Madison Gas & Electric
your community energy company
MONTHLY COLUMN
your community energy company
MONTHLY COLUMN
| CALL: 252-7117 |
Energy-Saving Tips
Follow these tips to save energy and stay comfortable.
Heating
The furnace or boiler is the largest energy user in most homes.
•Check furnace filter monthly; replace as needed.
•If health permits, keep the thermostat at 68°F or below.
•Lower thermostat at night and when you're gone (55°F lowest setting).
•Keep registers and cold air returns clear of furniture and drapes.
•Open drapes to allow sun in. Close them at night.
•Cover wall-mounted air conditioners with plastic film or an air-tight cover.
•Cover interior of windows with shrink-film plastic.
Electric heat is the most expensive.
•Close off rooms you are not using.
•Turn down thermostats on closed-off rooms.
For more information
Portable Electric Space Heaters [PDF - 185 KB]
Appliances
•Always look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing new products. They use less energy
than comparable products.
•Refrigerators older than 1990 can use three times as much electricity as new ones.
•MGE has given portable energy meters to area libraries. Check one out to see how much
electricity appliances use.
•Cook in a microwave oven rather than a stove.
•Turn off TV, radio, stereo and computers when not at home.
For more information
Appliance Energy Costs [PDF - 551 KB]
Refrigerators [PDF - 217 KB]
Lighting
•Replace the most-used incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs.
•Turn off lights when leaving a room.
***********
Money-Saving Offers
Energy tax credits
Tax credits are available for energy-efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs,
insulation, HVAC, and nonsolar water heaters) made in 2009. Tax credits are also available for
solar energy systems, fuel cells, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and small wind energy systems.
For more information
Energy Efficiency as an Investment [PDF - 163 KB]
Energy Policy Tax Credits for Homeowners [PDF - 196 KB]
Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
"Change A Light" CFL Campaign
While supplies last, get an instant $2 in-store Cash-Back Reward for every ENERGY STAR
compact fluorescent bulb you buy (up to 12).
Find a participating retailer near you.
Cash-Back Rewards
MGE is a partner with Focus on Energy, a statewide initiative to save energy and the environment.
Throughout the year certain products and services are eligible for cash-back rewards. Click on the
links below for the items currently eligible.
Appliance Rewards
Cash-Back Rewards for Efficient Appliances
LED Holiday Lights
Lighting Rewards
Water Heater Rewards
Rebates
•The City of Madison Water Utility is offering rebates of up to $100 for residential customers who
replace their high water-using toilets with EPA WaterSense-rated High Efficiency Toilet (HET)
models.
For more information: City of Madison Toilet Rebate
•The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated funding under the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act for state rebates of consumer purchases of new ENERGY STAR® qualified
home appliances.
For more information: Wisconsin Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebates
Did you know?
You typically spend more to light your home than you do to operate your refrigerator all year long.
Switching to energy-efficient lighting can save you time, energy and money and help protect the
environment.
By replacing the five most-used lights in your home with ENERGY STAR-qualified compact
fluorescent bulbs, you could save more than $60 a year in energy costs. That's because qualified
bulbs use up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
For more information, call the MGE Home Energy Line at 252-7117.
*************
Water heating
Water heating is the second largest single energy user in most homes.
•Set water heater temperature at 120°F.
•Conserve hot water.
•Install a low-flow shower head.
• For renters, Tell the owner about dripping faucets or water heater leaks.
Air-conditioning
•Air conditioning can be your biggest electricity user in the summer.
•Set your thermostat at 78°F or higher.
•Turn off your air conditioner when no one is home.
•Close your drapes and shades to keep the sun out.
•Use room fans or ceiling fans instead of air-conditioning.
•Turn off fans when room is unoccupied.
Follow these tips to save energy and stay comfortable.
Heating
The furnace or boiler is the largest energy user in most homes.
•Check furnace filter monthly; replace as needed.
•If health permits, keep the thermostat at 68°F or below.
•Lower thermostat at night and when you're gone (55°F lowest setting).
•Keep registers and cold air returns clear of furniture and drapes.
•Open drapes to allow sun in. Close them at night.
•Cover wall-mounted air conditioners with plastic film or an air-tight cover.
•Cover interior of windows with shrink-film plastic.
Electric heat is the most expensive.
•Close off rooms you are not using.
•Turn down thermostats on closed-off rooms.
For more information
Portable Electric Space Heaters [PDF - 185 KB]
Appliances
•Always look for the ENERGY STAR® label when purchasing new products. They use less energy
than comparable products.
•Refrigerators older than 1990 can use three times as much electricity as new ones.
•MGE has given portable energy meters to area libraries. Check one out to see how much
electricity appliances use.
•Cook in a microwave oven rather than a stove.
•Turn off TV, radio, stereo and computers when not at home.
For more information
Appliance Energy Costs [PDF - 551 KB]
Refrigerators [PDF - 217 KB]
Lighting
•Replace the most-used incandescent bulbs and fixtures with compact fluorescent bulbs.
•Turn off lights when leaving a room.
***********
Money-Saving Offers
Energy tax credits
Tax credits are available for energy-efficient home improvements (windows, doors, roofs,
insulation, HVAC, and nonsolar water heaters) made in 2009. Tax credits are also available for
solar energy systems, fuel cells, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and small wind energy systems.
For more information
Energy Efficiency as an Investment [PDF - 163 KB]
Energy Policy Tax Credits for Homeowners [PDF - 196 KB]
Federal Tax Credits for Energy Efficiency
"Change A Light" CFL Campaign
While supplies last, get an instant $2 in-store Cash-Back Reward for every ENERGY STAR
compact fluorescent bulb you buy (up to 12).
Find a participating retailer near you.
Cash-Back Rewards
MGE is a partner with Focus on Energy, a statewide initiative to save energy and the environment.
Throughout the year certain products and services are eligible for cash-back rewards. Click on the
links below for the items currently eligible.
Appliance Rewards
Cash-Back Rewards for Efficient Appliances
LED Holiday Lights
Lighting Rewards
Water Heater Rewards
Rebates
•The City of Madison Water Utility is offering rebates of up to $100 for residential customers who
replace their high water-using toilets with EPA WaterSense-rated High Efficiency Toilet (HET)
models.
For more information: City of Madison Toilet Rebate
•The U.S. Department of Energy has allocated funding under the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act for state rebates of consumer purchases of new ENERGY STAR® qualified
home appliances.
For more information: Wisconsin Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebates
Did you know?
You typically spend more to light your home than you do to operate your refrigerator all year long.
Switching to energy-efficient lighting can save you time, energy and money and help protect the
environment.
By replacing the five most-used lights in your home with ENERGY STAR-qualified compact
fluorescent bulbs, you could save more than $60 a year in energy costs. That's because qualified
bulbs use up to 75% less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs.
For more information, call the MGE Home Energy Line at 252-7117.
*************
Water heating
Water heating is the second largest single energy user in most homes.
•Set water heater temperature at 120°F.
•Conserve hot water.
•Install a low-flow shower head.
• For renters, Tell the owner about dripping faucets or water heater leaks.
Air-conditioning
•Air conditioning can be your biggest electricity user in the summer.
•Set your thermostat at 78°F or higher.
•Turn off your air conditioner when no one is home.
•Close your drapes and shades to keep the sun out.
•Use room fans or ceiling fans instead of air-conditioning.
•Turn off fans when room is unoccupied.