Central Plumbing » Go Green

Go Green

GO GREEN

Do Your Part To Conserve

Heating & Cooling:

In the winter, your heating system is probably your biggest energy user, accounting for 13 to 16 percent of your monthly bill.
For every two degrees you lower your thermostat, you can save approximately 5 percent on your heating costs. Install a programmable thermostat to help regulate the temperature throughout the day.
Check filters every 2 to 3 months and clean or replace them.
Have your entire system checked annually by a licensed contractor.
Properly insulate the attic and walls of your home.
Patch and seal leaks and insulate your duct work in spaces such as attics, basements, crawl spaces and garages.
Keep doors and windows closed when you have the heat or air conditioning on. Also, weather-strip your doors and windows.
Portable space heaters are best when you’re trying to heat one room. However, if you use more than one, it can cost more and use more energy than if you used your gas furnace to heat your entire home.
Use fans in conjunction with air conditioning to help circulate cool air.
Strategically planting trees and high bushes around your home (on the southern side which gets the most sun exposure) to help provide shade in the summer and insulation in the winter can save you hundreds of dollars each year on heating and cooling costs.

Other:

Switch to Energy Star CFL light bulbs which use up to 75% less energy than a regular light bulb and last up to 10 times longer (an average of 7 years).
Run heat-emitting appliances such as dishwashers and dryers at night so they won’t contribute to daytime heat.
When using a dishwasher, only wash full loads, use the energy-saver setting, and let dishes air dry.
Whenever possible, use cold water to wash clothes, wash full loads and hang clothes outside to dry.
Clean dryer filter after each load and have dryer vent cleaned once a year.
Unplug appliances and electronics when not in use.
Always buy Energy Star qualified appliances and equipment such as water heaters, furnaces and air conditioners – they’re up to 40 percent more efficient.

Indoors:

Install faucet aerators, low-flow showerheads, and low-flush toilets.
Fix leaky faucets, toilets and hose bibbs. You can save 20 gallons of water per day for every leak you stop.
Shorten showers – you can save 2.5 gallons per minute.
Turn off water when brushing teeth – saves 1 to 2 gallons per minute.
Wash only full loads of clothes – saves 15 to 50 gallons per load.
Installing a hot water recirculation system will save water and energy by circulating hot water through your household plumbing faster and more efficiently.

Outdoors:

Install covers on pools and spas – saves an estimated 30 gallons per day.
Water before 6 a.m. and after 8 p.m. – estimated savings of 20 to 25 gallons per day.
Adjust sprinklers to prevent overspray – saves an estimated 15 to 25 gallons per day.
Growing native plants can save more than half the water normally used to care for outdoor plants.
Water plants deeply, but infrequently. Most plants do best if the soil is allowed to dry out between watering. Homes with a large number of plants could save 750 – 1,500 gallons of water each month.
Add mulch (2″-3″) around trees and plants (1,000 sq ft) – estimated savings of 25 gallons per day.