Gas ranges with electronic ignition systems will use 40 percent less energy than a standing pilot system.
Be sure that all burners are burning with a blue, cone-shaped flame. A yellow flame indicates clogged air inlets or burners that need adjustment.
Check the seal on your oven door. Gaps or tears in the seal will let heat escape and waste energy.
Heating
All furnaces can collect lint and dirt and should be cleaned regularly. Contact your local propane supplier for information on proper cleaning and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
Drain your hot water tank periodically to get rid of sediment build-up on the bottom of the tank.
Clothes Drying
Keep your dryer in a heated space. Putting it in a cold or damp basement will make the dryer work harder and less efficiently.
Make sure your dryer is vented properly. If you vent the exhaust outside, use the straightest and shortest metal duct available. Do not use a flexible vinyl duct because it restricts the air flow, can be crushed, and may not withstand high temperatures from the dryer.
Check the outside dryer exhaust vent periodically. If it doesn’t close tightly, replace it with one that does to keep the outside air from leaking in. This will reduce heating and cooling bills.
Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load to improve air circulation. Regularly clean the lint from vent hoods.
Dry only full loads, as small loads are less economical; but do not overload the dryer.
When drying, separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber fabrics.
Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the dryer’s retained heat.
Use the cool-down cycle (perma-press cycle) to allow the clothes to finish drying with the residual heat in the dryer.
