenheit when the humans are gone, 74 when the humans are awake, and 72 overnight. However, it is hard to leave one’s bed so early in the morning, so I raise the temperature to 76 shortly before the alarms start waking everybody up. This has helped me cut down on heating costs. I keep my programmable thermostat at 72 Fahrenheit when the humans are gone, 74 when the humans are awake, and 72 overnight. However, it is hard to leave one’s bed so early in the morning, so I raise the temperature to 76 shortly before the alarms start waking everybody up. This has helped me cut down on heating costs.

]]> By: ThiNg http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-462317 ThiNg Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:33:36 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-462317 Just a quick add-on. You have to be careful about directly cutting the power to certain items. If you own a projection TV, like my 52 inch Sony Grand Vega, when you turn off the power from the remote, the fan stays on for a couple of minutes to cool the lamps. Cutting the power directly could cause your lamp to prematurely burn out - an expensive boo boo to say the least. Most items that need to be left on will be pretty obvious - they will continue to whir and make noises or beeps when turned off. Then a couple of seconds or minutes later they will go quiet. Then you can kill the power at the outlet! Just a quick add-on. You have to be careful about directly cutting the power to certain items. If you own a projection TV, like my 52 inch Sony Grand Vega, when you turn off the power from the remote, the fan stays on for a couple of minutes to cool the lamps. Cutting the power directly could cause your lamp to prematurely burn out – an expensive boo boo to say the least.

Most items that need to be left on will be pretty obvious – they will continue to whir and make noises or beeps when turned off. Then a couple of seconds or minutes later they will go quiet. Then you can kill the power at the outlet!

]]> By: Benjamin http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-459660 Benjamin Thu, 23 Oct 2008 02:51:12 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-459660 Great Article! Kill A Watts are great, my buddy and I recently did an "audit" of his house and realized that a stereo that he had plugged into an outlet in his basement (that he realized) was costing him over $3 a month in passive energy use! Also, that is a great suggestion about the wasteful use of holiday lighting decorations! Great Article!

Kill A Watts are great, my buddy and I recently did an “audit” of his house and realized that a stereo that he had plugged into an outlet in his basement (that he realized) was costing him over $3 a month in passive energy use!

Also, that is a great suggestion about the wasteful use of holiday lighting decorations!

]]> By: April http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-459632 April Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:02:49 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-459632 Some old systems with steam radiators don't have a thermostat. I once lived in such a place. I had on and off. I finally figured out that was why a bunch of places in the neighborhood had windows open in winter. We turned the steam on, then opened various windows to get the right balance. Some old systems with steam radiators don’t have a thermostat. I once lived in such a place. I had on and off. I finally figured out that was why a bunch of places in the neighborhood had windows open in winter. We turned the steam on, then opened various windows to get the right balance.

]]> By: Joan http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-459528 Joan Wed, 22 Oct 2008 18:14:35 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-459528 "If you’re lucky enough to have a furnace with a thermostat...." Who in this day has a furnace without a thermostat? “If you’re lucky enough to have a furnace with a thermostat….” Who in this day has a furnace without a thermostat?

]]> By: kerry http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-459499 kerry Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:34:40 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-459499 @ Julie: that's an interesting idea, but are you using a tankless heater? I'm not sure my time management skills are up to the task of remembering the water heater before a shower (a mistake you'd only want to make once :) ) @ Julie: that’s an interesting idea, but are you using a tankless heater? I’m not sure my time management skills are up to the task of remembering the water heater before a shower (a mistake you’d only want to make once :) )

]]> By: Julie http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2008/10/22/103134_energy-diet.html/comment-page-1#comment-459484 Julie Wed, 22 Oct 2008 15:12:23 +0000 http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/?p=3134#comment-459484 I only turn on my hot water heater when I am going to take a shower or use the dishwasher. I have saved a fortune over the past 31 years that I have been doing this. I only turn on my hot water heater when I am going to take a shower or use the dishwasher. I have saved a fortune over the past 31 years that I have been doing this.

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