We asked, you answered. At the beginning of October’s National Energy Awareness Month, Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) challenged customers to a quiz testing their knowledge on energy-saving habits. The quiz, which covered various seasons and spaces around a home, provided interesting insight on the general understanding of energy efficiency.
When it comes to the benefits of ENERGY STAR-certified equipment or placing trees to help cooling costs, participants were spot on – 91% answering these questions correctly. Some key quiz take-a-ways included:
- Ceiling fans should run clockwise in the winter months. When a ceiling fan spins in the clockwise direction, it pulls the warm air that rises to the ceiling back down into the living space, making it feel warmer.
- Closing vents does not reduce your heating/cooling costs. In fact, closing vents forces your system to work harder and can cause damage from pressure built up in the ducts.
- Leaving the lights on, as opposed to frequent on/off, does not save energy. When lights are turned off, they use no energy as opposed to drawing power when left on.
- A five-minute shower does not use more water than a bath. By the time a bathtub is filled up, it can use roughly 70 gallons of water, where a five-minute shower may use about 15-20 gallons.
- Running a dishwasher saves more energy and money than hand washing. A dishwasher uses less hot water for a load, where handwashing requires frequent hot water to wash a similar number of dishes.
Learning how to incorporate energy-saving practices into your daily routine is not just for October. From transitioning to LED bulbs to setting the thermostat for your space – simple practices can add up to long-term energy, and potential, cost savings.
For those finalizing an energy-savings plan going forward, let us help. Browse energy-saving tips, products, rebates and discounts to continue saving year round by visiting www.ElectricIdeas.com.
Revisit the topics we covered this month any time on our website or through the links below:
Weatherize Your Home Now, Ensure Savings Later
I&M Wants the ‘WAMI’ to Work for You
Don’t Let Energy Waste Haunt Your Space
Fact or Fiction: Busting Popular Energy Efficiency Myths