A shiny new product can be attractive but there may be other ways to achieve energy savings and for a much lower cost. Follow steps 1 through 4 to see where the best place is to conserve energy   in your home or business.

1. Turn it off
   The simplest way to reduce the amount of energy being used is to turn it off. When electric powered equipment is off it is not using or wasting energy. Note – some electronics use small amounts of energy to power internal parts (i.e., a digital clock on a kitchen appliance) and may need to be unplugged or use a “smart” power strip when not in use to completely power it off.
2. Turn it up or down
   The second concept is to use only what you need. Instead of lighting up a whole room, use a task light or, better yet, natural light if it’s available. When you are not going to be home for most of a day, adjust the heat or A/C. Myth – it does not take more energy to heat or cool it later.
3. Tune it up
   We take our vehicles to the mechanic or dive under the hood to see what’s wrong when we hear a mysterious noise over the jams on our radio. Most (if not all) mechanical/ electrical equipment needs regular maintenance. Proper maintenance of your equipment keeps it operating most efficiently. Tip – include the cost of future maintenance when considering purchase of new equipment.
4. Time for a new one
   After deciding the first 3 T’s don’t get the job done, then it’s time to look at replacing old equipment or appliances with new. Good idea – consider additional non-energy benefits which you can obtain by using the new product such as increasing safety of the space or lowering future maintenance costs.

These are the 4 T’s of our energy consulting approach. We take this approach when walking into a business, but these are actions one can use to make decisions about energy use in their homes as well.