Energy-Money-Saving and Safety Tips

Heating and Cooling Tips

Thermostats should be set as low as possible in the heating season and as high as possible in the cooling season and still remain comfortable. On average, one degree saves you about 3% on your energy bill.
Thermostats should be set back at night and when your home is empty. Programmable thermostats are available and should be used.
Furnace filters should be changed once a month. Dirty filters cause your equipment to work harder and could cause expensive repair bills. A clean filter also allows equipment to run as efficiently as possible.
Kitchen and bath fans remove warm or cooled air. Use these fans as needed; do not run all of the time.
Keep air registers free of furniture, drapes and carpet.
In the winter, keep shades and blinds open during the day as the sunshine will help warm the room and opposite in the summer.
If you have rooms in your home that are rarely used, close air registers or zones for that area of the house to minimize heat loss.
Ceiling fans can be used to move cool air in summertime.
When replacing a heating and cooling system, shop around for the most energy efficient units available. Compare energy efficiency ratios between units.

Plumbing Tips

In case of an emergency; make sure everyone in the home knows where the main water shut off is located and how to shut it off.
If you suspect a toilet is leaking; simply remove the tank cover and add a few drops of food coloring. Give it about 30 minutes and check back to see if any of the color is in the bowl. If you have color in the bowl, the toilet is leaking and the flapper should be replaced.
Once in a while when no water is running in your house, you should look at your water meter to check for leaks. If no dials are moving you are leak free, but if the dials are spinning you may have a leak and are wasting water. The toilet is the first place to look.
Water heaters should be drained a couple of times a year, from the drain valve on the bottom of the heater, to prevent sediment build up and to extend the life of the heater.
Stop valves are the shut off valves near each toilet and faucet. Familiarize yourself with their location so that if a water emergency arises, you can get the water turned off before too much damage occurs. These valves should be turned on and off at least once a year to prevent them from seizing up.
Laundry valves should be in the closed position when not in use. This will eliminate major water damage if a hose breaks.
Hoses should be removed from outdoor or frost-free faucets in the fall of the year to prevent the faucet from freezing and breaking in the wall.
When using your garbage disposal, turn the water on before you start throwing food in. Allow the water to run 20 to 30 seconds after you shut off the disposal so that the food is pushed out of the drain.
Install low pressure shower heads to cut down on water usage. Water saving shower heads have a flow rate of 2.5 gallons/minute, compared to 8-10 gallons per minute for older heads. This will save 60 to 75 gallons in a 10 minute shower, not to mention the cost of energy to heat that water.
You can avoid those rainy day basement floods by checking your sump pump to make sure it is working. Simply dump a 5 gallon bucket of water or so into the pit to trigger the pump to see if the pump removes the water. Make sure pit is free from trash and debris.
Frozen pipes can be a real problem in the winter. Make sure to leave the cabinet doors open on fixtures that have a tendency to freeze on cold nights. You can also let the water drip during these times, because moving water will not freeze.
Running very hot water down the drain can help drain odors. About once a week, pour a handful of baking soda and hot water down the drain or pour 1 cup of vinegar. Let it stand for about an hour and then run hot water again. Keeping all the grease out of the drains will help with odors.
To properly maintain your garbage disposal, use cold water at all times when disposal is operating. Never pour drain cleaners into the disposal. You can clean the disposal by grinding ice cubes and lemon peels to freshen.

Dangers of Carbon Monoxide

Carbon Monoxide Can Kill
You can't see or smell carbon monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous. However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly, dangerous levels of CO can result.

CO Poisoning Symptoms
At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become dizzy, mentally confused, nauseated or faint. You can even die if these levels persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild nausea and mild headaches, and may have longer-term effects on your health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food poisoning or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could be the cause. Carbon Monoxide (CO) Levels of Concern Health effects are related to the level of CO concentrations and length of exposure. New studies indicate that chronic, low level exposure can have serious health consequences.

CO Levels	Effects
12,800 PPM	Death within 1 to 3 minutes*
1,600 PPM	Nausea within 20 minutes, death within 1 hour*
800 PPM	Nausea and convulsions, death within 2 hours*
400 PPM	Frontal headaches 1 to 2 hours, life threatening after 3 hours*
50 PPM	Maximum concentration for continuous exposure in any 8 hour period
9 PPM	Acceptable level of CO in a living space
0 PPM	Desirable level

*Varies based on age, sex, weight & overall health

If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO poisoning:

DO GET FRESH AIR IMMEDIATELY. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion appliances and leave the house.

DO GO TO AN EMERGENCY ROOM and tell the physician you suspect CO poisoning. If CO poisoning has occurred, if can often be diagnosed by a blood test done soon after exposure.

DO be prepared to answer the following questions for the doctor:

Do your symptoms occur only in the house?
Is anyone else in your household complaining of similar symptoms?
Are you using any fuel burning appliances in the home?
Has anyone inspected your appliances lately? Are you certain they are working properly?

Prevention is the Key to Avoiding Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

DO have your fuel-burning appliances inspected by a trained professional at the beginning of every heating season.

DO choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers' instructions.

DO read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any fuel-burning device.

DON'T idle the car in the garage.

DON'T use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

DON'T sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.

DON'T use any gasoline-powered engines in enclosed spaces.

DON'T ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them.

A Few Words About CO Detectors

Carbon Monoxide Detectors are widely available in stores and you may want to consider buying one as a back-up - BUT NOT AS A REPLACEMENT for proper use and maintenance of your fuel-burning appliances.

So What's a Consumer To Do?

Don't let buying a CO detector lull you into a false sense of security.
If the CO detector alarm goes off, make sure it is your CO detector and not your smoke detector.
Check to see if any member of the household is experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning.
If they are, get them out of the house immediately and seek medical attention. Tell the doctor that you suspect CO poisoning.