Conservation is for everyone. We all know energy and water conservation are keys to a better and brighter future. Learning more about how to reduce your energy and water usage gives you the power to conserve for our community, and save money on your utility bills. Listed below are a variety of energy and water conservation tips to help you save your energy and water costs; and, you can start following them today.

Save Your Energy
Find out how to make your heating and cooling systems more efficent.

Save Your Water
Water is precious - See what you can do to save this natural resource.

Save Your Money
By making your home or business operate as efficently as possible, you should see a savings in your pocketbook.




Save Your Energy
  • The average house uses energy for the following tasks-with percent of annual energy use.
    Heating 44%
    Refrigerator   9%
    Water Heating 14%
    Lights, Cooking and other Appliances 33%
  • Save 3-5% of your heating and air conditioning costs for each degree you set your thermostat - below in winter and above in summer - your normal setting.
  • Heat and cool your home as needed by adjusting the thermostat accordingly when you are sleeping or when no one is home. Also, consider installing a programmable thermostat to make these adjustments easier.
  • Proper insulation helps keep your home warm during winter and cool during summer. Check the insulation levels in your attic, ceilings, exterior and basement walls, floors, and crawl spaces to see if it meets recommended levels. It’s likely your insulation is below recommended levels and should be increased.
  • You may be losing 15-30% of your heating and cooling energy through air leaks. Check for, then caulk and weather-strip, holes and cracks around your walls, ceilings, windows, doors, light and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets that can leak air into or out of your home.
  • Make sure your appliances and heating and cooling systems are properly maintained; check owner's manuals for recommended maintenance.
  • Water heating is the third largest energy expense in your home, and typically accounts for about 14-25% of the energy consumed in your home. You should also turn down the thermostat on your water heater to 120 degrees, and insulate it and your pipes.
  • About 80-85% of the energy used for washing clothes is used to heat the water; reduce this by washing full loads only - with the added benefit of conserving water - and using cooler water and cold-water detergents. Lowering the temperature setting from hot to warm cuts a load's energy use in half.
  • Clean or replace air return filters two to three times during summer and winter. On your outside unit, keep fins and coils clear from debris; you can also save about 10% of your electricity by planting trees or shrubs to shade your unit.
  • In summer, close drapes, curtains and shades during the day to prevent warming sunlight from entering - particularly on the south and west sides. Do just the opposite during winter daytime, but close drapes, etc. to help block out cold air during winter evenings.
  • Increasing lighting efficiency is one of the fastest ways to decrease your electricity bills. Turn off lights in rooms not in use; check lighting needs and use patterns for ways to use controls such as occupancy sensors, dimmers, or timers, to reduce energy use; and, replace heat producing 75-watt incandescent bulbs with 20-watt compact fluorescent bulbs, and receive the same amount of light for just a quarter of the energy - fluorescent bulbs also last about ten-times longer.
  • Keep heating/cooling vents clean and unobstructed including arranging furniture for air to flow freely.
  • Installing storm windows can reduce heat loss by 25-50%.
  • Keep fireplace dampers closed tightly when not in use.
  • Ceiling or portable fans typically make you feel 6 - 8 degrees cooler which allows higher thermostat settings and more energy savings.
  • Do not place lamps, TV sets, clothes dryer or other heat producing articles or activities near your thermostat; it senses the heat and can cause your air conditioner to run longer and more often.


Save Your Water
Water is one of our most precious natural resources, and everyone in our community should be doing their best to conserve water all the time. If each of us can do just one thing each day to save water - even if it’s only a couple of gallons - our community can save more than a million gallons of water each week. The following are no- and low-cost ways to reduce water usage in and around your home.
  • Fix leaky faucets and plumbing joints immediately-many silent leaks, indoors and out, can waste more than 10% of your monthly usage. It's easy, inexpensive, and can save 20 gallons per day for each leak stopped - check your water meter and bill to track water usage.

