Test Your Efficiency Smarts

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| By Edison_electric

Edison_electric

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Quizzes Created: 1 | Total Attempts: 762

Questions: 12 | Attempts: 762 | Updated: Mar 21, 2023

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In celebration of Energy Awareness Month, the nation's electric companies are encouraging everyone to think about how they can take charge of their home's electricity use.

EEI has prepared the following short quiz to get you thinking about how you can make your home more energy efficient. The answers are courtesy of the U. S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Once you finish the quiz, check out EEI's Energy Efficiency page. You'll find a houseful of energy saving ideas. And you'll discover the types of programs and services that your local electric company has to Read morehelp you. Good luck!

Questions and Answers

1.

This winter, lowering the thermostat from 72 degrees down to 70 or 68 degrees won’t matter much in terms of comfort, but each degree you lower the thermostat can cut your heating bill by about 2%.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
A. True

Explanation
o For “free” heating on sunny days during the winter, keep the curtains open on windows facing south and west. Also, make sure to move furniture away from the air registers.

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2.

Heating and cooling account for how much of your home’s annual utility bill?
- A.
  
  10-20%
- B.
  
  30-40%
- C.
  
  50-60%
Correct Answer
C. 50-60%

Explanation
o GeoExchange heating and cooling systems (also known as "ground source heat pumps" or "geothermal heat pumps") use the constant temperature of the earth to provide heating comfort in the winter and cooling in the summer. Along with their high level of comfort, they provide the highest levels of efficiency for heating and cooling.

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3.

Weather-stripping and sealing your home against outside air leaks can save you what percentage of your energy bill?
- A.
  
  1-5%
- B.
  
  5-30%
Correct Answer
B. 5-30%

Explanation
Reducing air leaks and drafts in your home can make it more comfortable as well as energy efficient.

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4.

Appliances and electronics account for what percentage of the typical home's monthy energy bill?
- A.
  
  10-15%
- B.
  
  20-25%
- C.
  
  30%
Correct Answer
A. 10-15%

Explanation
o Replacing old appliances and equipment with those that are ENERGY STAR labeled can help American families save significantly on their utility bills. Many also qualify for rebates or tax credits.

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5.

Screen savers are energy savers.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
B. False

Explanation
Using a screen saver can actually use more energy than not using one, and the power-down feature may not work if you have a screen saver activated. In fact, modern LCD color monitors do not need screen savers at all.

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6.

Refrigerators use about what percentage of a home’s electricity?
- A.
  
  5-15%
- B.
  
  20-30%
- C.
  
  35-40%
Correct Answer
A. 5-15%

Explanation
o Keep your refrigerator filled to capacity, but don't overcrowd to the point where doors cannot be closed or air cannot circulate. Also, vacuum the condenser coils (underneath or behind the unit) every three months or so.

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7.

Today’s most efficient 20-cubic-foot refrigerators use up to half the electricity of a 1993 model.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
A. True

Explanation
o The yellow EnergyGuide label on new refrigerators tells you how much electricity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) a particular model uses in one year. The smaller the number, the less energy the refrigerator uses and the less it will cost you to operate.

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8.

Heating water in your home accounts for what percentage of your monthy energy bill?
- A.
  
  5-10%
- B.
  
  15-25%
- C.
  
  30-35%
Correct Answer
B. 15-25%

Explanation
o You can cut your water heating bills by using less hot water with low-flow faucets and showerheads, turning down the thermostat on your water heater, insulating your water heater if the tank feels warms to the touch, or by buying a new, more efficient model.

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9.

The ideal temperature setting for your refrigerator from a health and efficiency standpoint is between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
A. True

Explanation
o To check refrigerator temperature, place an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of the refrigerator. Read it after 24 hours. To check the freezer temperature, place a thermometer between frozen packages. Read it after 24 hours.

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10.

You can significantly reduce hot water use by making sure its temperature is set to 120 degrees.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
A. True

Explanation
Check by placing a thermometer under a hot water faucet. Simply repairing leaks in fixtures—faucets and showerheads—can save money on your water bill too. Also make sure the water heater’s tank is cool to the touch. If not, wrap an insulating blanket around it.

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11.

Lighting accounts for up to 10% of the typical home’s total electric bill each month.
- A.
  
  True
- B.
  
  False
Correct Answer
A. True

Explanation
o Some tips to become more energy efficient with lights throughout your home include cleaning your light fixtures regularly, turning off lights when leaving a room, and providing task lighting over desks, tool benches, etc., so that activities can be carried on without lighting up entire rooms.

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12.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs put out as much light as regular incandescent bulbs, but last anywhere from 8 to 10 times longer. How much less energy do they use?
- A.
  
  25-35%
- B.
  
  40-50%
- C.
  
  66-75%
Correct Answer
C. 66-75%

Explanation
o Today's compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) offer the same brightness and light quality as incandescent bulbs. And although CFLs cost a bit more than incandescent bulbs initially, over their lifetime they are cheaper because of how little electricity they use.

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Current Version
Mar 21, 2023

Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team
Oct 21, 2010

Quiz Created by
Edison_electric

Test Your Efficiency Smarts

This winter, lowering the thermostat from 72 degrees down to 70 or 68 degrees won’t matter much in terms of comfort, but each degree you lower the thermostat can cut your heating bill by about 2%.

Heating and cooling account for how much of your home’s annual utility bill?

Weather-stripping and sealing your home against outside air leaks can save you what percentage of your energy bill?

Appliances and electronics account for what percentage of the typical home's monthy energy bill?

Screen savers are energy savers.

Refrigerators use about what percentage of a home’s electricity?

Today’s most efficient 20-cubic-foot refrigerators use up to half the electricity of a 1993 model.

Heating water in your home accounts for what percentage of your monthy energy bill?

The ideal temperature setting for your refrigerator from a health and efficiency standpoint is between 36 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit and your freezer between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

You can significantly reduce hot water use by making sure its temperature is set to 120 degrees.

Lighting accounts for up to 10% of the typical home’s total electric bill each month.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs put out as much light as regular incandescent bulbs, but last anywhere from 8 to 10 times longer. How much less energy do they use?