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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 .,� • •