Energy Conservation Tips

Myth 1:

It’s more efficient to leave a room at a constant temperature than turning the heat down overnight (or when you’re not home)

Fact 1:

It takes less energy to warm up a cold room in the morning than it does to maintain a constant temperature throughout the night. If you have baseboard heaters, know that they supply heat to each room individually. If you have thermostats in separate rooms, you can use the concept of "zones" to heat certain areas of your home more than others, which saves up to 20% in heating usage compared to heating both occupied and unoccupied areas. Be sure not to vary the temperature between rooms by more than 2C.

Look through your house at the beginning and end of the day to make certain your heat use matches your room use. Close doors to rarely occupied rooms and areas.

Myth 3:

Changing my energy use will not result in worthwhile savings.

Fact 3:

You can save hundreds of dollars each year by turning off lights, TVs and computers when they’re not in use, lowering thermostat settings when away and washing clothes in cold water. Take a look at Efficiency Nova Scotia's energy calculator to spot energy saving opportunities.

Myth 5:

Leaving a ceiling fan on will cool the room even when you’re not there.

Fact 5:

Fans work by cooling the skin, not the air in a room. Fans move the air which helps to evaporate moisture on the surface of the skin, making you feel cooler. Since fans don’t actually change the air temperature there is no need to have them running if you aren’t in the room.

Myth 7:

It’s better to leave your computer running all the time because turning it on uses so much energy.

Fact 7:

You always save energy when you turn your computer off when it’s not in use. Enable the sleep function to conserve energy during brief periods of inactivity.

Myth 9:

When my TV, DVD player, stereo and computer are turned off, they are not using any electricity.

Fact 9:

These electronic devices use standby power even when turned off. Over a year, this could cost you more than $100. Use a power bar to turn them off completely when they’re not in use.