Town of Banff

Energy Saving Tips

Slay the Energy Vampires to save money and help the environment

Energy Vampires are easy to spot - if you know what to look for - and every energy vampire that you slay helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. A happy added bonus - it will save you some money.

For example, the average household spends $100 annually to power electronic devices in the standby or off mode. In fact, such highly visible energy vampires are estimated to account for more than 100 billion kilowatt hours of electricity consumption every year.

Manage the amount of energy that your household uses:

• Unplug power adapters and battery chargers. Cellphone chargers and other electronic gadgets constantly consume power and account for about 5 percent of your electricity bill
  
• Use a power bar. Switch off similar groups of electric devices with the push of a single button.
  
• Purchase Energy Star appliances. Look for  the Energy Star label which reduces energy consumption levels by 20 to 75 percent and saves up to $400 annually .
  
• Replace an old energy-grubbing computer monitor with a flat-panel model. The difference amounts to leaving a 50-watt bulb on for an entire year.
  
• An LCD model television uses half energy of a plasma tv, let alone your old tube and rear projection televisions.
  
• Conduct an Energy Audit. The average house loses up to 20 percent of heat from air ducts alone. Conduct informal audits by locating drafts with a lit candle or incense.Hire a professional to audit, plan and prioritize the necessary household improvements to save you money.
• schedule a maintenance check-up for your furnace
  
• check and change furnace filters regularly - dirty filters can reduce airflow and make your furnace work harder
• turn your thermostat down to 20 degrees Celsius during the day and to 17 degrees Celsius at night to save as much as 15 per cent on your energy bill
• buy a programmable thermostat to make setting temperatures easy - it will automatically save energy at night and when you're away from home
• Use an outdoor timer to plug in your car's block heater for two hours before you need it
  
• Only plug in your block heater when temperatures dip below -15 C