Housing: Take Charge Program: Ways to Conserve at Home

The Pennsylvania State University: Auxiliary & Business Services: Housing: Take Charge Program: Ways to Conserve at Home

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Ways to Conserve:
At Penn State
At Home

Things to Do Every Day Things to Do Before Leaving for Break

Ways to Conserve

At Home

Encourage your parents to conserve energy like you do at Penn State—and share some of these energy-saving tips with them next time you're at home.

Reduce the temperature setting of your water heater to "warm" (120°F).

Add an insulating blanket to your water heater.

Repair leaky faucets.

Purchase a solar-powered or energy-efficient water heater.

Add insulation and seal air leaks.

Set your home thermostat as low as comfortable when the house is occupied. (65°F-68°F is suggested.)

Turn the thermostat back 10°F at night or when the house is unoccupied during the day. (If you have a heat pump, turn the thermostat back 3°F.)

Set the thermostat to 50°F-55°F when the house is unoccupied for more than 24 hours.

Install a programmable thermostat and set it to automatically adjust to the ranges listed above.

Close curtains and shades at night.

Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.

Replace single-pane windows with energy-efficient double-pane windows.

Have certified maintenance personnel check your furnace regularly.

Replace furnace filters once a month during the winter.

Related Links

Find out where to buy energy-efficient products.

Get more energy-saving tips at ENERGY STAR @ Home.

Find out how to save water in your home.

News

Site Offers Recruiting Tools for Green Job Seekers

Two Penn State environmental groups are joining forces to create a site that introduces students to green organizations, and provide them with tools to green up their resumes and attract environmentally focused employers.

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Energy Conservation Policy Adopted

Penn State has adopted a wide-ranging Energy Conservation Policy (AD 64) designed to lower the University's energy consumption through employee and student action.

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Tip of the Month

Switch to Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Compared to incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) emit the same amount of light, last 8 - 10 years longer and consume 75% less electricity. Today's modern CFLs don't have the flicker and humming of the first generation of the curled bulbs, so you get the same light for less electricity. According to the EPA's Energy Star Program, the most savings will result from using CFLs where they will be on for longer periods of time, at least 15 minutes per usage. So at a desk is better than in a closet. For more information, visit Energy Star’s CFL Buyer’s Guide

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Take Charge Pen

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This page was last updated on Tuesday, September 23, 2008.