HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1978-11-02, Page 26Page 4
Watts there
You know the old joke:
Who goes there? Watt. I
said, who goes there? Watt.
etc. Another story goes like
this: We switch on our home
appliances and even trust
some to switch themselves
on, and we are hardly aware
of the watts quietly pouring
into our homes until the next
hydro bill arrives. So, who
goes there? Money, that's
watt.
The people at the power
station "see it from 'another
angle. When we switch on a
small 1,000 -watt appliance for
an hour, we use one kilowatt-
hour (kWh) of energy, which
takes the equivalent of 10
ounces of oil or 13 ounces of
coal to produce. That doesn't
sound like much, but an or-
dinary Canadian home can
easily use 12,000 kWh a year
for appliances alone, not
counting heating and lighting.
That's close to four tons of oil
or five tons of coal for each of
the .,,_m l ions of ...homes in
Canada. 1
Three of the biggest energy
users in the home are the
refrigerator, freezer and
stove, and all can be run more
economically without making
them less useful.
An electric stove uses an
average of 1,200 kWhper year
at a cost of about $30. Make
some savings by ,using the
oven to cook larger quantities
at one time (freeze some if
you don't need'it'all): There's
no need to preheat an oven if
the cooking takes more than
an hour, and you can switch
off 30 minutes before a roast
is done and let the existing
heat complete it.
On the top of the stove, use
the right size of pan for each
element, don't drown
vegetables in too much water
and, once it boils, use less
heat to keep it boiling. Again,
turn off the heat two or three
minutes early and let the heat
in the element finish the job.
Glass or glass -ceramic
dishes need less heat then
metal for baking in the oven.
The best performing pots and
pans en top of the stove are
bright and shiny, with
straight sides, flat bottoms
and tight lids. Double -boilers,
pressure cookers and
vegetable steamers (baskets)
also save energy.
Frost free refrigerat®rs
and freezers cost more than
standard models, and can use
30 to 40 percent more energy.
Even a standard 14 -cubic -foot
freezer uses an average. of
1,200 kWh annually, and a
standard 12 -cubic -foot
refrigerator about 850 kWh.
Between them they can add
abut $50 a year to your hydre
hill. When., buying either,
make sure 'it is properly in-
sulated.
To save energy, place the
refrigerator or freezer away
from heat sources such as the
kitchen stove, direct sunlight
or heat vents. Leave space
around it for air to circulate
and take heat away.
Keep the refrigerator's
condenser coils clean for good
performance. Make sure that
freezer and refrigerator
doors are airtight. For -ef-
ficient cooling, defrost
whenever the frost is one-
quarter of an inch thick.
Some don'ts -- don't set the
temperature lower than
necessary, don't open doors
more than you Must, don't
overfill (let air circulate
inside), don't put food in
while it's hot and don't leave
the refrigerator running
while you are oh vacation.
More horrible little habits
that tum people off.
Save them up
till you've got
a lot
An automatic timer on ur block hear
makes an efficient waste beater.
The misfits:
An element
too big
for the
pot
i4
1
Dripping hot water
taps drain the
pocket book.
An oven -full
of heat
for one
potato.
Don't leave
the lights burning
,� if you're not
(, returning.
4 w-
Lw
0
ti
See the power.
take a shower.
This message is brought to you by your Hydro an behalf of people who care
goderich pubIic
utilities commission
4
Clinton public
utilities commission
Writ 3327
.,�
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