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Energy myths & energy use
 In the face of rising energy costs, everyone is looking for ways to reduce his/her energy use. Although there are good ideas out there, there are also misconceptions about what are energy-efficient measures. Here are some of the most common myths and the facts to set you on the right path at home or in the office.
Myth. You have to leave your heat pump set on a constant temperature for it to operate efficiently.
Facts. This myth is only partially true. You should avoid making too many adjustments to your heat pump during the winter in order to avoid activating the electric strip heat, or "emergency" heat. However, during the summer months, you can adjust the thermostat as often as you would like.
York Electric recommends setting your air conditioning at 78 degrees for cooling. For every degree lower you set the thermostat, you will see a 5–7% increase in your cooling cost for the summer. For instance, a setting of 70 degrees could increase cooling costs by approximately 40% versus the recommended setting of 78 degrees.
Myth. Screen savers reduce energy use.
Facts. Screen savers don't cut energy use. Screen savers were developed to mitigate a problem called "screen burn-in" that can occur in both cathode ray tube (CRT) and liquid crystal display (LCD) computer monitors and TV screens. Burn-in occurs when a given image, such as a logo or a menu bar for a computer program, appears on a monitor for a long period of time. By using a screen saver, you prevent any specific images from being displayed in the same location when your computer is dormant for a long period of time, thus preventing burn-in. But it takes just as much energy to display a screen saver on your screen as it does to display any other program. To save energy, adjust your computer's power management settings to automatically shut the monitor down after a specified period of idle time, and simply turn off the monitor if you are not going to be using it for 15 minutes or more.
Myth. Computers, monitors and other equipment will use less energy and last longer if they're left running all the time.
Facts. Turning equipment off overnight does not shorten its life, and the small surge of power that occurs when some devices turn on is much smaller than the energy used by running the equipment when it's not needed. In fact, leaving computers and other office equipment on overnight and on weekends wastes significant amounts of energy and also adds to the wear and tear on the equipment. Some equipment, including printers and scanners, feature small transformers that use energy even when the equipment is off. Plug all such devices into a power strip so they can be shut down completely with the flick of a switch.
In fact, the average computer and monitor, if left running continuously, could cost you up to $25–$30 per month.
Myth. When I use an appliance with a motor that draws fewer amps, I reduce energy use.
Facts. The power needed to drive any motor application, like a vacuum cleaner, and the energy that device uses are determined by the load, not the motor. It's true that a motor designed to operate on 460 volts (V) will draw half as many amps as a 230-V motor on the same device. But power draw is based on voltage and current, so all other things being equal, power draw will be the same for both motors.
Myth. When leaving the room for a short period, it's better to leave lights on than to turn them off.
Facts. For standard incandescent bulbs, it's always better to turn the lights off. For fluorescent lights, there are some trade-offs: fluorescent lights use slightly more energy on start-up, but the light needs to be off for only about a second to make up for that surge. The life of a fluorescent light is also shortened by frequent on-and-off switching. A good guideline for these lights is that unless you're switching them on and off every few minutes, it is generally cost-effective to turn the lights off when you leave a room.
Sources: eSource.com, Berkeley Electric Cooperative
Related links:
Touchstone Energy Light Bulb Energy Saver »
Energy Savings Tips & Calculators »
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