Review their domestic electrical

Personal Solutions - Cool It!®
Your every day actions can make a difference to reduce global warming so find out how you can conserve energy, participate on college campuses, organize your own youth group, protect forests and recycle electronics.
Lighting:

Turn off the lights that you are not using.
Buy compact fluorescent bulbs, which reduce energy use by up to 75 percent. Set a goal of at least replacing the bulbs that are most commonly on in your home.
If your older children live with you, put them in charge of the electricity bill. They'll make sure all the lights are turned off if they are responsible to for paying for the electricity.
Do not place lamps near a thermostat. The thermostat senses the heat produced from the lamp which can change how often your furnace or air conditioner will run.
Consider safer, more efficient Energy Star torchiere lamps over popular halogen torchiere lamps. The halogen lamps can cause fires, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. While relatively inexpensive to purchase, halogen lamps are expensive to operate.
Use dimmers, timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.



Heating and Cooling Your Home:

Change or clean your furnace and air conditioner filters regularly to keep heating and cooling systems running efficiently.
Dust can restrict airflow and stress the system. Filters can be washable or disposable. Measure the existing filter to make sure to buy a filter that fits properly. It is best to keep several filters on hand as replacements during the cooling season.
Instead of disposing of a dirty furnace or air conditioner filter, you could vacuum it once per month and spray it with Endust or a similar product which restores the dust-catching ability of the filters. You can reuse the filter two or three times this way.
Install a programmable thermostat to regulate your heating and cooling when you are not home.
Test windows and doors to see if they need new weather-stripping by lighting a candle and moving it around the perimeter of the window or door. If the flame flickers, you need to install new weather-stripping. Don't put the candle near curtains or blinds though.
Get your furnace and air conditioner inspected every few years.
Install "draft blockers" or gasket insulators behind light switches and electrical outlets.
Install window film for windows that you don't open often, or that seem drafty.
Plant deciduous trees outside windows on the south side of your house to provide shade in summer and allow sunlight in winter.
If you live in a house or apartment with water-heated radiators, put foil-faced insulation board between the radiators and the outside walls, with the foil side facing the room.
Avoid water beds which use a lot of energy to heat in the winter. If you have a water bed, insulate around it and cover it with many blankets to keep the heat in.
Install ceiling fans to improve the efficiency of your heating and cooling systems.
Add attic insulation to increase the efficiency of both your furnace and air conditioner. A good standard is to reach "R30," which a contractor should understand.
Make sure draperies, furniture or rugs do not block vents. These vents should also be cleaned regularly with a vacuum or a broom.



Washing:

Set your water heater to a lower setting or call a service person to adjust it for you.
Put an appropriate insulation blanket around your water heater.
Run your dishwasher without the "drying cycle" and just let dishes drip dry.
Do full loads when you use clothes washers and dishwashers.
To reduce the amount of dishes to wash, label the bottom of cups and mugs with family member's names.
Reduce the amount of towels to wash by labeling towels or hooks.
Choose cold or warm cycles over hot cycles because heating the water for laundry consumes 90 percent of the energy of the laundry process.



Drying:

Hang your clothes to dry either on a clothesline or a clothes tree, at least some of the time. In the winter, this is a natural humidifier in a dry room.
Reduce ironing time by taking clothes out when they are slightly damp and hanging them up, or right away when the clothes are dry. If you get to the dryer too late, you can put a damp towel inside and run the dryer for a few minutes to get the same effect.
Empty the lint trap after each use of the dryer.
Dry light and heavy clothing separately for maximum efficiency.
To make room for drying clothes, buy an expandable shower curtain rod and put it in the shower. Hang clothes on hangers.
Install a dryer vent hood where your dryer discharges to the outside to reduce the amount of heat escaping from this hole.



Batteries:

Buy rechargeable batteries and a recharger.
Only purchase toys that don't require batteries.



Refrigerators and Freezers:

Keep condenser coils clean on the back of your refrigerator. Gently wipe and vacuum them once a year. Many fridges have a removable panel around the coils. Keep the back of the fridge at least four inches from the wall.
Make sure the fridge door gasket seals tight. Test it by putting a piece of paper in a closed door. Pull on the paper and if it comes out too easily, you need to replace your gasket. Test at several places along the door. Another way to test: put a flashlight in your fridge and see if the light leaks out when you close the door.
Check the temperature of your fridge and freezer by putting a thermometer in a glass of water. Put the glass of water in the center shelf in the center of the fridge. It should read 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should read 0-5 degrees Fahrenheit.
If you have a large freezer, keep it in the basement or as cool a room as possible.
The fuller the freezer, the more energy efficient it is.
Let hot food cool down a bit before you put it in the fridge.
Install your fridge away from direct sun or your rangetop or oven.
Try not to use a second refrigerator.
Make sure your fridge is absolutely level to ensure the door gets closed every time you open it.