www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday June 20, 2008 - 37 Energy efficiency: making it a family affair Energy conservation is serious business and something the whole family can take part in. Conserving energy is easy, especially if every family member does their part. To help your family members become energy conservation experts, consider implementing the following energy saving practices offered by Direct Energy into your family's routine. 1) Install a programmable thermostat to help regulate the temperature of your home. Setting the temperature a degree or two higher when no one is home during the day in the summer will contribute to energy savings. Having pre-determined temperature settings will also prevent family members from adjusting the temperature on a whim. 2) Switch from incandescent lighting to high efficiency compact fluorescent bulbs. They use at least two thirds less energy and have a significantly longer bulb life almost 10 times longer. Also, ask all family members to turn off lights whenever they leave a room and put the kids in charge of ensuring every family member is light-conscious. 3) Up to 30 per cent of the cooling in your home is lost through poorly fitted windows and doors. Caulking and weather stripping around windows and doors and upgrading to energy efficient windows will conserve energy. Also, make sure everyone in the family closes doors when entering and exiting the home to prevent before installing a permanent clothesline. the cool air from escaping. 8) Unplug vampire electronics devices including 4) Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth. There mobile phone chargers and computers that draw power is no reason to keep the water on, and turning it off can from outlets even when they're in stand-by mode. You save up to eight gallons of water. This practice is anoth- would be surprised at how much energy your computer er way to get the kids involved in conservation. uses even when it's left in "sleep" or stand-by mode. 5) Keep the kids from standing with the refrigerator -News Canada door open while choosing afterschool snacks by having them decide central vacuum what they want to eat before opening systems the fridge. 6) Install a low-flow showerhead to reduce hot water consumption. Even a 10 minute shower with a conventional showerhead can use up to 42 gallons of water. Low-flow showerheads are easy to install and use far less water. Go the extra mile and set a household shower-time limit. 7) Take advantage of the warm summer air and hang laundry out to dry. Sheets hanging on a clothes line also make great backyard mazes, which will surely be appreciated by Buy Factory Direct with Substantial Savings younger family members. Be sure to Proudly Made In Oakville For 12 Years check your local municipal bylaws Allegro systems Allegro central vacuum NO GST & PST 905.825.3995 www.allegrovacuums.com ONE WEEK ONLY 1338 SPEERS ROAD, OAKVILLE Make a splash in electricity savings Do you live in one of the 45,000 Ontario peak demand between noon and 8 p.m. The homes with an above-ground electrically heat- 45,000 above-ground pools contribute signifed or unheated pool and/or spa? Did you know icantly to this peak demand. If we can get that you can save money and benefit the envi- everyone running their pool pumps between ronment by using a timer for your pool pump? the hours of 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. it will help Every summer, Ontarians across the them save money, benefit the environment province look forward to splashing around in and the electricity system." their backyard swimming pools to have fun Pool timers should be installed only with and cool down. What many owners don't know above-ground pools that are electrically heatis that their above-ground pools use a signifi- ed or unheated. They should not be installed cant amount of energy that adds to the strain on gas heated pools due to the risk of damage on Ontario's power grid between the peak to pool equipment. For safety, the timer hours of noon and 8 p.m. The California should be plugged directly into an electricity Swimming Pool Industry Energy outlet with a Ground Fault Circuit Conservation Task Force recommends to Interrupter (GFCI) located a minimum of "reduce filter operating times to no less than three metres away from the pool. If you have four to five hours per day during the summer" a professionally-installed pool and you would and that "normal and heavier swimming use" like to set up a timer, please contact your pool of pools "may require as much as eight or installation technician. more hours filtration per day". While it's hard Information about pool timer rebates is for pool owners to remember to turn the pool available online at www.everykilopump on and off, a properly set pool timer can wattcounts.com. make it easy for pool owners to reduce their electricity consumption, save money and ben-News Canada efit the environment. Forty-one percent of above-ground pool owners say they don't use timers. However, fifty-five percent say they do use a timer, but may not be setting it to maximize energy efficiency or avoid Kitchens of Oakville peak electricity usage periods. "We're encouraging Ontario resiAn error appeared in the Wednesday, June dents with above-ground electrically 18th edition of the Oakville Beaver. The heated or unheated pools to install a Aya Kitchens ad that appeared on Page 2 pool timer," says Kathryn Quail, proincorrectly read "Free Installations." There gram manager at the Ontario Power is a charge for installations. We regret any Authority. 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