The living room is where the family all gather, to spend quality time and engage in social activities. A few simple steps can also transform it into one of the more energy efficient rooms in your house.
Light Switch
- Always turn off the lights when leaving any room (or when it’s not in use).
Outlet
- Unplug any battery chargers or power adapters when not in use.
- Use inexpensive outlet gaskets to seal any holes around outlets.
Windows
- Caulk and weather-strip areas around doors and windows to prevent air leakage.
- Replace window screens with storm windows during winter as an extra barrier against cold air.
- Learn more:
- ENERGY STAR certified windows can save you anywhere from $150-$500 annually in energy costs.
- Cut drafts, increase home comfort and help preserve interior furnishings with properly installed ENERGY STAR certified windows.
Table Lamp
- Replace standard light fixtures and bulbs with ENERGY STAR certified compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) that provide a high quality light, use less energy and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs.
- Learn more:
- Table and floor lamps are two of the most used light fixtures in a home.
- Conventional torchiere lamp wattage can be among the highest in the home.
- Look for ENERGY STAR certified lighting options in hardware stores, lighting showrooms, retail outlets and online stores.
Drapes
- WINTER TIP: keep drapes open during daylight to take advantage of the sun’s heat.
- During warm weather, draw the curtains and drapes to keep the room cooler.
Ceiling Fan with Lighting
- Depending upon how they’re used, ceiling fans can help reduce energy costs while providing home comfort.
- Learn more:
- WINTER TIP: most ceiling fans have a switch allowing you to rotate the blades in reverse, creating a gentle updraft forcing warm air near the ceiling down into the living area.
- In the summer, make sure your ceiling fan is blowing air downwards into the living area.
- On hot days, turn up the thermostat by two degrees and use your ceiling fan to lower air conditioning costs by up to 14%.
- Use low wattage compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in the ceiling light fixture for cooler light bulbs and greater energy savings.
- Turn off the ceiling fan when you leave the room; fans only cool people, not rooms.
TV/DVD
- Invest in electronics that are ENERGY STAR certified.
- ENERGY STAR certified products use less energy without sacrificing quality or performance
- Learn more:
- Consumer electronics account for 15% of household electricity usage.
- Many electronic products continue to use energy even when switched off.
- ENERGY STAR certified products conserve energy when switched off while still maintaining clock displays, channel settings and remote control functions.