July 2006

Tip Sheet

In your garden and around your home…

• Low-voltage outdoor lighting and solar-powered garden or walkway lights are smart ways to illuminate your garden path or walkway. They are also energy-efficient, inexpensive to operate, simple to install and safe.
• 8 more tips

For indoor comfort…

• If your basement is dry, use the furnace fan to circulate cool basement air throughout your home. Maintain your furnace air filter at peak efficiency to reduce indoor pollen levels.
• 8 more tips

When in the kitchen…

• Select right-sized pots and pans with tight-fitting lids and cook at lower temperatures to reduce energy use. A six-inch pan on an eight-inch element, for example, wastes 40% of the element's heat output.
• 14 more tips

On laundry day…

• Washing a few small items in a large washing machine wastes energy and water; wait for a full load. Use the cold water cycle whenever possible.
• 2 more tips

If you must use air conditioning…

• Inspect and maintain your cooling system. Simple measures such as cleaning and replacing clogged air filters can reduce cooling costs up to 10 percent. An annual service call to check the overall condition of your unit and its refrigerant charge will extend the life of your expensive cooling equipment and boost efficiency.
• 5 more tips
  

• Give your car a full tune-up, including changing your oil and filter. Oil breaks down under use and won't lubricate, cool, or protect as well. A poorly tuned engine increases fuel consumption. And a well-tuned engine minimizes engine wear.

• Idling consumes fuel. Ten seconds of idling can use up more fuel than restarting the engine. Turn off the ignition if you are waiting for someone.

• 6 more tips

For more information on Tipsheet articles or for an interview with subject matter experts, media can call (613) 992-4447, or e-mail media@nrcan.gc.ca.