• 866-376-2463
  • Contact
  • Search
Efficiency Maine Logo Search
Menu
  • At Home
    • Solutions
      • Appliances
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Heating and Cooling
      • Insulation
      • Lighting
      • Renewables
      • Water Heating
    • Incentives
      • Biomass Boilers and Furnaces
      • Circulator Pumps
      • Clothes Washers
      • DIY Winter Prep Rebate
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Geothermal Systems
      • Heat Pumps
      • Heat Pump Water Heaters
      • Insulation
      • Income-Eligible Options
      • Natural Gas
      • Room Air Purifiers
    • Getting Started
      • EV Rebate Participating Dealers
      • Find a Vendor
      • Home Energy Loans
      • Income-Based Eligibility Verification
      • Residential Forms and Brochures
      • Vendor Support
    • Tools and Tips
      • Best Heat Pump Water Heater Deals
      • Calculate Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
      • Compare Home Heating Costs
      • Compare Water Heating Costs
      • Electric Vehicle Resources
      • Electricity Monitor Loaners
      • Electricity Rate Options
      • Energy Saving Tips
      • EV Charging Station Locator
      • Lighting Savings Calculator
      • Residential Virtual Tour
      • Vehicle Cost Calculator
  • At Work
    • Solutions
      • Agricultural
      • Commercial Kitchen
      • Compressed Air
      • Cooling
      • Distributed Generation
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Heating
      • Heating and Cooling
      • Heat Pumps
      • Lighting
      • Multifamily Weatherization
      • Refrigeration
      • Water Heating
    • Incentives
      • Agricultural
      • Circulator Pumps
      • Compressed Air
      • Electric Vehicles
      • Heat Pumps
      • Heat Pump Water Heaters
      • Lighting
      • Refrigeration
      • Variable-Frequency Drive Systems
      • Variable-Refrigerant Flow Systems
    • Getting Started
      • Commercial and Industrial Prescriptive Incentives
      • Commercial and Industrial Custom
      • Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE)
      • Find a Qualified Partner
      • Natural Gas Customers
      • Small Business Energy Loans
      • Virtual Customer Consultations
    • Sectors
      • Education
      • Grocery and Convenience
      • Healthcare
      • Hospitality
      • Manufacturing
      • Multifamily
      • Office
      • Public Sector
      • Restaurant
      • Small Business
      • Warehouse
  • Energy Information
    • Collective Purchase
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Building Energy Codes
    • Case Studies
    • Events
    • Professional Training
    • Residential Forms and Brochures
    • Resources for Homeowners
    • Resources for Realtors
    • Resources for Renters
  • About
    • News
    • Board
    • Library
    • Opportunities
    • Federal Funding
    • Staff
    • Careers
    • Contact
    • Subscribe

Blog

Jul 12, 2018

Declare Your Energy Independence

Declare Your Energy Independence

Fireworks, cookouts, parades and… energy efficient technology. Declare your energy independence. There are many simple ways to become more energy efficient, saving both energy and money.

 

Reduce Heat

Reducing the heat in your house can help you stay cool in the summer. Reduce heat gain by keeping windows and blinds closed during the day to keep cooler air inside. Open windows in the evening and early in the morning to allow cooler air in. At night, consider using fans to draw in cooler night air. Open windows on opposite sides of the house for cross-ventilation. Wait to do dish washing, baking, or doing laundry, until the cooler evening hours.

 

Buy ENERGY STAR

If you are still not comfortable and you are going to buy a room air conditioner, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® room air conditioners exceed minimum federal standards for energy consumption by at least 10%. Room air conditioners work best when kept out of direct sunlight. Install them near shady trees or on the north side of the house whenever possible. Seal gaps along the sides of your air conditioner to keep warm, outside air out.

 

Purchase LED Light Bulbs

Use Light Emitting Diods (LEDs) if it is time to replace a lightbulb. These high-efficiency bulbs can provide the same amount and quality of light as incandescent bulbs. LEDs are over 70% more efficient than incandescent light bulbs.

 

Hang Your Clothes Out to Dry

Use the low- temperature settings on the washing machine and load the washing machine to capacity. Washing one large load uses less energy than washing two smaller loads. When drying, dry full loads whenever possible, but be careful not to overfill the dryer. Or, you can also hang your clothes out to dry. Cleaning the dryer filter after each use can also reduce dryer energy use.

 

Use Smart Strips

Many appliances continue to draw power when they are switched off. These “phantom” loads occur in most appliances that use electricity. Smart strips can eliminate the phantom load draw of household electronics.


  • Categories
    • Electricity Monitors
    • CIPI Sector Refrigeration
    • CIPI Sector Lighting
    • CIPI Sector HVAC 1
    • CIPI Insulation
    • Blog
      • Success Story
      • Residential
      • Program Highlight
      • Organizational Highlight
      • Energy Tips
      • Commercial

  • Learn More

    • At Home
    • At Work
    • Resources

    Efficiency Maine

    • About
    • Contact
    • Sitemap
    • Privacy Policy

    Contact

    866-376-2463

    INFO@EFFICIENCYMAINE.COM

    Follow Efficiency Maine Via Email

    Click to follow and receive notifications of new offers by email.

    Follow

    © COPYRIGHT 2023 EFFICIENCY MAINE