Welcome to Bernitt

Energy

When it comes to the reasons for being energy conscious, saving money is probably at the top of most homeowners' lists. Saving energy in and around your home will also help slow the depletion of earth's conventional resources, such as oil and coal. It can also help reduce carbon emissions that result from the production of electricity used in your home.

• Turn off lights when not in use.
• Keep windows and drapes closed on hot days to reduce radiant solar gain.
• Check air conditioner filters; they should be cleaned or replaced according to manufacturer's specifications. Make sure outdoor HVAC compressor units are unobstructed by debris, plant or shrubs.
• Set your thermostat no higher than 72 degrees in the winter and no lower than 75 in the summer months.
• In the winter heating months, close window shades and curtains as soon as the sun goes down to reduce heat loss. Open shades and curtains during the day to allow the sun to provide added radiant energy.
• Run appliances during non-peak hours when ever possible (typically 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.). In the summer months this will reduce your cooling load during the peak demand. Many utilities offer reduced rates during off peak hours.
• About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. There are a couple of ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes — use less water and use cooler water. Unless you're dealing with oily stains, the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.
• Unplug chargers for cell phones, PDAs, digital cameras, cordless tools and other personal device when you're not actively charging them. Keep them unplugged until you need them again.
• Activate the sleep features on computers and home office equipment which powers them down when they're not used after several minutes. Turn off or unplug equipment during longer periods of non-use.

Indoor

Energy and water use get a great deal of attention. But the air quality of your indoor living spaces is just as essential to being green and nearly everything you do in, around and to your home has an impact. Consider the following:

• Always use ventilation fans when showering or cooking. This will help remove excess moisture levels.
• Use oxygen- or hydrogen-based bleaches instead of chlorine bleach.
• Change the filters on your furnace/air conditioner/ventilation system each cooling and heating season.
• Check the manufacturer's specifications on your equipment to insure proper installation and usage.
• When vacuuming, use either a central vacuum cleaner or a portable vacuum that has a high-efficiency filter and clean regularly.
• Traditional paraffin-based candles are made from petroleum and when burned they emit soot and smoke into the air. Use soy candles instead.
• Keep chemicals like paints, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizers, etc. in well-sealed containers in a detached garage or storage shed. If there is no detached storage space, take extra precautions to put them in sealed containers.

Water

With about 2/3 of the earth covered by water, the term, “water shortage” may not seem to be too urgent. But here are the facts: less than ½ of 1% of that water is currently available for human use.* And in the United States, 36 states are anticipating local, regional and statewide shortages by 2013.** It takes energy to get water to your home, for you to heat it and for your appliances to use it. Save water and energy:

• Take shorter showers.
• Only wash full loads of laundry.
• Turn water off when brushing your teeth or shaving. Fill a cup with water when brushing your teeth and fill the sink bowl to rinse your razor instead of running the water.
• Turn your faucets on at a fraction of the full volume for things like washing hands and rinsing dishes.
• Use the dishwasher only for full loads for the most efficient water use.
• Instead of running water while cleaning, fill a bucket with water and a general purpose cleaner and scrub down sinks and showers completely before rinsing. To rinse shower walls, fill a watering can with water and pour water along the top of the walls, letting the water wash away soap and grime.
• Avoid flushing the toilet unnecessarily. Dispose of tissues, insects and other waste in the trash rather than the toilet.
• Do not use running water to thaw meat or other frozen foods. Defrost food overnight in the refrigerator or by using the defrost setting on your microwave.
• Do not hose down your driveway or sidewalk; it can waste hundreds of gallons of water. Use a broom to clean away leaves and debris instead.

*U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program. "Water Efficiency Basics." Retrieved September 21, 2007, from http://www1.eere.energy.gov/femp/water/water_basics.html. **U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, WaterSense Program. "Why Water Efficiency?" Retrieved September 21, 2007 from http://www.epa.gov/watersense/water/why.htm