Five Frequently Asked Questions About Reducing Your Electric Bill

When I tell people about this website, I often immediately get asked a simple question or two about reducing electricity bills.

These questions are often based in a dispute that the asker has had with their husband or wife, and often "loaded" in some way. Often, something based in fact has been twisted just enough to make the answer difficult.

For those who love semantics, you'll love this Q and A session. When you read the first question you'll see what I mean.

1. Does a ceiling fan really cool a room?

Maybe, but usually not. However, a ceiling fan WILL make a room FEEL cooler.

The best benefit of a ceiling fan is that it creates a bit of a wind chill effect, helping to make a room feel cooler. That said, if a room is unevenly cooled it might help distribute the air better and reduce temperature a little bit.

For these reasons it is generally best to turn off ceiling fans when you leave a room. i.e. a human must be in the room to benefit from the "wind chill".

2. Will I save more energy by leaving a light bulb on if I only leave the room for 15 minutes? Is it more cost effective?

No. There are a lot of myths and myths based in some level of fact surrounding this one. Just be aware of these main points:

• While a bulb uses a bit more electricity when first powered on, it is fleeting (i.e. sub-second) and NOT significant.
• The one wrinkle is that CFL bulbs will wear out much more quickly when turned on and off frequently. So in that scenario, it might be worth it to leave a bulb on if you are leaving for a few minutes (i.e. to save a power cycle). But this is because of concern of the bulb wearing out and not saving power.

3. When my office first got computers 20 years ago, we were told to leave them on all the time so they'd last longer. Should I leave my home computer on all the time?

No. In the early days of PCs there was more of a concern of premature failure. Much of this concern was overblown - one of those myths that makes some sense on the surface. But today it is best to turn off your PC when not in use.

Ideally, you'd shut down entirely. Alternatively, you can use sleep mode and reduce power consumption down to generally 5 - 8 watts.

4. What is better - running the air conditioner all day, even when not home, or turning it off and running it when I get home?

In most cases it is better to turn the AC off when you are away, and let it run longer to cool the house down when you get home.

By "better" I mean more energy efficient AND better for the longevity of your air conditioner. The best solution for this type of saving is to install a programmable thermostat and let it manage the AC for you.

5. Energy Star is not accurate - after-all they certified a gasoline powered alarm clock!

Well, a major procedural hole was found in the Energy Star certification process when a gasoline powered alarm clock got certified. Apparently, in an effort to expedite energy star approvals as a concession to the business community, automated process was put in place to accept products which document proof that they are 20% more efficient than others in their category. This left the program susceptible to fraud.

However, it is generally safe to say that when dealing with reputable companies such as GE, Sony, LG, etc, and when dealing with mainstream products that people like me actually test, you have little to worry about and Energy Star is very valuable as a guideline.

Energy Star, for its part, has revamped its process and reduced the automation (to the dismay of the business community - but for the good of the consumer).