Hydro Conservation Tips



1 * Remember when mom said, “Don’t leave the house without clean underwear?” well, she was right. Did you know you can increase furnace efficiency by changing your furnace filter once a month, every month. That’ll save some coin, a little energy and make mom proud.

22 * Tape it! That’s right, Tape It! Your ducts that is. Not the flapping and quacking kind, those are ducks. Anyway, your ducts leak and need to be secured with special tape to seal them up. This simple act will save you money and ensure you get the hot and cold air going where you want it. And you’ll be more comfortable. There now, that’s better.

33 * The average hot water tank holds about 205 litres of water, enough for about two and a half 75 litre baths. That’s right, the average bath is 75 litres! Heating and storing of hot water accounts for almost 25% of household energy costs. Want to save money? Take a shower so you won’t have to take a bath on your energy bill.

44 * Hey, keep your cool. In your fridge that is. If the old fridge isn’t performing as well as it should then maybe it’s time to trade it in. If the milk is frozen and the fish sticks aren’t then you need to check your settings. Oh and by the way, the light really does go out.

55 * And while we’re on the topic of fridges. That old beer fridge in the basement or garage might keep the pop and beer cold but man is it adding to your energy waistline. If your fridge was fashionable around the time of the first moon landing it’s time to relegate it to memory, besides it’s costing you about four times as much to operate as a new Energy Star model.

66 * Ever notice how shiny white a polar bear is? That’s because they wash in cold water. No really it’s true. A cold water or warm water wash will save you time and money. 85-90% of energy used to wash a load is used to heat the water. Hey, a little cold water wash will do the body good. Now eat your fish.

77 * It really is a small world after all. Small appliances use less energy to achieve the same goal. Cup of tea? Use the kettle. Toast? Use the toaster oven? Bowl of soup? The microwave is perfect for this. Side of beef? OK, for that you require a large outdoor spit and an entire afternoon. Say is anyone else hungry?

88 * You know something? You’re full of it. Or at lest you should be. Only run the dish washer and washing machine when you have a full load. Oh yeah, and use the energy-saving cycles. Got it!


99 * Before cable and satellite people used to pull TV right out of the air. Granddad would hook a wire from his TV to Grandma’s 1960’s umbrella style clothesline in the back yard. Worked like a charm until it was hit by lightning. Use clotheslines responsibly and use them often, for drying laundry.

1010 * Ever notice how in the winter they give air temperature then wind chill temperature? I know, I know it’s a dry cold. Anyway, wind chill is simply a fancy shmansy way to say your ceiling fan will cool a room and do so without the costly need for air conditioning.

1111 * We’ve become conditioned to be cool. Air conditioned that is. Some days are just too hot and air conditioning sure does help. But when everyone is cranking up the cool factor the power generator is cranking up the watt reactor. Raise your thermostat by a couple of degrees, you’ll still cool down and magically your wallet will get heavier.

1212 * Being kept in the dark is a good thing. For the environment. Even the fridge turns out the light when you leave, so how hard can it be. If a light isn’t on it isn’t using power. That makes sense. And compact fluorescent lights are the right choice for those who are serious about conserving energy because they use 75% less than regular bulbs.

1313 * In the olden days if you wanted less light, "to set the mood", you waited till the sun went down or you blew out your candle or doused the torch.  No need for such drama today. No sir, not when you can flip the dimmer switch, turn down the light level and set the mood, for savings that is.

1414 * Stripping your way to success, a how to guide for healthy home conservation. And you thought we were talking about something else. A properly sealed, caulked and insulated home can save you up to 30% on heating and cooling bills.

1515 * Hug a tree. No really, go out and hug a tree. Trees are more than just good looking they actually do stuff. Like, for example they provide you with lots of exercise in the fall when you have to rake the leaves. They bark at strangers. Oh yeah, and they keep your home cool in summer by providing lots of shade and if you have two of them you could string up a hammock. How much fun is it that?

1616 * Who Ya Gonna Call? GHOST BUSTERS! You gotta love those old Ghost Buster movies with those awesome special effects. But that’s not what we meant. Use power bars to plug all your electronic stuff into and when you turn off the bar you switch off the flow to everything. Poof! No more ghost power.

17 * Tuck in the pool and limit your pumping. Put the pool pump on a timer and kiss the pool goodnight before you cover it up with a lovely solar afghan from grandmother. This will keep the heat in so you won’t need to run the heater either.

18 * Free power! This is no typo. Free power, solar power that is. Solar powered patio lights are like a gift from the heavens. Wait a minute solar power is a gift from the heavens. Remember the saying, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth”. Replace your old patio lights with solar.