Conserving energy is important in these times of increasing fuel cost. Here are some tips that will help to reduce your electricity bill:

 Energy Conservation - Water Heater

If possible, install instantaneous shower head water heaters.  When properly used, shower head heaters use less energy to heat water than electric tank-type water heaters, OR replace central electrical water heaters with solar water heaters

Energy Conservation – Kitchen

• Take out all the refrigerated items you need at the same time.  Every time the refrigerator door opens, warm air rushes in and energy must be used to cool it. So, when you're done put them back at the same time. Open the refrigerator door less, and save more.
• An overcrowded freezer or refrigerator prevents good air circulation and more energy is used in cooling.  Regularly defrosting manual-defrost refrigerators and freezers prevent frost build up and reduces the amount of energy the motor needs to use.  
• Refrigerator or freezer can use up to 30% of the total electricity in your home.  To keep your electricity bills low, don’t use more energy than necessary.  Temperatures should be kept at 37° to 40°F for the fresh food compartment of the refrigerator and 5°F for the freezer section.
• Cover liquids and wrap foods that are to be stored in the refrigerator.  Moisture makes it more difficult to cool the compartment and also encourages frost build-up.  Clean condenser coil (located at the back of the refrigerator) at least twice a year.  Make sure that all door seals are airtight.
• Give your refrigerator room to breathe by placing it at least 4 inches away from the wall so as not to overwork the motor.
• If you use an electric cooker, turn off the heating element several minutes before the designated cooking time ends.  The element will retain heat long enough to finish the cooking.
• Use flat bottomed pots and pans when using electric stove.  They provide faster heat transfer.
• Match pots and pans to stove elements.  Avoid using a big burner for a small pan to lessen heat transfer loss.
• Boil only as much water as you need in a covered pan or a kettle. 
• Do not reheat or cook small meals in large ovens.  Use smaller electric ovens, pans or toasters.
• Don’t leave these or any small appliance switched on when they are not in use

Energy Conservation – Lighting

• Use natural light whenever possible.
• Turn off the lights in rooms that are not being used, or you could consider installing automatic turn-off means, such as timers or photo cells to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
• Switch to compact fluorescent bulbs in light fixtures which are used most often. The normal incandescent bulbs are not very energy efficient. Compact fluorescent bulbs use about 25 percent of the energy and can last 10 times as long. Also Instead of brightly lighting an entire room, focus the bright light where you want it, for example e.g. under-cabinet lighting for kitchen sinks.
• Dust off light bulbs.  Dirt, greasy, smoky light bulbs can reduce light output by as much as 10 percent.  Dust your lights regularly. (Make sure they are cool before touching them). 
• Lamp shades:  Many shades are decorative but absorb light or reflect it in the wrong direction.  You may want to consider switching to a more efficient shade or lighter colour.

Energy Conservation – Laundry

• Do not overload washing machines.  Full machine loads save energy.
• Keep the lint traps clean.  Empty after every load.
• Plan your ironing ahead of time by:
  • Start with items which need lower temperature
  • Avoid heating and re-heating your iron for too long
  • And set the correct temperature for the fabric type.

Energy Conservation – Living Room

• Televisions, radios, computers and vacuum cleaners use relatively minor amounts of electricity.  But they add up.   
  • Enable the “energy saver” or “power saver” mode on your computer.
  • A flat panel LCD monitor uses only a third the power of regular monitors
  • Switch off the appliances/equipment completely when not in use for long periods. 

ENERGY FACTS:

Television: The monthly cost of operating a colour television (19-20 inch) for 8 hours a day can range from $15 to $30.   If you switch off the power to remote television when not in use, you can save as much as $3.50 on your monthly electricity bills.

Cooling Fans:  It cost between $9.00 and $15.00 a month to operate cooling fans for 8 hours daily.

Cordless Phone:  A cordless phone will add approximately $2.00 to your monthly electricity bill.  Using a dedicated transformer to power a 110V cordless phone can add significantly to this cost depending on the size and efficiency of the transformer.

Refrigerator:  The monthly cost of operating a refrigerator/freezer can vary from $50 to $120 depending on the size, efficiency and usage.

Radio/Stereo:  Home stereo systems can contribute between $6.00 and $9.00 to your monthly bill if used for four hours daily.  You can save as much as $3.00 a month if you unplug some remote controlled stereos when they are not in use.

Lighting:  A 100 watt incandescent bulb used 8 hours a day for security lighting will contribute approximately $16.00 to your monthly electricity bill.  Using a compact fluorescent bulb that provides equivalent lighting will reduce your bill to approximately $4.00 a month for a similar operation.

Automatic Washing Machine:  It will cost $0.35 to $0.40 to wash one load using an automatic washing machine without water heating elements.  Avoid washing many small loads as this uses more energy than fewer larger loads.