INDOORS

Bathrooms
  • If possible, replace toilets built before 1992; they use 5-7 gallons per flush, while newer models use only 1.6 gallons. If you can’t replace now, displace water in your tank with plastic bottles filled with sand or rocks - saves 10 or more gallons each day.
  • Check for leaks by dropping a little food coloring in your tank; if, without flushing, the color appears in the bowl, you have a leak. Fortunately, the flapper and fill valve are easy, inexpensive replacements - saves 600 gallons a month.
  • Don’t use your toilet as a wastebasket - water down the drain adds to sewage treatment costs.
  • Install water-saving shower heads or flow restrictors - saves 500 to 800 gallons per month.
  • Take shorter showers - a one or two minute reduction saves up to 400 gallons per month.
  • When taking a bath, plug the bathtub before turning the water on, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
  • Turn the water off while shampooing and conditioning your hair - saves more than 50 gallons a week.
  • Turn off the water while shaving and fill the bottom of the sink with a few inches of water to rinse your razor - saves three gallons each day.
  • Turn off the water while you brush your teeth - saves up to three gallons a minute.

Kitchen and Laundry
  • Reduce usage by installing aerating, low-flow faucets throughout your home.
  • While waiting for hot water to reach faucets, catch the cold water in a watering can to use on plants - saves 200 to 300 gallons per month.
  • When hand washing dishes, use the least amount of detergent possible to minimize rinse water - saves 50 to 150 gallons a month, And, don't leave water running for rinsing - saves another 200 to 500 gallons a month.
  • Don't let the faucet run while cleaning vegetables; rinse them in a filled sink or pan then reuse the water for plants - saves 150 to 250 gallons a month.
  • Place your garbage in compost instead of running it through your garbage disposal - saves 50 to 150 gallons a month.
  • Keep a bottle of drinking water in the refrigerator to avoid the wasteful habit of running tap water to cool it for drinking.
  • If possible, replace older washing machines; newer ones use 35-50% less water and 50% less energy per load.
  • Run only full loads in your washing machine and dishwasher - saves 300 to 800 gallons per month - and save energy by air-drying dishes instead of using the drying cycle.

OUTDOORS

Most lawns in southwest Missouri only require one inch of water per week. Measure the amount provided naturally before you add more.

Irrigation Systems

Leaks in irrigation systems are a large source of wasting water; older systems can lose 50-75%.
  • Inspect your system, sprinklers and drip sprayers, and fix leaks immediately.
  • In times of shortages, water with a hose and set a kitchen timer as a reminder to change locations or turn it off.
  • Water only when your lawn clearly needs it; early morning is by far the best time.
  • Don't water on windy days; one watering loses up to 300 gallons to evaporation.
  • Install a rain sensor on your irrigation system to avoid watering your lawn during or immediately after rain.
  • Choose a water-efficient drip sprinkler system for trees, shrubs and flowers. Watering at the roots is very effective, but be careful not to over water.
  • Place mulch around trees and plants to slow evaporation - saves 750 to 1,500 gallons a month.
Landscaping

Whether you are installing new landscaping or slowly changing your current one, select the right plants for your landscape design and irrigation system.
  • Group plants with the same watering needs together to get the most out of your watering time.
  • Reduce the amount of grass in your yard by adding shrubs, ground cover, rock, mulching, etc.
  • Set lawn mower blades one notch higher; longer grass means less evaporation.
  • Direct downspouts and other runoff toward shrubs and trees, or collect and use for plants.
  • Aerate your lawn by punching holes about six inches apart so water will reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
  • Fertilizers increase water consumption so apply only the minimum amount needed.
Miscellaneous
  • Don't run the hose while washing your car; use a bucket of water and a quick hose rinse at the end - save 150 gallons each time. A two-car family - saves up to 1,200 gallons a month.
  • Teach your children to turn the faucets off tightly after each use.
  • If you allow your children to play in the sprinklers, make sure it's only when you're watering the yard, and in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
  • Use a broom instead of a hose to clean driveways and sidewalks - saves 150 gallons or more each time.
  • Install covers on pools and spas to lower evaporation and check for leaks around your pumps - saves 1,000 gallons; when backwashing your pool, use the water on your landscaping.
Making simple adjustments to our water usage will result in significant savings. Remember, if each of our 78,000 residential and business customers saved just two gallons of water each day, that’s more than 1,000,000 gallons a week. Now imagine what we could save if everyone would participate in water conservation.


Save Your Money
There are many places in your home and business where you can save energy, if you know where to look. That’s why we offer a variety of Energy Management programs including:


Questions?
Ask Our Experts
If you have questions about any of our energy management programs or rebates, please feel free to contact us online or by phone at (417) 874-8200.