MOORESVILLE, N.C., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- With heating oil, electricity and natural gas prices expected to dramatically increase this winter, changing energy consumption habits can help homeowners take control of monthly energy bills. October is National Energy Awareness Month and Lowe's is offering free energy savings information and How-To Clinics at all of its stores nationwide to educate consumers about the many ways they can conserve energy and money and help to preserve natural resources.
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"Lowe's is committed to helping consumers save the most during times when energy and fuel costs are so high," said Robert Gfeller, Lowe's senior vice president, marketing and advertising. "In 2004 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR(R) qualified products from Lowe's, saved more than $90 million on energy bills."
Lowe's month-long activities for National Energy Awareness Month are highlighted by an October 8th education day which will feature free energy savings information in all stores from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Information will focus on easily adaptable energy tips and using products that have met strict energy efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy.
Each Lowe's store nationwide will also feature, as part of their How-To clinic series, energy clinics throughout the month each Saturday at 1 p.m. to educate customers about winterizing the home and conserving energy. Customers will learn energy conservation tips for different rooms of the home and how to lower heating and cooling costs by checking for air leaks.
One of the easiest things Americans can do to save energy is to use low- energy light bulbs. Lowe's is participating in the "Change a Light, Change the World" program on October 5th to educate consumers about energy efficient lighting options. New ENERGY STAR qualified lighting, including compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), can light a room just as well as standard incandescent bulbs, but uses two-thirds less energy than traditional lighting products and lasts six to ten times longer, or up to seven years.
"If every American changed their five most frequently used light fixtures to ENERGY STAR qualified lighting, each family would save more than $60 every year in energy costs, and this would also keep more than one trillion pounds of greenhouse gases out of the air," said Jill Vohr, ENERGY STAR marketing manager for the Environmental Protection Agency. "That's a $3 billion energy savings for Americans equivalent to the annual output of more than 21 power plants."
Lowe's customers can pick up a free copy of Lowe's Energy Solutions Guide at Lowe's nationwide or view the information on-line at Lowes.com/energy. The guide is filled with valuable tips and information on saving energy throughout each season. A few energy savings projects include:
- Weatherproof doors, windows and the garage door with sealants, caulk
and weather-stripping products. Weatherproofing not only reduces
energy bills by keeping out drafts, dust and moisture, but improves the
overall comfort of the home as well.
- Install an ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fan, which circulates air more
efficiently and allows you to set your thermostat lower in the winter
and higher in summer, saving more money on heating and air conditioning
bills.
- Upgrade a current thermostat with an innovative programmable
thermostat. With four temperature settings, the temperature on a
programmable thermostat can be adjusted for different times of the day,
resulting in up to $100 in savings a year when used properly.
- Update appliances with ENERGY STAR qualified models, which use
10-50 percent less energy than standard models.
About ENERGY STAR
ENERGY STAR, a government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency, partners with retailers and manufacturers of appliances, light bulbs and building materials to increase the adoption and use of energy efficient products and techniques.
About Lowe's
Lowe's Companies Inc. was named ENERGY STAR Retail Partner of the Year in 2005, for the third consecutive year. As part of its partnership, Lowe's offers ENERGY STAR qualified products in its stores and educates customers about opportunities to save energy and protect the environment. ENERGY STAR qualified products use up to 50 percent less energy than older models or less- efficient counterparts currently on the market. That translates to savings year after year on household energy costs. Lowe's offers consumers a full range of ENERGY STAR qualified products, from state-of-the-art appliances to lighting to air quality products. For more energy-saving ideas, visit Lowes.com/energy or the ENERGY STAR Web site at http://www.energystar.gov/.
With fiscal year 2004 sales of $36.5 billion, Lowe's Companies, Inc. is a FORTUNE(R) 50 company that serves approximately 11 million customers a week at more than 1,125 home improvement stores in 49 states. Based in Mooresville, N.C., the 59-year old company is the second-largest home improvement retailer in the world. For more information, visit Lowes.com.
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