LADWP Offers Tips To Conserve Power
LOS ANGELES (CBS) —The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power is reminding customers to conserve power Monday.
Tips to reduce power consumption:
- Adjust thermostat to 78 degrees or more to reduce energy usage.
- Limit the use of appliances during peak hours of the day--use washing machines, dishwashers, vacuum cleaners and other heavy appliances during evening hours.
- Try to avoid cooking during peak hours of the day since it will add to the heat inside the home.
- Ventilate your home at night and early morning by opening windows and doors to clear out the heat and allow cooler air to circulate.
- Turn off lights and equipment when they are not in use.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) wherever appropriate.
- During the heat of day, close your draperies, shades, or blinds to reduce the extra heat from direct sunlight and check your home for adequate insulation.
- Plant shade trees, to reduce heat gain to the house.
- Install/use whole house fans for comfort cooling. The whole house fan will cool down your house early evenings and early mornings for a fraction of the energy cost of an A/C unit.
- Install a programmable thermostat to adjust the temperature automatically and maximize your energy savings.
- Clean or replace your air-conditioner's filter(s) every month to keep your air-conditioner running more efficiently.
- Regularly brush or vacuum the condenser coils at the bottom or rear of your refrigerator and check door gasket for tight fit and adjust if necessary.
- Buy energy-saving EnergyStar-labeled appliances.
- Limit the time you run your pool pump: Summer (six hours a day), Winter (four hours a day.)
Tips for the Workplace:
- Turn off your desk and overhead lights, and meeting room lights, if they are not needed, or install motion detectors switch for each room.
- Keep personal appliance use to minimum.
- Turn off all computer equipment when you leave the office or when they are not being used.
- Be sure your computer equipment goes into the sleep mode when not in use.
- Go paperless when possible. Reduced printing and copying translates into reduced energy use.
Other LADWP programs to help save money and energy include:
- Customers seeking to cool off by purchasing a room air conditioner, LADWP offers a $50 rebate on a qualifying EnergyStar-rated model. Customers considering installing central air conditioner can receive $100 on an energy efficient model.
- Consumer Rebate Program: In addition to air conditioning units described above, customers can receive rebates on other energy efficient devices, including pool pump and motor replacements ($300), dual pane windows ($1.00 per square foot), and EnergyStar refrigerators ($65.) On October 1, LADWP will raise many of the consumer rebate amounts- visit the program page for more details.
- Refrigerator Exchange: Qualifying low-income or Lifeline customers can receive a free energy efficient refrigerator in exchange for an old energy-wasting model.
- Refrigerator Recycle: LADWP customers who turn in and recycle their old, inefficient refrigerators can earn a $35 cash rebate in addition to the $65 rebate for the new unit.
- Shade Trees: Cool off your home and help reduce storm-water runoff by planting more trees. LADWP residential and business customers can receive up to seven free shade trees.
For more information, visit ladwp.com.
