Quiz: What are 4 Energy-Saving Things You Can Do to Prepare Your Home Before Vacation?
The summer vacation you’ve been planning for months is almost here. But, before you hop on the plane or in the car, take our energy-saving quiz to ensure your home is prepared.
1. When it comes to your water heater, before vacation, you should:
a. Leave it as is; no one using it.
b. Turn down the water heater temperature.
c. Turn the power off.
d. Turn up the water temperature.
2. You should keep your fridge full-on vacation because a full refrigerator is more energy-efficient than one half empty.
a. True
b. False
3. When away on vacation, your thermostat should be set on one of which the following:
a. If you have a programmable thermostat, use the “vacation” mode.
b. If you have a manual unit, adjusting your thermostat to a few degrees cooler will significantly impact your thermostat.
c. Consider turning the system off entirely if the forecast is for mild weather.
d. a, b, and c could all be correct depending on the weather and the type of system you have in your home.
4. To lower your energy usage while your family is away on vacation, you can:
a. Install timers on indoor and outdoor lights and set them to turn the lights on for a few hours each night.
b. Close drapes, curtains, and lower blinds to reduce radiant heat and keep your home cooler.
c. Unplug appliances or turn off smart power strips.
d. All of the above.
Answers:
Question 1:
b. Turn the water temperature down.
If you have a tank unit, your water heater will continue heating water while you are away. Adjust the temperature setting as low as possible to reduce standby heat loss.
Questions 2
a. True
Keep your refrigerator full.
A full refrigerator is more energy-efficient than one that’s half empty. That’s because a full fridge keeps items cooler and uses less energy. In addition, you can fill up the extra space on shelves with jugs or pitchers of water.
Questions 3:
d. a, b, and c could all be correct depending on the weather and the type of system you have in your home.
If you have a programmable thermostat, use the “vacation” mode. If you have a manual unit, adjusting your thermostat just a few degrees cooler will have a significant impact. Consider turning the system off completely if the forecast is for mild weather.
Question 4
d. All of the above.
Install light timers.
Install timers on indoor and outdoor lights and set them to turn them on for a few hours each night. This will conserve energy and provide added security by creating the illusion that someone is home.
Unplug appliances or turn off smart power strips.
Any electronic product with a power light should be turned off and unplugged. This includes big appliances, like your TV, and smaller ones, like cable boxes, computers, printers, toasters, and coffee makers. Plug several appliances into a smart power strip and turn off the strip to prevent phantom energy draw.
Draw curtains and lower blinds.
To block the sun and reduce radiant heat while you’re away, close drapes and curtains and lower blinds to reduce radiant heat and keep your home cooler.
